Knossos was the largest of the palaces of Minoan civilisation and the centre of a town that may have exceeded ten thousand people. In myth it was the palace of King Minos, where the architect Daedalus built the labyrinth to imprison the Minotaur. The first palace was built around 1950 BC; destroyed by an earthquake, it was rebuilt even larger and occupied until the Mycenaeans arrived.
Discovery and reconstruction
The site was identified in the 19th century by a Cretan merchant, Minos Kalokairinos, but systematic excavation began in 1900 with the British archaeologist Arthur Evans, who bought the land and worked there for over thirty years. Evans had parts of the palace rebuilt in reinforced concrete, repainted in bright colours and fitted with copies of the frescoes: a choice that makes the site easier for visitors to grasp, but which many archaeologists now consider too imaginative. Visiting Knossos means seeing Minoan ruins and Evans's interpretation together.
The visitor route
| Place | What to see |
|---|---|
| West Court | The entrance, with circular grain pits |
| Corridor of the Procession | With a copy of the offering-bearers fresco |
| South Propylaeum | Rebuilt, with the cup-bearer fresco |
| Central Court | The great rectangular courtyard around which the palace was organised |
| Throne Room | With the gypsum throne, the oldest in Europe, and painted griffins |
| West Magazines | With the great pithoi for oil, wine and grain |
| Grand Staircase | Descending several floors in the east wing, with the typical red tapering columns |
| Queen's Megaron | With a copy of the dolphin fresco and a bathroom |
| Prince of the Lilies fresco | Copy on the south side of the central court |
| Theatre and Royal Road | One of Europe's oldest paved roads |
The original frescoes and most precious objects are in the Heraklion Archaeological Museum: visit it the same day, before or after the palace.
Practical information
- Knossos is about 5 km from Heraklion, reached by city bus from the centre, taxi or car.
- Tickets are sold online on the official site hhticket.gr or at the gate; a combined ticket with the Archaeological Museum is available.
- The site is very busy: arrive at opening time or late afternoon, and avoid the hours when cruise groups arrive.
- Licensed guides at the entrance help make sense of a complex site; otherwise get a map or audio guide.
See also Crete, Minoan civilisation and the Minotaur myth.