The well of Milita

The well of Milita was 16 meters deep and supplied water to the villagers in case of an enemy attack. During the Genoese domination the well served only the Genoese and was guarded by Italian soldiers so it was taken the name “Milita” after the Italian word “militare” which means military. The rest of the habitants were bounded to water supply from wells and springs outside of the village.

The external walls

With the passing of the centuries the village was shaped in a pentagon layout with in each of its corners to be consisted of a rounded double decked tower with crenellations and battlements. The tower’s main purpose was the better watching all of the external sides of the wall. The wall is 1,5 thick and 12 meters tall. Later, due to the population growth, was started the construction of houses which were attached to the internal side of the wall covering it all, thus reinforcing its resistance as all the houses were united with each other.

The castle gate

For defensive purposes the central gate of the castle was the only available mean of entry or exit through it to the village. It was built with thick iron plates which were connected crossways. Upon the iron plates were placed thick planks for more safety. Over the gate there was an opening for the burning oil throwing to the approaching enemy. During the Genoese domination the gate was opened at sunrise and was closed at sunset. The gate is preserved in excellent condition until our days. Next to the gate were placed the garrison headquarters, home of the commander and the guards. Because of that the gate was named the “Gate of the Captain” after the Italian word Capitano. The commander was assigned there in order to supervise the villagers and the mastic production.

The watchtowers

Almost in all over the island, at the coastal areas and on the mountains there are scattered watchtowers. Watchtowers are placed around Mesta too. The watchtowers are stone towers, outposts of round shape with battlements and a height of 14 meters. The watchtowers supervised the sea beyond them. The access was possible through rope-ladders, while in their floor there was a trapdoor which led in a room to accommodate the off duty guards. When the guards noticed an enemy ship approaching they notified the nearby watchtowers and so through this network the castle central tower in the village was alarmed. The habitants had enough time to take cover and prepare for the enemy attack.