The largest centre of the Minoan civilization, home of the legendary king Minos and the capital city of his reign, is located 5 kilometers southeast of Heraklion, on a low hill known as Kefalas hill and next to the river Kairatos. The city of Knossos was continually inhabited from the late seventh millennium until Roman times and it is famed for the fascinating legends of the fabled Labyrinth, the Minotaur, Daedalus, and Icarus. During the Minoan era, the city experienced its prime, leading to the construction of the monumental Knossos palace, which was brought to light by the British archaeologist Arthur Evans in the early 20th century. While excavations were underway, Evans also conducted extensive work to reconstruct and renovate the palace, resulting in the unique archaeological site we know today, which is progressively undergoing adjustments to its premises.

Places to visit

The Knossos palace was considered to be the religious, administrative and financial centre of the area and the city of Knossos would spread around it. According to Evans, the population reached 80,000 residents. The palace complex had multiple floors and stretched out over a distance of around 20,000 square meters. It was built using various different materials and was decorated with captivating frescoes. For the construction of the palace, original techniques were employed, which surpassed architectural and structural conventions of the time, such as the «lightwells» and the «polythyra» (halls with pier-and-door partitions), allowing for a better air-flow and more light coming in the rooms of the vast compound.

Evidence of an advanced civilisation in the city of Knossos is corroborated by the extended sewerage and water systems which can be seen in many parts of the palace complex. The edifice was organised in wings around a large «central courtyard». On the west side, a second courtyard functioned as the official entrance to the building, through a monumental propylon (gateway) and a large corridor with a procession fresco. On the west wing were the storage rooms, a row of rectangular rooms that contained big «pithoi» (large storage containers) and chests. On site, there were also discoveries of Linear B signs with records referring to products that were being stored. Next to the storage rooms, the «Central Sanctuary» and the «Sacred Treasuries» were situated, areas where exquisite Minoan art pieces were unearthed, whereas on the northern part was the legendary «Throne room», known for its stone throne that is surrounded by frescoes.

On the north side of the courtyard, there was another entrance that connected the palace to the harbour and it was decorated with a bull-leaping fresco. On both sides, there were storage rooms and archive rooms, whereas on the north side, the «Custom’s House» was located, a large hypostyle hall which was hypothesised to be the place where trading goods would be checked when coming from the harbour to the palace.

On the east wing, the «Grand Staircase» led to floors bellow the level of the courtyard, where the «royal quarters» would be located. On one of the floors, which is known as the «Queen’s Megaron», a painted clay wash-basin, a washroom and sanitary facilities were discovered. Next to it was the so-called «King’s Megaron», also known as the «Hall of the Double axes», due to the sacred symbol of the double axes that was engraved on the walls. On the north side of the wing, stone carving and pottery workshops were found, whereas on the south wing was the South Propylon and the South Entrance, decorated with frescoes that depicted the Prince of the Lilies.

Not to be missed

Visitors are given the chance to wander the ceremonial rooms, the storage rooms, the royal quarters, the workshops and of course, the imposing «Throne room». The frescoes, as well as objects that adorn the premises, are exact copies of the original artefacts which are displayed in the Heraklion Archaeological Museum. After touring ancient Knossos, the museum is definitely worth visiting in order to gain a full perspective of the grandeur of the Minoan civilisation and of the archaeological site itself.