In the 19th Century, during the Industrial Revolution, Mitilini was a prime supplier of top quality olive oil to the European markets. The elegant French women of the upper class enjoyed the pure fragrant soaps from the famous soap industry of the island. Mytilinian industrialists and merchants of olive oil and soap erected their mansions around the cities of Plomari and Molivos. They built their industrial buildings (factories, oil press etc) in a unique architectural style and they contributed to education, arts and to organisation of the society. The contact with Europe brought wealth and bequeathed the island with a staggering cultural influence evident until today. Mitilinian oil is famous and it is considered to be of the best in Greece. It is light, tasty and sophisticated. The oil of Lesvos has repeatedly won awards in international competitions while the facilities for bottling extra virgin olive oil in very attractive packaging with a view to exports have multiplied.