Bodrum Yel Değirmenleri

According to historical sources, the first windmill was seen in Seistan, on the Iran-Afghanistan border, dated to 644 AD. After that, it was used for irrigation of rice fields in China between 750-850 AD. In the following years, the windmills that emerged in the east were developed in the west and these mills were brought to a horizontal axis position. The first horizontal axis windmill in history was built towards the end of the 12th century during the Normandy Kingdom. Tower type windmills were built extensively in the Mediterranean region. In the following years, wind electricity was produced by the Danish Prof. Paul la Cour using the windmill in 1891. Windmills, which are frequently seen in Bodrum and Milas districts of Muğla province, are made of cut or rubble stone with cylindrical bodies. The top of the mill is covered with a wooden conical roof. The main walls were usually whitewashed and sometimes the stone body was left intact. The windmills are entered through a simple round arched door. The interior is illuminated by the small-sized crenellated windows on the walls. In addition, wooden floors were built inside, and a millstone and a mechanism that grinds wheat was placed on the floor. In some examples, there are also flour warehouses next to or inside the mill.