Piraeus
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| Piraeus Πειραιάς | |
|---|---|
View of Mikrolimano, Piraeus.
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Piraeus
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| Coordinates: 37°57′N 23°38′ECoordinates: 37°57′N 23°38′E | |
| Country | Greece |
| Administrative region | Attica |
| Regional unit | Piraeus |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Ioannis Moralis (since 2014) |
| Area | |
| • Urban | 50.417 km2(19.466 sq mi) |
| • Municipality | 10.865 km2(4.195 sq mi) |
| Highest elevation | 87 m (285 ft) |
| Lowest elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
| Population (2011)[1] | |
| • Urban | 448,997 |
| • Urban density | 8,900/km2(23,000/sq mi) |
| • Municipality | 163,688 |
| • Municipality density | 15,000/km2(39,000/sq mi) |
| Community | |
| Time zone | EET (UTC+2) |
| • Summer (DST) | EEST (UTC+3) |
| Postal code | 185 xx |
| Area code(s) | 21 |
| Vehicle registration | Υ |
| Website | www.pireasnet.gr |
Piraeus (/paɪˈriːəs, pɪˈreɪ.əs/; Greek: Πειραιάς Pireás [pireˈas], Ancient Greek: Πειραιεύς, Peiraieús, pronounced [peːrajeús]) is a port city in the region of Attica, Greece. Piraeus is located within the Athens urban area,[2] 12 kilometres (7 miles) southwest from its city center (municipality of Athens), and lies along the east coast of the Saronic Gulf.
According to the 2011 census, Piraeus had a population of 163,688 people within its administrative limits, making it the fourth largest municipality in Greece and the second largest within the urban area of the Greek capital, following the municipality of Athens. The municipality of Piraeus and several other suburban municipalities within the regional unit of Piraeus form the greater Piraeus area, with a total population of 448,997.
Piraeus has a long recorded history, dating to ancient Greece. The city was largely developed in the early 5th century BC, when it was selected to serve as the port city of classical Athens and was transformed into a prototype harbour, concentrating all the import and transit trade of Athens. During the Golden Age of Athens the Long Walls were constructed to connect Athens with Piraeus. Consequently, it became the chief harbour of ancient Greece, but declined gradually after the 4th century AD, growing once more in the 19th century, especially after Athens' declaration as the capital of Greece. In the modern era, Piraeus is a large city, bustling with activity and an integral part of Athens, acting as home to the country's biggest harbour and bearing all the characteristics of a huge marine and commercial-industrial centre.
The port of Piraeus is the chief port in Greece, the largest passenger port in Europe[3][4] and the second largest in the world,[5]servicing about 20 million passengers annually. With a throughput of 1.4 million TEUs, Piraeus is placed among the top ten ports in container traffic in Europe and the top container port in the Eastern Mediterranean.[6] The city hosted events in both the 1896and 2004 Summer Olympics held in Athens.
Geography[edit]
Piraeus is situated in the southwest part of the central plain of Attica, also widely known as the Attica Basin, which the Athensagglomeration (urban area) sprawls across. Piraeus is bounded by the Mount Aigaleo to the northwest, and the Saronic Gulf to the south and west, and connected with the rest of the Athens Urban Area to the east and northeast. The "city proper" of Piraeus consists of a rocky peninsula, originally an island, featuring three natural harbours. In addition to the central one, called Kantharos in ancient times, the smaller harbours to the east are still in use : Zea, also known as Pasalimani, and Munichia, the smallest of the three and widely known asMikrolimano. Nowadays, the Piraeus larger urban area includes the suburban harbours of Drapetsona, Keratsini and Perama. The central harbour is a hub of commercial and passenger shipping, whereas the two smaller ones cater to recreational and fishing craft as well as passenger hydrofoils.
Shipping today[edit]
Piraeus, nevertheless, is still a major centre for Greek and international shipping, and bi-annually acts as the focus for a major shipping convention, known as Posidonia, which attracts maritime industry professionals from all over the world. Piraeus today is one of the largest ports in Europe, and the annual number of 19 million passengers makes it the third largest worldwide in terms of passenger transportation. Piraeus is currently Greece's third-busiest port in terms of tons of goods transported, behind Aghioi Theodoroi andThessaloniki.[19] The central port serves ferry routes to almost every island in the eastern portion of Greece, the island of Crete, theCyclades, the Dodecanese, and much of the northern and the eastern Aegean Sea, while the western part of the port is used for cargo services.
The following operators serve the port:
- Minoan Lines
- ANEK Lines
- Blue Star Ferries
- GA Ferries
- NEL Lines
- LANE Lines
- Aegean Speed Lines
- Hellenic Seaways
- Louis Cruise Lines
- Monarch Classic Cruises
Transport[edit]
Piraeus is served by autobuses, trolleybuses (ILPAP), Proastiakos, the Athens-Piraeus Electric Railways (ISAP) and the Athens Tram.Piraeus station refers to the two railway termini located next to the seaport.
Landmarks[edit]
The city of Piraeus is marked by the diversity of culture among its neighbourhoods. The hill of Kastella is one of the most prosperous and attractive neighbourhoods of the city, with a panoramic view over Athens and the Saronic Gulf. Its elegance comes from its numerous neo-classical mansions, while the Veakeio Theater and a church dedicated to the Prophet Elijah are the most popular buildings. The coastal area of Neo Faliro has been upgraded and is also prominent, with the Peace and Friendship Stadium and the Karaiskakis Stadium, an indoor arena and a football ground respectively lying opposite one another, predominating. Mikrolimano and Bay of Zea, the smaller harbours of the city, attract large numbers of visitors with their picturesque vistas and vigorous nightlife, hosting fishing boats as well as yachts and cruise ships. Kaminia, by contrast, is a working-class neighbourhood which still preserves the traditional look of an earlier period. The Municipal Theater in downtown Piraeus was built in 1885 and remains an impressive neo-classical building. Located across from the Neo-Byzantine Piraeus Cathedral, it forms one of the most renowned landmarks of the city and a popular meeting place.
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