Spitares

The history of mining on Kythnos started in antiquity and continued with mining galleries in Skouries, north of Lefkes beach, mining kilns, Katafyki cave in Dryopida, and more. Mining was most important on Kythnos in the years from 1873 to 1940, when iron was being mined on the island. This history is evident in almost every part of the island: abandoned galleries, bridges, buildings, and structures remind us of it. Spitares was the administrative center of the Serpieri mining company, which was active on the island at that time. Today the company buildings are dilapidated and unused, although they are an important part of the pre-war industrial history of the island and should at least have been preserved. We can reach them via a passable 900-meter path that starts across from the gas station outside Dryopida (by the antennas) and heads southeast.