Restoration of a Traditional Watermill, Agios Germanos, Prespa, Greece
Just before World War II, numerous watermills were in operation in the Prespa region, used by the local community for the grinding of grains and the production of flour, but also in the finishing process for the production of woollen cloth and the washing of carpets and rugs. Most were built along the banks of the largest river in the Prespa basin, the Agios Germanos River. Of these, only one mill has survived, located around 400 metres outside the village of Agios Germanos, thanks to the efforts of the Society for the Protection of Prespa over the past 15 years to prevent the building’s total collapse. In 2012, the A. G. Leventis Foundation and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation undertook to support the full restoration of the building and the mill’s mechanism. Today, visitors can learn about the workings of the mill and its traditional local use, but also about the way in which it is intrinsically linked to the natural ecosystem of its river water supply.
Grant given:
2013
