The old hemp factory of Edessa is located in the area of “Psilos Gkrimnos”, in Varosi district. It used to produce ropes and twine from hemp, imported mainly from Benares, which is today known as Varanasi, India.
The machines used to make the thread and the ropes were operated by water-power, taking advantage of the many waterfalls of Edessa. The products were durable and of good quality, while the factory was the largest producer of twines and ropes in Greece, in particular between the 2 wars period.
Apart from cannabis from Benares, the factory used cannabis at intervals from Serbia but also from Greece, specifically from the plain of Giannitsa. For many years the site remained closed but there are plans to transform it to the Industrial Museum of Edessa.