Koutalianos Mill

Next to the Kryoneri spring, below the hill of Ntentianika, one can see the Koutalianos watermill, perhaps the best preserved of the 9 watermills of Karavas. The watermills are excellent examples of traditional architecture, which indicate the know-how and passion of the master builders of the era. Built in ideal places for the utilization of water, they are characterized by harmony of dimensions, uncluttered appearance and effortless integration into the landscape. The crafters have solved structural problems with resourcefulness, using simple, local materials. The water mill of Koutalianos kept many of its components, such as the “voutsi”, the large oblong tank (water tower), where the water tower ended. From the bottom of voutsi, the water came out horizontally with pressure and moved the wing wheel, which in turn transmitted the movement to the axle that turned the upper millstone (“panarea”), while the lower (“katorea”) remained stable. That's where the cereal was ground. In the mill there are parts of the millstones which were made of pieces of volcanic porous rock that connected them with plaster to a metal bezel. Most likely, these pieces came from Milos and were then connected by local craftsmen. The stones had to have a rough surface for good grinding, so they chipped them when they were smoothed by the frequent use. According to the 1985 Granada Convention, plumbing in its entirety, buildings, equipment, and sites in which these elements is are located are recognized as monuments of architectural heritage.