The Rhodes Windmills, also known as the Mandraki Windmills, stand at the entrance of Mandraki Harbour in Rhodes.
Archaeological findings suggest that as many as 13 to 18 windmills once stood around the harbour during the medieval period, although only three remain today. The Rhodes Windmills at Mandraki Harbour supported both residents and passing merchant ships by processing imported grain and in many ways, they represent how life was in medieval Rhodes.
The Rhodes Windmills at Mandraki Harbour are the first thing I noticed when I was researching Rhodes. I really love their iconic architecture and the fact that there are three of them in a row is so poetic. So of course I needed to take a photo!
Using perspective to bring the windmills together
For this particular photo, I walked all day around the harbour trying to find the best way to capture the windmills, and I decided to take all my gear with me, so I was carrying 14 kg on my back.
I decided to capture this composition with my long telephoto lens in broad daylight. I zoomed in from much further away to compress the scene and get this feeling of all three windmills standing close together, which turned out to be super interesting because in reality they are somewhat separate from each other.
The fortress of Agios Nikolaos at the end of Mandraki Harbour, known in English as Saint Nicholas Fortress, also appears in the shot. That’s where I took this full-moon photo which I love.
A photo that changes dramatically during the day
One thing I loved about Rhodes Windmills at Mandraki Harbour is how versatile they are as a photography subject. They are generous enough to provide drastically different effects throughout the day.
Mid-afternoon, for example, can be quite busy and crowded, especially in peak season. Cruise ships arrive often with many tourists who flood the Mandraki harbour for a couple of hours on their one-day tours, so getting a clean shot is difficult.
But sunset photography at the Rhodes Windmills is completely different, and particularly popular, as the windmills are silhouetted against the orange colours of the sky. Some perspectives may even allow for the sun to set exactly behind one of the windmills.
Later, the mills put on their night outfit, which is also quite beautiful and once again, quite different. The towers are illuminated in warm artificial lights which make them suddenly look like enchanted castles, surrounded by cats and the sound of waves crashing against the harbour.
Besides Rhodes Windmills and the Mandraki Harbour, other historic landmarks of Rhodes you shouldn’t miss are the Church of the Virgin of the Burgh in Rhodes Old Town, and the Kallithea Springs, driving south towards Lindos.
