Industrial Cultural Heritage as an Alternative Tourism Model: Case study of the Wider Lavreotiki area in Southeastern Attica

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The cultural heritage of a country includes monuments and historical spots, landscapes and a structured environment, collections, old and on-going cultural practices, knowledge and live experiences. It records the long history and identity of each nation and the collective memory of a place. In modern societies, history and culture have been transformed from process to product, thus becoming an integral part and a powerful reference point of economic life. Modern monuments, from the late 19th to the early 20th century, constitute dynamic systems of cultural heritage; especially industrial buildings that can become part of cultural tourism. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the potential development of the country’s industrial cultural heritage for the diversification of the Greek “tourist product” and the complete promotion and renewal of the traditional touristic destinations in Greece. The development of the Greek “tourist product” beyond the coastal holiday, combining the monumental wealth of the country with the natural and historical, local and national environment where it is integrated, will create the necessary momentum for overcoming the structural problems of Greek tourism. Especially, the wider Lavreotiki area in Southeastern Attica, including the historic industrial complex, the French Mines Company of Lavrion, which was built in 1876, will be highlighted as an alternative touristic destination place.