Greece is considered amongst the world’s top marble producers in the global carbonate ornamental stone market. Selected Greek carbonate ornamental stones considered in our study suite are characterized by their distinctive and in some cases unique appearance, having a significant impact on their commercial value. Their wide range of colour varieties and their physico-mechanical properties are closely related to their mineral assemblage, chemical constitution, petrographic properties, structural defects, which in turn depend highly upon their metamorphic/diagenetic grade and in some cases hydrothermal processes that affected them. This study endeavors to feature the petrographic, mineralogical and geochemical properties of the main Greek carbonate ornamental stones from selected localities and their by-product waste material used as aggregates. The documented data aims to serve a better understanding of the dynamic Greek marble industry by relating their mineral and chemical properties with their physico-mechanical and aesthetic characteristics.

Commercial marble are almost ready-to-use materials with a high economic value for the building-construction industry. The most important ornamental stones in Greece include limestone and marble with notable qualitative features and are considered products of high commercial value. In this research, seventy-three carbonate samples (limestones, dolomites and marbles) from all over Greece have been studied to determine their macroscopic and petrographic features and to investigate their mineral chemistry and geochemistry. Their colors vary from whitish to gray due to their content of calcite and dolomite, black due to bitumens, yellow due to the presence of iron oxides and clay, red due to iron oxides and mixed phases of calcite- siderite, green-brownish due to the presence of iron oxides or muscovite and chlorite, giving schistosity to the rock. Scattered calcite and dolomite veins, as well as the occurrence of other minerals such as barite, epidote and magnetite, contribute to specific features, thus making their appearance unique. The particular characteristics of each stone depend highly upon the type of minerals present, their composition, grain size and extent of aggregation, their geochemistry and structure.

The promotion of geological heritage can significantly contribute to geoeducation. As geosites are areas that can be visited by everyone and not just experts on the field, a good comprehension of the processes under which they were formed can improve their understanding of the Earth in general. In this work, we have selected two Greek regions, namely Samaria Gorge (Crete) and Mount Pentelicus (Attica), and their sites of geological interest were mapped. Subsequently, some georoutes are proposed, covering both these sites and other locations of cultural, historical, archaeological, and/or religious interest. Through a detailed description of each site and its georoutes, we intend to promote the two areas’ geological heritage on the one hand, and contribute to the development of geoeducation on the other hand. For this purpose, we have also created an online story map and a Virtual Reality (VR) application for each one of them, both addressed to the general public.

The purpose of this study is to explore the potential influence of cyclic freezing–thawing on the flexural strength of Greek natural stones that are extensively utilized for construction or decoration purposes. Such testing approaches are an indispensable part of the stone selection criteria due to their ability to assess the stone’s durability. It is especially crucial in locations where exposure to freeze–thaw cycles is common. For this study, samples from various types of stones, including limestones, calcite and dolomite marble, cipollino marble, schists, and mylonites, were examined to assess their flexural strength under concentrated loads and their associated values after freeze–thaw cycles in compliance with European standards (EN). The results show that stones of the same type have comparable flexural strength behaviour. Only in a few cases were significant increases or decreases in strength observed. Specific stones demonstrated a substantial reduction in their flexural strength when exposed to freeze–thaw cycling despite their initially calculated high values without having undergone the frost durability test.

This study focuses on the investigation of possible relations betweenthe physical mechanical properties of natural stones from various places in Greece, i.e., limestones, marbles, sandstones and schists. Specimens were prepared to perform laboratory tests according to the applicable EN. Overall and “by stone type” correlation equations were established between flexural strength under concentrated load valueswithout and either after freeze–thaw cycling or thermal shock, indicating a linear and a powerrelationship, respectively. A power function was establishedbetween flexural strength under a concentrated load and under a constant moment. Results have also shown that water absorption increases linearly with open porosity.

The most important Greek ornamental stone types are marbles, limestones, schists, slates, travertines and sandstones. Since ancient times, quarryinghas been connected to history and civilisation, i.e., the white “Pentelikon” marble being famous for the construction of Parthenon (Acropolis). Greek marble industry is a dynamic sector, among the top world producers of dimension stones, concerning both the volume of production and exports. This paper describes the current status of the major ornamental stone producing areas in Greece and presents typical average values of physical mechanical properties of the extracted stones, determined in LITHOS laboratory.