Knossos is an archaeological site on the northern edge of Crete. It was the ancient capital of the Minoan Kingdom which flourished during the Bronze Age (3000 BC – 1450 BC) and was one of the earliest advanced societies in the world. The Palace of Knossos is the most important historical site in Crete, given its long history and mythological backdrop.
It is believed that two palaces were built on this site. The first palace was founded as early as 1950 BC, though some structures predating that have been uncovered. Between 1600 BC and 1300 BC, the palace faced several natural calamities, including a volcanic eruption, tsunami and a third unknown catastrophe which completely ruined it.
The second palace was built over the ruins of the first, including a few renovations of the standing structures. The palace was decorated with intricate carvings, paintings and pillars. Excavators have stated that when compared to the first palace, this one seems lighter and aesthetically pleasing. From this, we see the advancement of civilization and the pottery, weapons and tools used during this era also provide evidence that people had acquired more skills.
The Palace of Knossos is believed to be the setting for the popular Greek myth of King Minos of Crete and the minotaur. (Sounds familiar?)
According to this myth, King Minos had asked Daedalus, a skilled architect to construct a labyrinth (maze) below his palace such that no one who enters can find their way out. This labyrinth was to shelter the minotaur – a monster with a body that was part human and part bull. It was actually the cursed child of Minos’s wife. In order to keep the beast alive, Minos demanded that noble young men must be offered as tribute. Then came Theseus of Athens who slayed the minotaur with the help of Ariadne, Minos’s daughter.
Sadly, the Minoan script remains undeciphered till date, so it is impossible for us to know if King Minos actually ruled here.
The location of the labyrinth is unclear because some versions of the myth state that the palace itself was a labyrinth while some state it existed below the palace. However, once you enter the palace, the intricate network of corridors and stairs would convince you that this was indeed the home of the labyrinth.
The palace has four entrances and visitors usually come in from the West Court, which might have been a space for public gatherings. After entering, you will cross several grain storage pits, walk through pathways lined with frescoes and reach the Central Court. As the name states, the Central Court grants access to several important areas of the palace like the Royal apartments, Throne Room, Central Palace Sanctuary and Pillar Crypts.
The Grand Staircase will take you down to the Royal apartments which prominently stand out from other rooms in the palace, with fine decor and frescoes. The dolphin fresco in the Queen’s Suite is one of the finest Minoan artworks. From here, you can go next to the Hall of the Double Axes, which must have been the King’s Chambers.
Note that most of the frescoes found here are replicas and the originals are displayed at the Heraklion Archaeological Museum.
Once you come back up through the Grand Staircase and cross the Central Court, you will reach the Throne Room. Made of alabaster, the King’s throne is set in the centre with rows of stone benches along the walls for his council. Surprisingly, for such a massive palace, the throne room seems unusually small. On the walls, you can see the frescoes of griffins, a mythical creature considered sacred by the Minoans.
After this, you would come back to the Central Court and enter the Central Palace Sanctuary which contains a tripartite shrine. This must have been the religious part of the palace as excavators had found it filled with artifacts of Snake Goddesses and other pottery work.
Near the North Entrance, you will find the famed Charging Bull Fresco. Outside this area you will also find the ruins of a theatre complex with a rectangular platform that would have easily housed around 400 spectators in its day. The Royal Road, claimed to be Europe’s oldest road, also lies here. People might have gathered in the theatre to watch processions coming through the road.
The storage and drainage system of the palace are noteworthy – their planning and efficiency once again proves that ancient civilizations were more advanced than we give credit for. The Giant Pithoi – five feet tall storage jars are found in the eastern side. They were once used to store rations like oil, wine and grain.
While the main building of the palace covers three acres, there are several buildings scattered outside making the entire palace complex span across a massive five acres.
After your visit to the complex ruins of the Palace of Knossos, a visit here would help you gain a better understanding of the Minoan period and Crete’s history. The museum is located around 6km away from Knossos. This is one of Greece’s most important museums, housing artifacts from history spanning from the Neolithic to Roman times (that’s roughly 5500 years!).
You can view the originals of the frescoes that you had seen at the Knossos ruins. Along with this, frescoes from other archaeological sites like Amnissos, Tylissos and Agia Triada are also on display. Though frescoes are the highlight of the museum, it also showcases a good collection of jewellery, pottery, tools and sarcophagi.
One of the most exciting elements of visiting Greece is stumbling upon ancient towns and ruins steeped in history and mythology. What could be more exciting than walking through corridors with your footsteps echoing history? One such place is Knossos, which will not fail to amaze you.
