Politiko (Pofaidi)

Type: Watermill
District: Nicosia
Village: Politiko
River: Pediaios
Location - Toponym: Melitzina
Cadastral Info: N/A

Mill Description

The mill is located about 4km southwest of the village. It is built on steeply sloping and rocky terrain on the eastern side of the Pediaios river. The surviving parts of the mill include the stone built water channel, the watertower and the dilapidated building that housed the grinding mechanism. Also visible are the ruins of a second room attached to the building that housed the grinding mechanism. The remnants of the stone built aqueduct are preserved in a length of about 15m. The aqueduct runs on top of a stout masonry wall in the upper part of which a channel for the water flow is formed. The aqueduct is in a ruinous state while its walls have collapsed. The watertower is a massive structure with a maximum height of 7.20m. It is rectangular in plan. The two sides are vertical and the third (front) has a tiered form with two steps. Its masonry consists exclusively of river stones. The upper end of the watertower has dimensions 3.60 x 6.70m and its elevated walls form a rectangular tank around the opening of the shaft. The shaft has the shape of an inverted truncated cone. Its coating is not preserved. Extensive loss of the coating material as well as loss of stone in places is visible. At a lower level and in contact with the west (front) side of the watertower, the room that housed the grinding mechanism is partially preserved. It is a rectangular room (makrynari), measuring 4.00 x 6.50 m. Its walls are preserved at a height of 1.5-2.0m and are made of mudstone with river stones. On the north side of the room there was a second contiguous room from which parts of its walls are preserved at a low height. It probably served as the miller's residence or as an auxiliary waiting and/or storage area. At the lowest visible level is the room that housed the waterwheel. It is covered by a low vault made of roughly dressed limestone. Its outer side is formed by a semicircular arch also made of river stones. The nozzle (siphouni) is still visible. The mill has been recorded on Kitchener’s map and today is a private property. D. Myrianthefs

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