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Mitsaioi windmill
At the edge of the Bisti peninsula, among the pine trees and beside the sea, stands the Mitsas Windmill, one of Ermioni's most important historic landmarks. Built around 1780–1790, it belonged to the historic Mitsas family, whose members took part in the Greek War of Independence of 1821. With its cylindrical shape and thick stone walls, the windmill resembles a small fortress. Its location above steep cliffs made it difficult to approach from either land or sea, providing protection for those who lived and worked there. One of its most distinctive features is the mortar that binds its stones together. It contains thousands of tiny fragments of murex shells, which come from ancient Ermioni, where the inhabitants produced the famous Tyrian purple dye—a precious colour once reserved for kings and emperors. Today, the Mitsas Windmill has been carefully restored and is one of the most attractive landmarks of the Bisti peninsula. From here, visitors can enjoy magnificent views over the sea while exploring one of Ermioni's most historic locations.
The story of the monument
As you walk through the beautiful Bisti peninsula of Ermioni, among the pine trees and beside the sea, you will come across an impressive stone windmill. This is the Mitsas Windmill, one of the area’s best-known and most historic landmarks.
The windmill was built around 1780–1790 and belonged to the historic Mitsas family, which played an important role in the Greek War of Independence of 1821. For more than 230 years, it has stood proudly at the edge of Bisti, reminding visitors of Ermioni’s rich history.
With its cylindrical shape and exceptionally thick stone walls, the windmill resembles a small fortress rather than an ordinary windmill. And that was no coincidence.
Its location was carefully chosen. Steep cliffs surround the site, making access difficult both from the land and from the sea. As a result, pirates, raiders and other unwanted visitors could not approach easily. Anyone attempting to climb the rocks could be spotted in time by the guards, allowing them to protect both the windmill and the people sheltering inside.
Yet the Mitsas Windmill also hides a remarkable secret.
Its stones are bonded with a special mortar containing thousands of tiny fragments of murex shells. Centuries earlier, these shells had been used by the inhabitants of ancient Ermioni to produce the famous Tyrian purple dye, one of the most valuable colours of the ancient world, worn by kings and emperors. In this way, the windmill creates a unique link between Ermioni’s more recent history and its ancient heritage.
After the death of Adrianos Mitsas and his son, the freedom fighter Captain Giannis Mitsas, ownership of the windmill passed to his daughter, Theodora. She later married Dimitris Nikolaou, who went on to serve as Mayor of Ermioni.
Today, the Mitsas Windmill has been carefully restored and is one of the most attractive landmarks of the Bisti peninsula. From here, visitors can enjoy magnificent views over the Argolic Gulf, stroll along the pine forest paths, and continue exploring the many historic monuments of the area.
Historical Photographs
The Mitsaioi Windmill at Bisti. Date unknown. (Source: Argolic Archival Library of History and Culture.)
