Lavreotiki area and the importance of its “cultural” landscape
Two Schools of Architecture - from Athens, Greece and Coimbra, Portugal - decided to organize a Workshop that will focus on Lavreotiki area in Attica, Greece, with the participation of students and professors.
Lavreotiki is a peninsula in the SE part of the Prefecture of Attica within a distance of 67 km from Athens and extends to the west of the city of Lavrio (the municipal seat) at an altitude of approximately 230 meters. The town of Lavrio was initially built as a workers’ settlement in the late 19th century by European exploiters.
The whole area comprises a complex “cultural” landscape. It is famous worldwide due to its geological, natural and cultural heritage. In the area there are marks of habitation from the Neolithic period but the systematic exploitation of silver and lead ores began with the birth of the Athenian Republic in 508 BC. This location as an exceptional mining area in antiquity acted as the backbone of the ancient Athenian democracy and its naval strength, claiming in this way an international uniqueness. It flourished also during modern times from mid 19th century to the end of the 20th. The natural background and the historical reserve of constructions of the area are of great interest and significance.
The result of the complex natural and historical interest of the location is the direct interrelation of the natural elements of the landscape with an extended reserve of constructions such as old buildings, numerous infrastructure constructions (mine shafts and galleries) all of them abandoned, covering an impressive period of 5000 years.
The aim of the workshop
The Workshop intends to protect and highlight the historical remnants of the area along a route commencing from the mining centre of the village of Kamariza to doline “Chaos”, ending up to the place of ancient ore washing workshops and cisterns. Places of natural pockets should be protected and places of natural importance should be projected. In all places the quality of natural environment is conversed with historical built oddments and constructions of mining infrastructure of the 19th century.
The aim of this Workshop is to focus on the historical uniqueness of the area considering its environmental aspects and its cultural heritage. In this way, it will offer an opportunity for the development of creative ideas to promote the special landscape and the cultural physiognomy of the area.
Two Schools of Architecture - from Athens, Greece and Coimbra, Portugal - decided to organize a Workshop that will focus on Lavreotiki area in Attica, Greece, with the participation of students and professors.
Lavreotiki is a peninsula in the SE part of the Prefecture of Attica within a distance of 67 km from Athens and extends to the west of the city of Lavrio (the municipal seat) at an altitude of approximately 230 meters. The town of Lavrio was initially built as a workers’ settlement in the late 19th century by European exploiters.
The whole area comprises a complex “cultural” landscape. It is famous worldwide due to its geological, natural and cultural heritage. In the area there are marks of habitation from the Neolithic period but the systematic exploitation of silver and lead ores began with the birth of the Athenian Republic in 508 BC. This location as an exceptional mining area in antiquity acted as the backbone of the ancient Athenian democracy and its naval strength, claiming in this way an international uniqueness. It flourished also during modern times from mid 19th century to the end of the 20th. The natural background and the historical reserve of constructions of the area are of great interest and significance.
The result of the complex natural and historical interest of the location is the direct interrelation of the natural elements of the landscape with an extended reserve of constructions such as old buildings, numerous infrastructure constructions (mine shafts and galleries) all of them abandoned, covering an impressive period of 5000 years.
The aim of the workshop
The Workshop intends to protect and highlight the historical remnants of the area along a route commencing from the mining centre of the village of Kamariza to doline “Chaos”, ending up to the place of ancient ore washing workshops and cisterns. Places of natural pockets should be protected and places of natural importance should be projected. In all places the quality of natural environment is conversed with historical built oddments and constructions of mining infrastructure of the 19th century.
The aim of this Workshop is to focus on the historical uniqueness of the area considering its environmental aspects and its cultural heritage. In this way, it will offer an opportunity for the development of creative ideas to promote the special landscape and the cultural physiognomy of the area.