| Piraeus, also known as Peiraeus or Pireas, is a city | | | | Although its main port is the most famous one, |
| located in the prefecture of Attica, towards the | | | | Piraeus also has two other smaller harbors which |
| southern side of Athens. This city's main | | | | have also helped turning this spot into a very |
| attraction is based on the fact that in ancient | | | | active one. The benefits of this spot and its |
| Greece, it was used as Athens' main port, and | | | | harbor was not noticed until the decade of 490 |
| therefore it played a very important role in the | | | | BC when Themistocles constructed a fortification |
| city's life. | | | | by this spot with the purpose of being able t |
| Besides than being the port of ancient Athens, | | | | easily use the ports and protect the citizens of |
| Piraeus has been also named port of modern | | | | Athens from Persians' attacks. |
| Athens since 1834. This way, nowadays this port | | | | Piraeus has a population of about 175.000 people, |
| can be seen in action, and although it does not | | | | with a density of 15.972 inhabitants per km2. IT is |
| look just like it used in ancient Greece, it still | | | | one of the few municipal authorities located within |
| shows some of such antique characteristics which | | | | the metropolitan area of Athens. Besides Pireus, |
| turn it into a very interesting and peculiar place to | | | | this metropolitan area has other municipal |
| meet. | | | | authorities among which we can name Keratsini, |
| The name of this area, Piraeus, means "the place | | | | Korydalos, Drapetsona, Nikaia, Perama, and Rentis. |
| over the passage", a meaning which is very | | | | Piraeus has been home town of several important |
| significant to its past history. In its origins as a | | | | people, such as per example the Andrianoloulos |
| populated area, Piraeus was a small island which | | | | brothers, who founded the Olympiacos sporting |
| was connected to the land by a narrow stretch | | | | club, Yiorgos Batis, an important Greek musician |
| of land. Although at first the area received other | | | | who lived between 1885 and 1967, or Dimitris |
| denominations, this geographical characteristic | | | | Gkogkos, an important Greek musician from |
| finally inspired the actual name. | | | | beginnings of the XX century. |