Piraeus an integral part of the Greek capital. The port of Piraeus is now an important international port, and the largest in the country. Piraeus is situated in the southwest part of the central plain of Attica, also widely known as the "Athens or Attica Basin", which the Athens agglomeration (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,
Piraeus Bank c.30k). As of March 2018, the Hellenic Financial Stability Fund holds 26% of outstanding common shares, while the remaining 74% is held by the private sector (legal entities and individuals). Piraeus Bank is a universal bank providing various banking services. Historically a bank supportive of SMEs it now also possesses particular know-how in the areas of agricultural banking, consumer and mortgage credit, green banking, capital markets, investment banking, leasing and electronic banking. Piraeus Bank and its subsidiaries form the Piraeus Bank Group. A group of shipowners in Piraeus founded "Banque du Pirée" (Piraeus Bank; BP) in 1916 to finance trade.