Lavrio mine galleries

Higher Geography

Region: Attiki,
Sub-Region: Anatoliki Attiki,
Municipality: Lavreotiki,
Closest Settlement: Lavrio

Cave type

Artificial

Description / Comments

The mines of Lavrio is a huge cluster of vertical wells and horizontal man-made galleries. They have been opened in the wider area of Lavreotiki from the antiquity until 1977 when the operation of the lead mines has ceased. The depth of the wells varies from 10 m to 150 m and some are clogged or are in a hazardous condition to visit.

Protection status

• GR3000005 - Sounio - Nisida Patroklou and Paraktia Thalassia Zoni (Special Area of Conservation): Law 3937/2011 (OGG/Α 60/31.03.2011), Joint Ministerial Decision 50743/2017 (OGG 4432/B/15.12.17). Check site’s Standard Data Form

Fauna

• Apopestes spectrum (Esper, 1787), Hanauer 1976
  Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Insecta / Order: Lepidoptera / Family: Noctuidae
• Autophila anaphanes Boursin, 1940, Hanauer 1976
  Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Insecta / Order: Lepidoptera / Family: Noctuidae
• Camptogramma grisescens (Staudinger, 1892), Hanauer 1976
  Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Insecta / Order: Lepidoptera / Family: Geometridae
• Theretra alecto (Linnaeus, 1758), Hanauer 1976
  Phylum: Arthropoda / Class: Insecta / Order: Lepidoptera / Family: Sphingidae

Cave references

• Leloudas, N. 2005. Exploring Underground Greece: The Caves - Myths and Reality. Caves of Attiki, Sterea Ellada, Thessaly, Epirus, Macedonia and Thrace.. Eleftheri Skepsis, Athens, 224p. [in Greek]

Species references

• Hanauer, M. 1976. Falterfunde in Höhlen Mittelgriechenlands. Ent. Z., 86 (22): 241-244.

Citation

Paragamian, K. 2026. Fauna of the cave Lavrio mine galleries, Lavrio, Lavreotiki, Attiki. In Paragamian, K., M. Poulinakis, S. Paragamian and I. Nikoloudakis. Cave fauna of Greece database - Hellenic Institute of Speleological Research. Cave data updated 08.09.2018, Accessed 19.04.2026