Neighborhood History
The Metaxourghio area is famous and named after the Silk (greek: Metaxi) factory that was built in the 19th century in this neighborhood. As you may have already realized Silk Fab the name given to our apartment complex was inspired from that landmark (Silk Fab: abbrev. fabrication). The area today is acquiring a reputation as an artistic and fashionable neighborhood due to the opening of many art galleries, museums and trendy restaurants. Gazi is only a 10 minute walk away offering great food options and a vibrant nightlife with many bars and cafes. The apartments are ideally located for visiting the center of Athens in the middle of a quiet residential tree-lined pedestrianized street yet quiet enough to enjoy a peaceful time away from the noisy city center.
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Metaxourgeio is built on the Dimosio Sima, the ancient cemetery of eminent Athenians. For centuries, the area was largely rural and stood on the outskirts of the city. The construction of the Metaxourgeio factory in the early 19th century paved the way for the neighbourhood's inclusion in the larger urban area. During the course of Athens' dramatic growth in the late 19th century, Metaxourgeio became a thriving working-class neighbourhood, housing many craftsmen, tradesmen, and small-business owners. The population of the neighbourhood continued to grow during the course of the early twentieth century, maintaining its working-class profile, until a period of abandonment beginning in the 1970s. Metaxourgeio's abrupt population decrease during this period reflects the larger situation in Athens, when many inhabitants moved to cities within the region but outside of the capital. A lack of building renewal and restrictive traffic regulations exacerbated this trend in Metaxourgeio. Continuing into the 1980s, the area's image of abandonment combined with a decrease in employment opportunities further discouraged new inhabitants.
By 2001, the population of the neighbourhood had stabilised, largely due to an influx of immigrants as well as upper middle-class residents who found the area's low rents and proximity to high-profile meeting places attractive. In the period leading up to the 2004 Olympic games, renovation projects and infrastructure rebuilding throughout Athens extended to Metaxourgeio as well, which further attracted new higher-income residents.
