The name of Lavrion, attributed to the mountainous mass of this metallurgical region, seems to have prevailed after the age of Homer. It most probably derives from the word lavra or lavri, meaning a narrow paved road and, for Homer, the corridor, the transversal road.
Xenophon himself, the historian of Lavrion par excellence, narrates:
"Ότι πάνυ παλαιά ενεργά εστί, πάσι σαφές• ουδείς γάρ ουδέ πειράται λέγειν, από ποίου χρόνου επεχειρήθη..."
...These routes had existed long ago.
In antiquity, the silver mines of Lavrion were the primary source of the affluence on which was founded the development of the Athenian republic. A remarkable metallurgical activity was developed following the 1864 concession of the exploitation rights of the ancient scoria of Lavrion to the Italian G. B. Serpieri and the French society Roux de Fraissinet.
The complex of the French Company of the Lavrion Mines (Compagnie Française des Mines du Laurion) represents today a unique monument of archaeology and industrial architecture, not only from the point of view of its dimensions, but also because of the fact that it preserves almost its entire installations since its founding, as well as a great part of its machinery and equipment.
A great number of the buildings preserved today were constructed during 1875-1876 and the industrial activity continued until 1988. During its 120 years of industrial functioning, various buildings underwent conversions, additions and completions, so as to adapt to the complex changes imposed by the technological evolution.
In 1992, the buildings of the old Compagnie Française were ceded to the National Technical University of Athens by the Ministry of Culture and they are today part of the installations of the Cultural and Technological Park of Lavrion.
The entire site along with its equipment has been recorded and inscribed in the general urban plan of the Lavreotiki municipality, as a Cultural-Technological Park.
Xenophon himself, the historian of Lavrion par excellence, narrates:
"Ότι πάνυ παλαιά ενεργά εστί, πάσι σαφές• ουδείς γάρ ουδέ πειράται λέγειν, από ποίου χρόνου επεχειρήθη..."
...These routes had existed long ago.
In antiquity, the silver mines of Lavrion were the primary source of the affluence on which was founded the development of the Athenian republic. A remarkable metallurgical activity was developed following the 1864 concession of the exploitation rights of the ancient scoria of Lavrion to the Italian G. B. Serpieri and the French society Roux de Fraissinet.
The complex of the French Company of the Lavrion Mines (Compagnie Française des Mines du Laurion) represents today a unique monument of archaeology and industrial architecture, not only from the point of view of its dimensions, but also because of the fact that it preserves almost its entire installations since its founding, as well as a great part of its machinery and equipment.
A great number of the buildings preserved today were constructed during 1875-1876 and the industrial activity continued until 1988. During its 120 years of industrial functioning, various buildings underwent conversions, additions and completions, so as to adapt to the complex changes imposed by the technological evolution.
In 1992, the buildings of the old Compagnie Française were ceded to the National Technical University of Athens by the Ministry of Culture and they are today part of the installations of the Cultural and Technological Park of Lavrion.
The entire site along with its equipment has been recorded and inscribed in the general urban plan of the Lavreotiki municipality, as a Cultural-Technological Park.
No comments:
Post a Comment