Myli Gorge

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The Myli Gorge ( Greek φαράγγι των μύλων , gorge of the mills ) is a gorge in northern Crete that runs from south to north . It is located southeast of Rethymno and has had numerous water mills on Crete since the time of the Venetian rule . Today their remains are a document of pre-industrial agricultural work processes. There are numerous, sometimes rare, plants and animals in the gorge.

Location and surroundings

Water cascade in the Myli Gorge
Path through the Myli Gorge
Tavern, above the Myli Gorge

The gorge is located about 4 kilometers southeast of Rethymno and is about four kilometers long. The Myli Gorge can be reached from Rethymno with an excursion bus or by taxi to the nearest places Nei Myli ( Greek Μύλοι ) and Chromonastiri . A hiking trail leads through the gorge along the Mühlenbach , which rises on the northern slope of the 811 meter high Angali mountain . A tavern in the Pano Myli district , which can only be reached on foot, can serve as a base for a hike down through the gorge and also has information material on the history of the area. The actual entry into the Myli Gorge is at the foot of the mountain slope behind Xeron Chorion , to be reached from the national road 90 via a road about 2.5 kilometers long or on foot about 1.5 kilometers. A well-paved path with several steep sections leads from Cantina Banana up to Chromonastiri. Surefootedness is necessary.

The gorge is now a popular destination for tourists, especially families.

history

In the gorge you can see the remains of numerous elaborately built buildings, bridges and canals for water mills, which were built in the 16th century, at the time of the Venetian rule on Crete, and some of which were in operation until the 1970s. It was mainly flour mills that processed the wheat grown in the area . One of the mills has been restored and is accessible as a museum.

Also worth seeing are the chapels, especially the old Agia Nikolaos .

In the 1960s, the population left the old village of Kato Myli to move to a more convenient location ( Nei Myli ).

nature

Many fig trees grow in the Myli Gorge , followed by many clematis , as well as the poisonous arum in several lowlands . Griffon vultures (light head, Gypaetus fulvus) and bearded vultures (black head, Gypaetus barbatus) from the nearby White Mountains can be seen in the thermals above the gorge .

photos

Commons : Myli Gorge  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Website of the Myli tavern
  2. ↑ Map: Path through the Myli Gorge
  3. ↑ Description in English (PDF; 219 kB)

Coordinates: 35 ° 20 ′ 14 ″  N , 24 ° 30 ′ 17 ″  E