Knossos Heraklion. Palace at Knossos - the center of Greek mythology

In Greece, on the island of Crete, we went on package tour, because at that time it turned out to be much cheaper independent travel. We stopped in the city of Hersonissos (Greek: Χερσόνησος). Before the trip, we set ourselves a goal: not to use the services of travel agencies, but to try to plan and visit local attractions on our own. And the most famous, on the island of Crete, is the Palace of Knossos. It is quite easy to visit the Palace of Knossos on the island of Crete on your own. We found out that the Palace of Knossos is located near the city of Heraklion (Greek: Ηράκλειο), the capital of the island of Crete. It turned out that buses run from Hersonissos to Heraklion. And in general on Crete between cities is very well developed bus service. And we must pay tribute to their work, buses run almost exactly on time, the schedule of routes can be viewed at any stop.

Travel from Hersonissos to Heraklion costs 3 euros per person one way. We did not pay for our daughter, as we took it in our arms, but if there were free places, she occupied one place and no one was indignant. Each bus has a conductor, but this is by no means an aunt with a bag, as we are used to seeing in our country. They are mostly young people, dressed in uniform, with mobile cash registers. In total, the journey takes about forty minutes. You need to get to the end point of the bus - the bus station of Heraklion. From the same bus station there are buses to the Palace of Knossos, the fare is 1.5 euros one way per person. Ticket offices for buying tickets to Knossos and the buses themselves stand separately on the left side if you look at main entrance bus station. The journey takes no more than 30 minutes. Be prepared for a long queue waiting for you at the entrance to the Knossos Palace, but it moves quite quickly.

Entrance costs 6 euros per person (they didn’t require a ticket for my daughter).

And now a little life hack. To make it interesting to see the ruins of the Knossos Palace, you need to know the history of this place, and for this, join a Russian-speaking group of tourists with a guide, and you will learn many interesting things. historical facts. What we actually did 🙂 And if you know English or Greek well enough, then these things will help you.

Be sure to take it with you sunscreen and a headdress, the sun is scorching mercilessly.

These are "pithoi", clay barrels in which the ancient Greeks stored food. They were collected from found shards.

Excavations are still ongoing.

Found pieces of frescoes are being restored and painted, fragments of the originals are visible in the photo.

This is the queue in front of the entrance to the labyrinth of the legendary Minotaur. We honestly defended it, hoping to see something unusual, we thought we would go down into the labyrinth. But alas and ah!

We only saw this...

As a child, I enjoyed reading the book "Myths and Legends Ancient Greece". Something remained in the memory, but still it was necessary to refresh the information before the trip. Anyway, I came to the conclusion that if you go to watch historical monuments, you should read about them first. And somehow the meaning of visiting such places is lost.

On the way back from the Palace of Knossos, ask the driver or local passengers to suggest a stop closer to Heraklion's other attraction - the gypsy market. There you can eat mini kebabs for 0.5 euros and buy some clothes from the 80s for a few euro cents.

Services that we use in our independent travels:

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Knossos Palace on the island of Crete - the largest architectural structure Minoan period - 2700 to 1420 BC In my own way architectural structure The Knossos Palace of King Minos is a real Labyrinth, reminding us of many ancient legends that tell us that in the numerous labyrinths of the palace he lived, who was able to get out of the labyrinth with the help of Ariadne's thread.

The Palace of Knossos was not just the residence of King Minos and the highest dignitaries of the state, but also the administrative and economic center, around which the ancient city Knossos.

According to legend, the palace in Knossos was built by Daedalus, the father of the legendary Icarus in 2000 BC, Knossos in Greek - Κνωσσός, in Latin - Cnossus, the original name of the city in the Minoan language - KA-NU-TI Several centuries - 2000-1700 BC. e. - The palace of Knossos remained the economic and administrative center of the island, but was destroyed by a strong earthquake in 1700 BC.

According to research, the Palace of Knossos in Crete has been restored 1700-1450 BC uh. - during the highest flowering of the Minoan civilization. The rebuilt palace the greatest building of his time, the clearest evidence of the architectural skill and advanced engineering technologies of the Minoans, whom Homer called " Eteocretans" ("true Cretans") descendants of King Minos.

