Until the mid – 20th century, Limassol was still a city much smaller than what we know it to be today. At the time, the areas east of the Municipal Gardens were comprised of large industrial and commercial units next to the sea. It was there that the first soap factory in Cyprus began its operation in 1929, in a building that became known as the ‘Theodosiou Warehouses.’
The establishment of the ‘Kolakides Brothers Petroleum and Soap Factory’ was a pioneering move for the island’s manufacturing industry. However, the building went down in history as the Theodosiou Warehouses, largely due to the controversy created by its demolition. Just like the TRAKASOL warehouses on the other end of the city (which were similar in size and shape), the Theodosiou Warehouses were an indicator of intense commercial and industrial activity in Limassol.
At the start of the 1980s, as Limassol began rapidly turning towards tourism (after the loss of the industry in Famagusta), the warehouses went into a compulsory purchase process. This was finalized in 1995, when the warehouses were demolished, amidst a rather turbulent climate, as many people were opposed to this decision.
Today, the seaside café-bar Thalassokoritso operates there, and is a popular swimmers who visit that beach during the summer months (and beyond).
Photos: Limassol Historical Archives, Lemesou Mnimes, Andreas Christoforou
* NOTE: The tributes of the Project "History of Limassol" present information that has emerged from historical research thus far. Any new data is embedded into the tributes, once it has been confirmed.
