Peiraeus’ Street
Photos by Dimitris Galanakis & Georgia Galanoy.
Is the main street connecting the city of Athens with the harbor of Peiraeus. Its story began 2500 years ago, when the Athenians built the so called “Long Walls” for the defense of the two cities. In the 19th century it was transformed into an industrial suburb, first by the installation of the Gas Production Factory (Gazi) and later on, around the area of Peiraeus, with the development of the chemical industry, the metal industry and the cotton market.
Today the Peiraeus Street is changing faces rapidly. After its first part, where one can still find some stores, offices and galleries that remind us of times gone by, there appear one after the other and often to an extent of a whole building block, small Chinese shops.
At the crossroad with the Sacred Street (Hiera Hodos), that used to lead to Eleusis, and its sanctuary, one can hardly notice on his left hand the ancient Kerameikos’ cemetery. During the past few years the flair of the street, at its next part has changed due to the co-existence of former industrial buildings that have become cultural centers, or museums, and night clubs, and so have also the socials groups that frequent there.
The Workers’ blocks in Tauros are some of the last reference points to what this street used to be. One after the other the factories were closed down, some of them are to be restored but most of them are being demolished. And in their place huge buildings are being erected that host big companies and shopping malls.
Soon the face of Peiraeus’ Street will be again a different one. In the mean time one can just observe the stages of its evolution from the ancient times till today.