The restored Palace of Knossos experienced its second heyday, it lasted another 250 years, but was again destroyed by an earthquake caused by a volcanic eruption on the island of Santorini. The strongest tidal waves caused irreparable damage not only to the Palace of Knossos, but also to the entire Minoan civilization, which ceased to exist. Many residents of Crete moved to Mycenae, the Palace of Knossos was not restored, but the city of Knossos itself was rebuilt.

Many scientists, studying the intricate plan of the palace complex, are sure that the palace itself is the most complex legendary labyrinth. The palace complex is more correctly called an ancient city, and not just a palace, on an area of ​​​​16,000 square meters. meters there are more than 1300 different rooms.

The current appearance of the Knossos Palace is largely due to the English archaeologist Arthur Evans, who began excavations of mounds in Crete in 1900 and large-scale excavations of the Knossos Palace and its environs. Fascinated by his discovery, Evans not only supervised all archaeological work, but also took it upon himself to “recreate” some parts of the palace complex, for which he was subsequently criticized by many.

Apparently, because the Palace of Knossos was destroyed, and then hundreds of years later it was restored by completely different builders, there is a feeling of incredible chaos of the entire complex.

The layout of the entire structure sometimes seems completely illogical and incredibly confusing - rooms located at different levels are connected by winding corridors, stairs located in the most unexpected places, there are many secret rooms, halls, dead-end passages.
There are very few symmetrical details in the construction of the palace, some rooms are cut into the rocky rock, others are finished with mud bricks, many frescoes and decorative elements are placed contrary to the laws of harmony, but the construction technology was at the highest level.

Some architectural elements are very spectacular and attract the attention of modern architects, historians and ordinary tourists. One of them is the "irrational" columns, which have an unusual shape and narrowing at the bottom, the columns are painted in red ocher and black edging on top and bottom.

No less interesting are the large stone stairs made of solid sawn blocks.

In the Palace of Knossos, archaeologists discovered such hydraulic structures of the 20th - 21st centuries BC as water pipes in the thickness of the walls of the palace, sewerage systems passing under the floor of the palace, and there are also special sewage channels for water on the stairs, thus the oldest sewerage system for bath rooms, toilets, extending far beyond the palace complex.

It is assumed that life in the Knossos Palace was quite stormy and diverse - archaeologists discovered halls for ceremonial receptions, private chambers of the royal family and courtiers, craft workshops, a theater room that could accommodate about 500 spectators, and a bullring.

It is surprising that all the buildings are deprived of the windows we are used to. For the penetration of light and ventilation, the builders provided multi-level holes in the ceilings. Ventilation was made in the walls of the palace.

The Palace of Knossos is a complex system of temples, halls, a theatre, various rooms, corridors, passages and warehouses located on different levels and connected by countless stairs and passages in which you can get lost, like in a labyrinth.

Arthur Evans was amazed at the beauty, and noted the amazing resemblance between the frescoes of the palace Minoan Crete and Egyptian fine arts. Further research proves originality, self-formed in Crete. The Minoans used an ultra-accurate calendar that surpassed the Egyptian one, the Minoans were the best sailors of their time.

The Minoan civilization was the first pre-Greek written civilization of Crete And mainland Greece And first advanced civilization in Europe.

Good afternoon friends! The Palace of Knossos in Crete is called the 8th wonder of the world. This title is claimed by more than a dozen attractions around the world. It is indisputable that the Palace of Knossos is a monument Minoan civilization. Twice it was rebuilt by the ancient inhabitants of Crete and twice it was destroyed by a terrible natural disaster. Centuries passed before archaeologists discovered the palace complex. The myth of the labyrinth and the terrible Minotaur living in it is associated with the Palace of Knossos. In what condition the palace is and whether it is possible to get lost in its corridors, we will tell today.

