Patmos Windmills, Santorini Church Slated for €250,000 Restoration

Regional Governor George Hatzimarkos and Culture Minister Lina Mendoni signing the programmatic contract. Photo source: Region of South Aegean

The South Aegean Region has launched an ambitious program to restore three windmills in Chora of Patmos and the Church of St. John the Theologian on Santorini under a budget of 250,000 euros.

To carry out the project, the region has partnered with the Ministry of Culture and the Patriarchal Exarchate of Patmos through a formal agreement.

According to regional authorities, the project plans to restore the windmills to preserve their appearance and maintain their functionality. Additionally, a structural and architectural study will be conducted for the restoration of the Church of St. John the Theologian on Santorini to ensure visitor safety, protect the monument from earthquake damage, and restore the conditions necessary for Orthodox liturgy.

The history of the windmills

Windmills of the Monastery of St. John the Theologian. Photo source: Europa Nostra

On top of a hill overlooking the sea, to the east of the Monastery of St. John the Theologian on Patmos, stand the windmills of the island’s main town, Chora. The first two windmills were built in 1588, and the third was constructed in 1863.

Since their restoration in 2010, the windmills have been a unique feature of the island, recognized by Europa Nostra as one of Europe’s most important historical and religious pilgrimage sites.

Authorities plan to reopen the first windmill as a flour mill to show visitors the traditional flour production process and help revive the endangered professions of miller and baker.

The second windmill, thanks to previous restoration work, is able to generate electricity from wind power, while the third windmill will be restored to produce water.

According to officials, the windmills of Chora are not only an attraction but also a living monument, a “bridge” that connects the past with the present and the future.

The Holy Church of St. John the Theologian

Holy Church of St. John the Theologian, Santorini. Photo source: Catholic Diocese of Syros

The Holy Church of St. John the Theologian on Santorini is part of the monastery of the same name on Patmos.

Its architectural design includes a cross-in-square church topped by a dome, built in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. It has been declared a historical monument by ministerial decision.

The supervision of the restoration project will be undertaken by the Dodecanese Ephorate of Antiquities and the operating entity is the Holy Monastery of Saint John on Patmos.