ATHENS — A plan for the restoration of the French Pier at the port of Lavrio, SE Attica by the National Technical University of Athens (the Polytechnic) was unanimously approved by the Ministry of Culture's Central Council of Newer Monuments, it was announced Friday.

The French Pier, an industrial landmark of the region and the largest such construction in Greece, was built between 1886 and 1888, the Polytechnic said in a bulletin of 2018, when it was assigned the project. The Lavrio silver and lead mines – known and used since antiquity – shut down in the late 20th century and the site was assigned historical status in 1987, without however any further plans.

A detailed study of its state was completed in 2017 by Polytechnic engineers/professors in collaboration with the Lavreotiki Municipality, and findings were used to draw a preservation and restoration plan. The decision to approve the plan was made at a teleconference with all involved parties.

Mayor Dimitris Loukas said, "The French Pier is an emblematic monument for our municipality, especially for the city of Lavrio. Besides the restoration works, there will be a landscaping of the nearby area" to allow younger generations to appreciate the history of the site and the work of the old miners of the district.

The plan's approval will be followed by a contract with the Attica Region and an auction for the project, he added.