Greece. Crete. Among the 4 palaces of the Minoan era found by archaeologists (Knossos, Phaistos, Malia and Zakros), the Knossos Palace is the largest and most significant.

Scientists are sure that at least 2 more similar buildings are hidden on the island, and not 4 palaces, but 6 or even 7. Research is just to come. It is known for certain about the Palace of Knossos that it is he who is the main object of the Minoan culture that disappeared from the face of the earth.

Lost Civilization

When in books we come across stories about once great, but disappeared ancient civilizations, such as the civilization of the Atlanteans, the Aztecs, the Maya, two thoughts come to mind:

• Who would we be and how would we live if these cultures had not perished?
• and the second thought: why they died and how can we avoid their fate

The contribution of archaeologists to these studies is invaluable. Thanks to them, we learned that the Minoan civilization was destroyed as a result of a powerful earthquake and the tsunami that accompanied it.

In the history of the Minoan culture in Crete, there were 2 periods of prosperity and decline.

The first heyday of the Palace of Knossos from 2000 to 1700 BC. Then there was an earthquake and the palace was destroyed.

Then, quite quickly, a new palace was built on the same spot. Now it's time for scientists to wonder. It turns out that the Minoans had very advanced engineering technologies.

The second period of prosperity took about the next 2 centuries. It ended quickly and tragically. A volcanic eruption occurred on the island of Santorini, it dates back to 1628 - 1500 BC.

It is believed that part of the land went under water, and a giant tsunami swept over Crete, destroying all the palaces and settlements, and with them the entire Minoan civilization.

Archaeological excavations

The world saw the Knossos palace complex thanks to Arthur Evans, a learned archaeologist. In 1900, he decided to explore the mounds of this area. Evans gave 40 years of his life to his discovery. About how the excavations went and what was found as a result, he wrote 6 volumes detailed descriptions research.

The find turned out to be even more valuable than he could have imagined. The life of the palace was rich and rich in events.

There were halls for celebrations, ritual rooms, workshops and even a theater. There was even a fighting arena that could accommodate up to 500 spectators at a time. And, of course, the royal chambers, canteens and storage rooms.

Architecture is certainly interesting. But special respect is given to the layout of the sewerage and water supply systems.

The Mycenaean civilization in its development was far ahead of the achievements of the Greeks of the Achaeans. When the former were building aqueducts, the latter were still grazing goats.

By the way, we call this building a palace, and archaeologists and scientists are not yet completely sure that it really was a palace.

There is an opinion that this is, nevertheless, a complex of religious buildings.

Archaeological site

Fantasy draws a giant palace, streets, labyrinths, but what will we see on the spot?

The archaeological site is similar to other excavation sites in Greece: the sacred grove and temple of Zeus in Olympia, the Parthenon in Athens, the Peloponnese public health resort - Asklepion in Epidaurus, only more complete.

The palace of Knossos is called the second after of the Athenian Parthenon the main attraction of Greece. This can be argued, but the fact that the palace is impressive and causes the effect of "Wow!" undoubtedly.

Today we can walk through the archaeological complex and see how it used to be here. The Greeks treat their culture very respectfully, so don't expect any spectacular replicas. Only history and archeology. And this is enough, because some fragments of the palace are well preserved.

• In the center of the courtyard. This is typical of all buildings of this period. The system of rooms and buildings can seem very confusing, and sometimes completely illogical.

• Rooms at different levels, corridors and stairs, unexpected secret rooms. It will be difficult to figure out the layout of the facilities on your own, we advise you to join the tour.
• Of interest are the columns: black and red, they taper towards the base. They are called "Minoan" because of this special shape.
• The frescoes are well preserved inside. On them are scenes from the life of the city, artisans, kings and gods, mythical animals, natural ornaments. Many wall paintings contain images of a fearsome bull with a human body.

Minotaur Labyrinth

In the history of Ancient Greece, mythology and historical reality are so closely connected that even scientists find it difficult to understand. It is this palace that is associated with the history of King Minos, the son of Zeus the Thunderer and the Phoenician princess of Europe.

And with the labyrinth of the Minotaur. This monster has the body of a man, and the head of a bull.

