East Suburbs

Lavrio – Industrial and contemporary

Lavrio witnessed its industrial revolution thousands of years ago when it became the largest mining centre of the ancient world. People unearthed over the centuries its most precious natural treasures such as silver and other metals. The underground mining shafts of Lavrio and the silver that was extracted helped make ancient Athens a strong city-state and Lavrio a prosperous, wealthy community.

Testament to this wealth is the ancient theatre and other archaeological monuments located in the region of Thorikos. In the 19th century, the country’s first and largest industrial town would be located here, making Lavrio’s small seaside town a world-famous mining centre once again. Vestiges of Lavrio’s development include the neoclassical houses of wealthy residents and the apartment complexes that were occupied by poor labourers. Modern-day Lavrio got rid of its smokestacks to unveil a fresh contemporary seaside town boasting a buzzing seafront, port, and marina, with traditional cafés and fish taverns.