Search Results - Piraeus
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Piraeus (pronounced /pa?'ri??s/; Modern Greek ?e??a???, Peiraiás, [pi??'as], Ancient Greek ?e??a?e??, Peiraieús) is a city in the periphery of Attica, Greece, and a municipality within Athens urban area, located 10&_160;km southwest of its center. Piraeus is Greece's third largest urban centre and the second of the Greek capital following the municipality of Athens, with a population of 175,697 people (in 2001)[1] and an area of 11&_160;km2 (4&_160;sq&_160;mi).[2] The Piraeus urban area extends beyond the administrative city limits to the suburban municipalities, with a total population of 466,065 (in 2001)[1] and a land area of 50&_160;km2 (19&_160;sq&_160;mi).[2] The city is the administrative capital of the Piraeus Prefecture. Situated upon the Saronic Gulf, Piraeus is the largest passenger port in Europe[3][4] and the third largest in the world,[5] servicing about 20 million passengers annually. With a throughput of 1.4 million TEUs, Piraeus is placed among the first ten ports in container traffic in Europe and the top container port in Eastern Mediterranean.[6] Piraeus has a long history, which dates back to ancient Greece. The effect of its natural space and geographical place has been critical factors for the configuration of the historical fate of Piraeus. The development of the harbour has been always combined with periods of proportional acme and progress of the city, while in the periods of the harbour's decay the city languished. 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. Consequently, it became the chief harbour of ancient Greece but declined gradually after the 4th century AD, and began to grow again in the 19th century, especially after the declaration of Athens as the capital of Greece. In modern era, Piraeus is a big city bustling with life and an integral part of Athens, having the biggest harbour in the country and all the typical characteristics of a huge marine and commercial-industrial center. Piraeus, a name which roughly means 'the place over the passage', has been inhabited since the 26th century BC.[7] In prehistoric times, Piraeus was a rocky island consisted of the steep hill of Munichia, modern day Kastella, and was connected to the mainland by a low-lying stretch of land that was flooded with sea water most of the year and was used as a salt field whenever it dried up. Consequently it was called the Halipedon, meaning the 'salt field', and its muddy soil made it a tricky passage. Through the centuries, the area was increasingly silted and flooding ceased, thus by early classical times the land passage was made safe. In ancient Greece, Piraeus assumed its importance with its three deep water harbours, the main port of Cantharus and the two smaller of Zea and Munichia, and gradually replaced the older and shallow Phaleron harbour, which fell into disuse.
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Showing 1 to 6 of 6 Articles matching 'Piraeus' in related articles. |
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1. Unforgettable Landmarks Found In Athens
April 22, 2009
If you are thinking about cities that have histories measured in thousands of years rather than just a few centuries or less, Athens must be near the top of your list. Situated in southern Greece, not far from the huge port of Piraeus, Athens has a history that stretches back into Greek myth. Indeed, many of the major sights worth seeing in Athens are named according to a Greek god of some kind. From Ares to Zeus, and Apollo to Aphrodite, you will be surrounded by characters from a bygone age. The Temple of Hephaestus is perhaps the one temple you should definitely make a beeline for d... (read more)
Author: Andrew Regan
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2. Exploring The Delights Of The Greek Islands
July 08, 2008
When it comes to holidaying in the Greek islands you are spoilt for choice on destinations to visit. But one of the most stunning of all the islands is undoubtedly Skiathos, nestled in the Aegean and extremely popular with holidaymakers. Many people go to the Greek islands for their beaches, which are invariably stunning and beautiful. The beaches in Skiathos are no exception, and there are dozens to choose from. While it is wonderful to be staying very near to one and to have only a short trip from your Greek hotel to the beach and the sea every day, make sure you take the time to ventu... (read more)
Author: Daniel Collins
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3. Why Greece Attracts Tourists
May 08, 2008
Any sightseeing in Greece is wise to start with visiting Piraeus, which is famous for being the leading harbor on the Aegean Sea. It is a busy center for guests and locals. When you are in Piraeus never miss visiting the Marina Sea. You can as well take a trip to the Saronic Gulf in order to enjoy the huge yachts, cafes, stores and pubs along the beach. The Hellenic Maritime Museum houses recent and antique ships and is a wonderful site for those are keen on naval history. Piraeus is as well famous for an archeological museum where you can find bronzed statues of many Greek Gods. Kastella Hill... (read more)
Author: Jordan Chaplin
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4. Safety at Sea
April 17, 2007
Safety At Sea News of the sinking of Louis Lines’ Sea Diamond off the coast of the Greek island of Santorini reached me while cruising the Caribbean. I doubt that many other passengers heard about it or, if they did, they paid much attention. In this case, with two tragic exceptions, all of the passengers and crew were successfully taken off by the ship’s lifeboats, collected by a sister ship and taken to Piraeus. According to reports, the weather conditions were fine and the 1,600 passengers and crew had ample time to evacuate the ship. There was an unconfirmed report that a Fr... (read more)
Author: Brian MacDonald
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5. Amorgos island, Greece presents its famous Greek Amorgos island.
December 06, 2005
Q. What is the emblem of the Greek Island called Amorgos? A. The emblem of Amorgos island is the Monastery of Hozoviotissa.
Q. Why should a Monastery become the emblem of this island? A. The Monastery of Hozoviotissa is an amazing construction wedged into a huge precipice at 300m from the sea. It is original enough to become an emblem.
Q. What other elements add up to the beauty of this Monastery? A The place is surrounded by huge cliffs, palm trees and several Wonderful beaches covered with fine soft sand.
Q. How can we get to Amorgos Island? A. You can get to ... (read more)
Author: s pappas
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6. Piraeus - the port of ancient Athens
November 15, 2005
Piraeus, also known as Peiraeus or Pireas, is a city located in the prefecture of Attica, towards the southern side of Athens. This city's main attraction is based on the fact that in ancient Greece, it was used as Athens' main port, and therefore it played a very important role in the city's life.
Besides than being the port of ancient Athens, Piraeus has been also named port of modern Athens since 1834. This way, nowadays this port can be seen in action, and although it does not look just like it used in ancient Greece, it still shows some of such antique characteristics which turn it i... (read more)
Author: Jakob Jelling
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