The Minotaur lived in a gloomy labyrinth, which Daedalus built on the orders of the king. According to the bloodthirsty tradition, criminals and those who tried to enter the palace without permission were launched into the labyrinth. The monster treated them cruelly.

It all ended with the well-known legend of the hero Theseus. In order not to get lost in the labyrinth, he used the thread of Ariadne, got inside the labyrinth and defeated the Minotaur.

This legend has another, more plausible historical version: the son of King Minos Androgey was killed, and Aegeus (the father of Theseus, the king of the Athenians) was involved in his death. As punishment, the Athenians had to send boys and girls to Minos. These captives became slaves in the palace of Knossos.

And there was no terrible Minotaur at all - there was a teacher of King Minos, who was distinguished by his cruel temper and strength. He held gymnastic competitions (maybe it was fisticuffs) and won, until Theseus arrived and defeated him with a punch to the forehead.

Myths are myths, but the palace with all its intricate corridors and dead-end rooms is very similar to a labyrinth. On the walls there is often a sign "labros", or a double axe.

Therefore, some scientists believe that the palace is the labyrinth. The other is sure that the labyrinth is located in the mountains and is a series of interconnected caves.

As long as scientists present evidence for their point of view, we can choose the one we like best.

You can get lost in the numerous passages, especially when looking for the starting point for exploring the castle, but you are unlikely to get lost.

An interesting fact: the Minoan palaces did not have any defense system. Which leads scientists to conclude that there was a telassocracy in Crete. Those. the Minoan state lived at the expense of the sea, the fleet and controlled the coastal metropolitan cities.

Can be purchased complex ticket, which includes other attractions. For example, the Heraklion Museum, where the original paintings of the Knossos Palace and finds from other palaces are located.

Attractions nearby

• Hill of Kefala

Located near the palace. This place is important archaeological sites. Roman tombs have been found here. It was from here that Evans began his excavations. It seemed to him that it was here that the ancient city was located. For some time, Heinrich Schliemann also worked here, looking for his Troy.

• Heraklion

Very close to Knossos is the city of Heraklion. Many people say that there is absolutely nothing to see here, but this is not so. Here is the Archaeological Museum of Crete, where archaeological finds of Minoan palaces are exhibited, the old fort of Kules, many interesting museums and cathedrals. From here it is easy to get to the ruins of the palace.

• Hersonissos

We will recommend another town for those who want to have great fun after the ruins. Hersonissos - unofficial capital islands. There are many nightclubs, dance parties and life is in full swing. In addition, this old City located between the Aegean and Mediterranean seas.

Knossos palace on video

Working hours

Daily

• From June to October: 8:00 - 19:00
• From November to May: 8:00 - 15:00
• Saturday opening hours from 9.00 to 15.00

What is the price

• for adults - 6 euros
• preferential 3 euro
• children under 3 free of charge

Every first Sunday of the month, tickets are free for everyone.

How to get there

The easiest way to get there is from the city of Heraklion.

• A bus to the ruins leaves every 30 minutes from the main bus station.
• You can take a bus stop near the Lion Fountain.
• If you come with your car, don't worry about parking. Near the archaeological complex it is free

Address: Knossos Palace, Heraklion 71000

Knossos Palace on the map

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Foreword...

At school, for me it was the Labyrinth of the Minotaur from mythology, a little older, the Palace of Knossos of King Minos became something more material - a landmark, or something, located "somewhere in Greece." And so, when we first got to the island of Crete, the first thing we planned to definitely visit was Knossos ... And we, as often happens ... did not visit it ...

Then there were countless trips to the island of Crete, but we never managed to visit the famous Minoan Palace of King Minos. Everyone around was talking about the Labyrinth of the Minotaur, they were surprised that we had not been there until now. But, here, on the scheduled day, the weather "broke down", then there were strikes ... Yes, and enthusiasm has faded a little over the years. Therefore, we decided that we would not plan specifically, as it turned out, we would visit the main attraction of Crete.

