In the next pages the history of the Lavrion area as well the mining and metallurgical activities that took place in the area, until the establishment of the Lavrion Technological and Cultural Park in the premises of the former French Mining Company.

Mining at Lavrio in the 19th and the 20th Century

LAVRION:  The biggest city of Lavreotiki, on the southeastern side of the Attiki prefecture. It takes its name of “lavra” or “lavri” which means narrow passage, tunnel, and characteristics of the area which is full of ancient and modern minimg galleries.

Lavrio was one of the most important new cities in Greece in the last century.It was built as a worker’s settlement from scratch, in the newly founded Hellenic State, following the “company model”. The setting up of Lavrion and the exploitation of its subsoil is directly linked to the effort of the new State to develop its resources and industry in the 19th century.

In 1860, a young mining engineer, A. Kordellas, visits Lavreotiki and convinces the Italian mining  engineer J.B.Serpieri, to exploit the ancient slags in 1863. In 1864, the latter founds the Italian – French company “Hilarion Roux et Cie”at Ergastiriakia port. The company undertakes the exploitation of the ancient slags and the extraction of silver containing lead ores. The company inaugurated a fully equipped plant in 1865, with 18 furnaces, small ore- washing units and a railway. It was the most important industry in Greece at that period. In 1867, it employed 1.200 workers, a record number compared to contemporary employment figures nation-wide.
 

In 1869, the company has a dispute with the Hellenic State, the famous “Lavreotika Affair”, over the ownership of the ancient mining residues, known as off-grade ores. Negotiations result in the setting up of two companiesin 1873: “The Lavrion Metallurgical Company” and the French-Hellenic company named “Mines of Camariza”. Τwo years later, in 1875, J.B Serpieri founded the “Compagnie Francaise des Mines du Lavrium”, which succeeded the “Mines du Camariza”. It was set up at Kyprianos area.

The Hellenic and French companies were those which essentially supported the new period of Lavreotiki’s prosperity. They put their seal on the development of the mining industry in Greece as well as on the setting up and the character of the city of Lavrion. The 1867’s workers’ settlement developed into a 10.000 inhabitants city in the beginning of this century. The most durable of the two companies, the French, built 45.000 m2 of installations at Kyprianos site.

The two Lavrion companies were responsible for the city’s operation. Houses and shops belonged to them. People were cared for in their hospitals and pharmacies. They built the schools, churches and port facilities.

The birth of industry at Lavrion, brought about a degradation of the environment as a result of the intense metalurgical activity. The natural landscape and the rich forest vegetation rapidly deteriorated. The swamps and the coasts were covered with solid waste, the lush forests were burnt by arson, while smog from the furnaces covered the wider area of the city over many kilometers.

Life in the city of Lavrion, since it was so closely related to the industries of the area, naturally followed their course. The first serious crisis came about in the 1880’s and 1890’s when the price of lead went down. The First World War thought, striked the decisive blow. In 1930, the Hellenic company sold out its installations. Towards the end of the 1920’s, the population of the Municipality of Lavreotiki, was reduced by 50%. Refugees from Asia Minor in 1922, regenerated the city’s population. In the mid 1950’s, a new period commenced for Lavrion which lasted for several decades and saw the development of new industrial branches. In 1980, Lavrion faced a new cycle of crisis, as a result of de-industrialization all over Greece. Tens of units ceased their operation and more than 20% of the population left town due to unemployment.