Crete Island

When you visit Crete, the largest of the islands, make the ruins of Knossos your first stop. The foundation of the great Palace of King Minos has been excavated and partially rebuilt for research purposes. When Arthur Evans began excavations in 1900, he unearthed one of the greatest finds in Greek history. Not only did he discover a massive foundation of architecture from the Minoan civilization, he also found well-preserved frescoes and artifacts. The most significant object is the throne of King Minos, which has benches on each side. Today, it is on display in the same location where it sat for thousands of years. Evans was able to piece together dolphin frescoes that spanned four walls of what was thought to have been the Queen’s room. King Minos is well known for his role in Greek mythology as the son of Zeus and keeper of the Minotaur and the Labyrinth. Part of the excavated foundation shows complex winding passageways that add fuel to the Labyrinth myth.

If you want to learn more about the ruins of Knossos, the Archeological Museum of Heraklion holds many different artifacts from the Minoan civilization. Golden statues, vases, and jewelry are among the rarities on display.

Knossos
located in Heraklion, (April to October) 8am to 8pm, (October to March) Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm Saturday and Sunday 8:30am to 3pm, approx. 4 to 6 euro, telephone: 2810-23-194.

Archaeological Museum of Heraklion
(April to October) Tuesday to Sunday 8am to 7pm (October to March) 8am to 5pm, approx. 6 to 10 euro, telephone: 2810-226-092