Knossos Ruins

The Palace of Knossos is the most important monument in Crete.

Knossos was the first capital city of Crete.

The major feature of the Knossos site is the Great Palace, a structure covering over five acres and consisting of over 1,000 rooms connected by corridors and hallways. The palace was constructed sometime between 1700 and 1300 BCE. It is believed to be the source of the Ancient Greek mythology concerning King Minos of Crete, which also concerns the myths of Icarus and Dedalus, the labyrinth, the Minotaur and Theseus.

Other major features of the site include a smaller palace, a royal villa, a tomb, numerous frescoes and various other houses and buildings.

The Palace of Knossos is the monumental symbol of Minoan civilisation, due to its construction, use of luxury materials, architectural plan, advanced building techniques and impressive size.

The Palace of Knossos was built at the height of the Minoans’ glory, in around 3400 to 2100 BC, reflecting their wealth and sophistication. Best known for their incredibly naturalistic frescos and exquisite ceramics, the Minoans traded with other contemporary great powers in Egypt and Asia Minor.

The original palace was destroyed by an earthquake in around 1700 BC, and a more sophisticated complex was built over the ruins. Knossos was eventually destroyed by fire in 1400 BC.