Petrota

At Petrota, in the Evros prefecture, the mining of the volcanic and sandstone rocks has been going on since antiquity. This lasted until the mid 20th century.

Mavri Petra (the Black Rock)

Stone Quarry

Mill stones

statue of a mason

Village of Petrota and the stone quarry

At Petrota Evros, the mining of the volcanic and sandstone rocks has been going on since antiquity. This lasted until the mid 20th century. The quarried stone was used as millstones, for building material and for making various household items such as drinking troughs for animals, foundations and linings of wells, mortars, hand mills, etc,. Moreover, these stones were the raw material for the construction of important monuments in the wider region, such as Thracian domed tomb (4th century BC), the Byzantine castle in Mezek, Bulgaria (11th century AD), the post-Byzantine castle of Petrota (16th century AD), the bridge of Mustafa Pasha at Svilengrad (528-1529 AD ), churches in the surrounding area such as Pentalofou (1858 AD), the “Therapy” (1895 AD) and others. It should be noted that at this spot starts the famous stone paths: a) Petrota-Mezek-Svilengrad and b ) Petrota-Ormenio-Dikaia–Marasia-Karagatz-Adrianople. These stone paths are known as “Kastrinis Strata”. Source : http: / / www.geo.auth.gr/yliko/useful/docs/2007_HMERIDA_PETRWTA.pdf