Hamalevri is a small village in Rethymnon, on the island of Crete. It is 13.5 km from Rethymnon and is built at an altitude of 80 meters. Ruins of a Minoan settlement have been identified in the surrounding hills and a large building complex has been excavated, the layout of which gives the impression of organized handicrafts. An ancient quarry has been found in the northern part of the area and a bath from the Roman era has been excavated.
- The church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and Agios Charalambos was built in 1951 and is the central one of the village. Other churches near the village are the chapels Zoodochos Pigi and Agios Georgios.
- In the village there is a two-storey tower, built by Venetians during the 15th century. During the Cretan revolutions it was used as a base by the Turks. It came with the liberation of Crete to the family of the current owners, from the beginning of 1900. It is preserved to this day in excellent condition and has been designated as a historical monument.
The island of Crete, like the whole of Greece, was under the Ottomans for many years. Agas, in 1880, who ruled the area of Hamalevri, began to sell his property in installments. After the official integration of Crete in the Greek state in 1913, Agas lost most of his property, despite a small part. Eventually, with the Greek-Turkish population exchange in 1923, he left the area for good.
With the sale of the aga’s property in 1880, the specific piece of land in which the mill buildings are located, came to the family. Today they host the visitors of the island. The buildings are in a prominent location, as they border the Venetian Tower of the village.
The property of the family, which operated as an olive mill, was burned during the Second World War, something that is still proven today by the elements of the building. The family completely restored the building at the end of the war, in 1960 it was restored and became the family home.