Knossos
is the site of the most important and better known palace of Minoan
civilization. According to tradition, it was the seat of the legendary
king Minos. The Palace is also connected with thrilling legends,
such as the myth of the Labyrinth with the Minotaur, and the story
of Daidalos and Icaros.
The site was continuously inhabited from the Neolithic period
(7000-3000 B.C.) until Roman times.
The Linear B tablets (Mycenaean script) of the 14th century B.C.
mention the city as ko-no-so.
Intensive habitation occured
mostly in the Minoan period, when the so-called first (19th-17th
centuries B.C.) and second palaces (16th-14th centuries B.C.)
were built along with luxurious houses, a hospice and various
other structures. After its partial destruction in 1450 B.C.,
Knossos was settled by Mycenaeans from the Greek Mainland.
The city flourished again during the Hellenistic period (sanctuaries
of Glaukos, Demeter, other sanctuaries, chamber tombs, north cemetery,
defensive towers) and in 67 B.C. it was captured by the Roman
Quintus Caecilius Metelus Creticus. The "Villa of Dionysos", a
private house with splendid mosaics was built in the same period.
Knossos was discovered in 1878
by Minos Kalokairinos. Arthur Evans conducted systematic excavations
at the site between 1900 and 1931, bringing to light the palace,
a large section of the Minoan city, and the cemeteries. Since
then, the site and the surrounding area have been excavated by
the British School of Archaeology at Athens and the 23rd E.P.C.A.
ÇThe restoration of the palace
to its present form was carried out by Arthur Evans. The interventions
were mostly imposed by the need to preserve the monuments uncovered.
The Archaeological Service of the Ministry of Culture carries
out only consolidation work, whenever necessary.
The most important monuments
of the site are:
The Palace of Knossos. It is the largest
of the preserved Minoan palatial centres. Four wings are arranged
around a central courtyard, containing the royal quarters, workshops,
shrines, storerooms, repositories, the throne room and banquet
halls. Dated to 2000-1350 B.C.
The Little Palace. It lies to the west
of the main palace and has all the features of palatial architecture:
scraped wall masonry, reception rooms, a pristyle hall, a double
megaron with polythyra (pi er-and-door partitions) and a lustral
basin-shrine. Dated to the 17th-15th centuries B.C.
The Royal Villa. It lies to the NE of the
palace and its architectural form is distinguished by the polythyra,
the pillar crypt and the double staircase, with two flights of
stairs. It is strongly religious in character and might have been
the residence of an aristocrat or a high priest. Dated to the
14th century B.C.
House of the Frescoes. It is located to
the NW of the palace and is a small urban mansion with rich decoration
on the walls. Dated to the 15th, 14th-12th centuries B.C.
Caravanserai. It lies to the south of the
palace and was interpreted as a reception hall and hospice. Some
of the rooms are equipped with baths and decorated with wall paintings.
The "Unexplored Mansion". Private building,
probably of private-industrial function, to the NW of the palace.
It is rectangular, with a central, four-pillared hall, corridors,
storerooms and remains of a staircase. Dated to the 14th-12th
centuries B.C.
Temple Tomb. It is located almost 600 m.
to the south of the palace and was connected with the "House of
the High Priest" by means of a paved street. It seems that one
of the last kings of Knossos (17th-14th centuries B.C.) was buried
here. Typical features of its architecture are the hypostyle,
two-pillar crypt, the entrance with the courtyard, the portico
and a small anteroom.
House of the High Priest. It lies 300 m. to the south
of Caravanserai and contains a stone altar with two columns, framed
by the bases of double axes.
The South Mansion. Private civic house, located to the
south of the palace. It is a three-storeyed building with a lustral
basin and a hypostyle crypt, dating from the 17th-15th centuries
B.C.
Villa of Dionysos. Private, peristyle house of the Roman
period. It is decorated with splendid mosaics by Apollinarius,
depicting Dionysos. The house contains special rooms employed
for the Dionysiac cult. Dated to the 2nd century A.D.
Castello
hotel-Heraklion Crete
Knossos
is the site of the most important and better known palace of Minoan
civilization. According to tradition, it was the seat of the legendary
king Minos. The Palace is also connected with thrilling legends,
such as the myth of the Labyrinth with the Minotaur, and the story
of Daidalos and Icaros. 
The Palace of Knossos. It is the largest
of the preserved Minoan palatial centres. Four wings are arranged
around a central courtyard, containing the royal quarters, workshops,
shrines, storerooms, repositories, the throne room and banquet
halls. Dated to 2000-1350 B.C. 
The Little Palace. It lies to the west
of the main palace and has all the features of palatial architecture:
scraped wall masonry, reception rooms, a pristyle hall, a double
megaron with polythyra (pi er-and-door partitions) and a lustral
basin-shrine. Dated to the 17th-15th centuries B.C. 
The Royal Villa. It lies to the NE of the
palace and its architectural form is distinguished by the polythyra,
the pillar crypt and the double staircase, with two flights of
stairs. It is strongly religious in character and might have been
the residence of an aristocrat or a high priest. Dated to the
14th century B.C. 
House of the Frescoes. It is located to
the NW of the palace and is a small urban mansion with rich decoration
on the walls. Dated to the 15th, 14th-12th centuries B.C. 
Caravanserai. It lies to the south of the
palace and was interpreted as a reception hall and hospice. Some
of the rooms are equipped with baths and decorated with wall paintings.
The "Unexplored Mansion". Private building,
probably of private-industrial function, to the NW of the palace.
It is rectangular, with a central, four-pillared hall, corridors,
storerooms and remains of a staircase. Dated to the 14th-12th
centuries B.C. 
Temple Tomb. It is located almost 600 m.
to the south of the palace and was connected with the "House of
the High Priest" by means of a paved street. It seems that one
of the last kings of Knossos (17th-14th centuries B.C.) was buried
here. Typical features of its architecture are the hypostyle,
two-pillar crypt, the entrance with the courtyard, the portico
and a small anteroom.