A monumental 500-ton marble sculpture, carved from a single block of Naxian marble, began an unprecedented multi-day transport operation Tuesday from the Kinidaros quarry toward Switzerland, in what organizers say ranks among the largest monolithic artworks ever created.
The sculpture, titled "The Lyre of Naxos," measures 12 meters long, 6 meters wide and 6 meters tall, and was carved by artist Tobias Balati from a raw block originally measuring 17 by 7 by 7 meters at the Alexandros Logiotatos Naxos Marble quarry.
Balati worked intensively for six months to complete the piece, part of a project that began in 2023.
The relocation effort, expected to conclude Saturday, involves a specialized 12-axle self-propelled platform that will move the sculpture overnight to the port, following extensive route preparation by engineers and police.
Organizers have asked residents to avoid parking along the transport route. The sculpture is scheduled to be loaded onto a specialized vessel Saturday for its voyage to Basel.
Victor Matarangas, a quarry management official, told NaxosTimes the piece's monolithic nature has already prompted efforts to register it with Guinness World Records.
Joachim Kolb, export sales manager at transport company Cometto, drew a comparison to the unfinished 6th-century B.C. Kouros of Apollo, a 10.7-meter, 80-ton statue left in the same quarry after ancient technology proved unable to move it.
"History on the island of Naxos is repeating itself after 2,600 years," Mr. Kolb said, noting modern technology is now succeeding where ancient engineering could not.