In the north of Andros there is the abandoned village of Frousaioi known for its sixteen traditional watermills and perspective farms. Likely there were more watermills but vanished during storms that increased the volume and power of the river. There are more buildings in the area where employees of the mills lived with their families. Overall when one visits the village does not get the feeling they are in a village due to the distance among the buildings and the thick vegetation of the area.
The village thrived mainly in the 19th century when locals would bring their wheat to the watermills making the village a center of commerce and wealth. After WWII the area started deteriorating as most families starting buying flour. The deterioration escalated after an intense drought that occurred in mid 50s. The last residents left the village in 1965. Today Frousaioi is known for its natural beauty complimented by the traditional watermills, that stands as monuments of traditional art and architecture.
Photo: Andros Routes