The stone windmills of Bodrum rank among the city`s most photographed landmarks. Built during the 18th-19th centuries by Ottoman craftsmen atop older Byzantine foundations, these strategically placed mills (on Değirmen and Göktepe hills) feature:
• Regional grain processing – supplied flour from Halicarnassus to surrounding villages
• Unique "Taurus" design – cylindrical sandstone towers with 8-10 meter wooden sails
• Operational until the 1960s before industrial milling replaced them
Decline & Preservation
Altered wind patterns from coastal urbanization disrupted operations. A 1974 storm destroyed most wooden mechanisms. Only 5 of 17 historic mills remain today, with just one (at Göktepe) retaining original parts
Where to See Them?
1. Değirmenburnu
• Two fully restored mills at Bodrum Bay`s entrance
• One houses a flour-milling museum with working models
• Viewpoint reveals submerged ancient city walls during storms
2. Göktepe
• The tallest (86m ASL) and oldest mill (1793) featuring:
• Basalt grinding stones
• Original oak drive shaft
• Greek inscription "ΘΕΟΙΣ" ("To the Gods") on its portal
3. Turgutreis Road
The abandoned "Black Mill" (Kara Değirmen) – sole survivor with intact underground grain silos
Blue-painted sails warded off evil spirits according to local belief. Served as observation posts against British naval forces in 1915. A Saturday farmers` market at Değirmenburnu still sells traditionally ground flour. These silent sentinels embody Bodrum`s pre-tourism heritage, where wind and stone sustained communities for generations. Unlike the glamorous yachts below, they whisper tales of the region`s humble, ingenious past.
