The watermill of Agios Germanos
The watermill of Agios Germanos in Prespa stands nearby; the owners say it is the only watermill of the area to survive. A village family built it in 1930, the Society for the Protection of Prespa restored it, and visitors can enter. This guide tells its story and how to plan a visit. Opening days change, so we print none.
A mill for a village
According to Europa Nostra, a village family built the watermill in 1930 to serve the needs of local people. The Society for the Protection of Prespa explains that the river's flow powered millstones that met the community's essential needs, grinding grain and producing flour, and calls the mill a living example of the interdependence of people and nature.
How a watermill works
The river's flow turned the millstones, and the stones ground the grain into flour. The Society says that the original building included a flour mill, a fulling mill and a fulling tub, the last two being machines for finishing woollen cloth. It also says the building survived almost completely intact, and mentions three pieces of restored machinery.
The restoration
The first attempts at restoration began in 1997, on the initiative of the Society for the Protection of Prespa, with local residents and volunteers from WWF Greece. The MAVA Foundation supported the early work. In 2014 the restoration of the main mill was completed, with grants from the A. G. Leventis Foundation and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, which together with the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation also funded the restoration of adjacent mill buildings.
The prize
In 2016 the restoration won the Europa Nostra Award in the Restoration category and the Grand Prix of the EU Prize for Cultural Heritage. According to Europa Nostra, the presentation took place at the mill on 15 October 2016. The organisation describes it as a traditional, working watermill.
The river and the trout
The mill stands by the Agios Germanos river, which the Society for the Protection of Prespa mentions in connection with the endemic Prespa trout. The Society calls the trout one of the oldest trout species in the Mediterranean. It says the trout lives only in the Agios Germanos river and three other rivers in North Macedonia, and that it is classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Mediterranean endemic freshwater fishes. The lakes the river feeds are in the Prespa lakes.
Visiting the mill
Visitors can enter the mill. The Society describes entry as free, with guided tours, and the mill as accessible to people with disabilities. A knowledgeable guide explains the mill, and information boards prepared by the Society help. The Society has also produced a free education pack about the watermill and the river for younger visitors. Opening days change, so we print none: check the Society's page or Poliprespa's page on the watermill before you go. Group tours outside the usual days need arranging with the Society; its page explains how.
There is also a second mill next to the main one, which the owners say is now open. Check the Society's page for visiting days.
Seeing the mill with the village
The watermill is nearby, and we give no distance. Combine it with the lanes and the church: the village guide explains how, and Byzantine heritage in Prespa puts the church in its wider setting. For more ideas, see things to do in Prespa.
Quick answers
Can I visit the watermill?
Yes. Visitors can enter, and the Society for the Protection of Prespa runs the visits. Opening days change, so check its page first.
Is it free?
The Society describes entry as free.
How old is it?
It was built in 1930.
Who restored it?
The Society for the Protection of Prespa, with local residents and volunteers, over several years. The main mill was completed in 2014.
Four homes in the village
Prespes Luxury Homes has four homes in one renovated stone building in Agios Germanos: Home 1 for up to 2 guests, Home 2 for up to 4, Home 3 for up to 4 and Home 4 for up to 5, and up to 15 guests in all. Every home has heating you control room by room, hot water all day and a welcome basket with breakfast treats. Homes 2, 3 and 4 also have a fireplace; we provide firewood, and a person helps you with the fire. Meet the homes or ask about availability. See the photographs · More guides
