Eleusis or Elefsina, a town with a population of 30,000 inhabitants and is situated 20 km away from the city of Athens. The town is known for its ancient and modern industrial history. In ancient times it was considered to be, for almost 2000 years (eg 1600-400 AD), one of the five holy cities, where the Eleusinian Mysteries attracted for years pilgrims from all over the known world. Thanks to the great tragic poet Aeschylus, Eleusis gets even more famous in the ancient world as well as in ourdays.
After 14 centuries of obscurity in 1827, after the liberation from the Turkish occupation, Eleusis appears as a small town of 250 inhabitants. In the 1860s Eleusis began to change its urban profil with the construction of new buildings and the installation of certain small crafting industries. During the 1880s, the industrial development was started with the foundation of a soap factory (CHARILAOU -1875), the cement industry TITAN (1902), distilleries BOTRYS (1906) and Kronos (1922).
In 1922, 2000 refugees installed in Elefsina, doubling its population. After the 2nd World War hundreds of employees from all around Greece, istalled in Elefsina in order to work in the industries of the area.
During the 21st century Eleusis is developed into a modern town which disposes of the distinctions of a glorious past. It constitutes the administrative centre of the wider area and is the headquarters of the Prefecture of Western Attica. The Archaeological Site and its Museum constitute areas of international promotion and tourist attraction. Furthermore, the Festival “Aeschylia”, the cultural events organized by the Municipality each autumn, is nowadays an institution that gives the possibility of expression of modern cultural matters of the town.
Therefore, alongside with the economic development, the ongoing efforts for infrastructural improvement and protective environmental measures, efforts are made from the side of public authorities, private associations and individuals, for rehabilitation of the spiritual character of the town, so as to be worthy of the heritage that bears the name “Eleusis”.