Piraeus from across the country. A number of events contributed to the development of the city ; among these were its ultimate declaration as the leading port of Greece, the completion of the Athens-Piraeus Railway in 1869, the industrial development of the area in the 1860s, and the creation of the Corinth Canal in 1893, all of which left Piraeus more strategically important than ever. New buildings were constructed to cover the necessities of this growth, such as educational institutions, churches, the Stock Exchange Building, the Town Hall, the Central Market, the Post Office Building and charity institutions; the port was
Piraeus derby Piraeus derby The Piraeus derby, is an association football rivalry between Ethnikos Piraeus and Olympiacos, the 2 teams representing the city of Piraeus. Once a major derby, since Olympiakos' dominance the derby has lost importance over the years, however the rivalry still exists as the poaching of players and the ownership of the stadium still remain a point of contention. Although the importance of the derby has declined in football, the rivalry is still very much alive in other sports, especially water polo. Since the two clubs were established in the mid-1920s, Ethnikos' traditional local rival has been Olympiacos CFP,