And, finally, that day has come! .. Previously, circumstances interfered with our acquaintance with the palace, but this time the circumstances helped us ... In addition, it so happened that by this moment we had already visited the rest of the palaces of Crete, and Knossos was, as they say, "for dessert." By the way, they did the right thing, because. after the partially restored Knossos Palace, I'm afraid that other palaces would not impress us so much ... probably ... But, this is rather a question of an eternal dispute: "from Knossos, start to inspect the palaces of Crete or finish with them ..."

So, the Palace of Knossos...

Undoubtedly, this is the most popular, most visited and one of the most recognizable palaces, " main character"from the covers of most guidebooks, books, calendars, postcards. The list is endless. For the most part, the Palace at Knossos gained its wide popularity thanks to the partial reconstruction of Sir Arthur John Evans. Reconstruction to this day causes a lot of controversy, but, be that as it may, It was, thanks to her, many tourists can easily get acquainted with the Minoan architecture, see what the Minoan palaces looked like.

The Palace of Knossos - was it the famous Labyrinth of the Minotaur?

But not only the reconstruction became the reason for the popularity of the palace complex. It is the Palace of Knossos that is most often associated with the Labyrinth in which the Minotaur lived. Why? Most likely, mainly due to the size of the structure and its complexity. The palace consisted of many rooms connected to each other by complex passages, often resembling a labyrinth. Indirectly, the presence of a labyrinth in the largest Minoan palace in Crete was indicated by coins depicting a labyrinth, which were printed by the ancient city of Knossos. And the myths in every possible way fueled the desire to quickly find the very Labyrinth of the Minotaur. But, this is just the most popular version.

Nowadays, there are many arguments proving the opposite. So, in the palace there is often an image of a double ax "labrys", which was a sacred symbol among the Minoans. And the word "Labyrinth" probably came from the Lydian term "Labrys". There is also an opinion that all the intricacy and complexity of the building is rather a consequence of the fact that the Minoans did not always follow the laws of symmetry, especially when it came to utility rooms located on the lower floor. Again, these are just opinions and versions. However, in last years the search for the mythical Labyrinth of the Minotaur is increasingly shifting to other parts of Crete. So, for example, one of the versions says that, perhaps, the Minotaur's Labyrinth could be located in one of the caves on the island... but now we're not talking about that...

History of the Minoan Palace at Knossos.

The impressive and majestic Palace of Knossos was built 5 km south of the modern city of Heraklion. It was the most luxurious and largest Minoan palace on the island, measuring approximately 180 x 130 m, containing more than 1000 rooms, developed system sewers, warehouses, spacious halls and courtyards.

This palace complex was more than just the dwelling of the king, priests and dignitaries. It was the economic and administrative center around which stretched glorious city Knossos with a population of about 90,000 people.

The ruins that have survived to our time belong to the second palace of Knossos. Earlier, on the same site, there was the first palace, which was supposedly built in 1900 BC, but was destroyed around 1700. BC. during a powerful earthquake in Crete. The construction of the second palace on the same site marked the beginning of the "Novodvortsovy period". The palace in Knossos existed until about 1450 BC, leaving behind only legends, traditions and a few remnants of its former glory for a long time...

And only after more than 3 millennia, in 1878, Minos Kalokerinos draws attention to the hill, where at that time there were only agricultural lands. Then Minos Kalokerinos discovers the western warehouses, which were once part of the palace complex. But, unfortunately, during the years of Turkish occupation in Crete, serious excavations and study of the area were not destined to take place.

Years passed, and the findings of Minos Kalokerinos were not given due importance. But, at the end of the 19th century, some finds from the island of Crete fell into the hands of Arthur Evans, causing genuine interest in the then unknown culture. In 1894, Arthur John Evans arrived in Crete and bought land in the Knossos region, and in 1900 he began large-scale excavations of the Knossos Palace and its environs.

It was then that the great time of sensational discoveries began, the foundation was laid for a huge chapter in the history of the great and highly developed civilization that existed on Crete several millennia ago. Interest in research was so great that the excavations of Knossos were carried out at a fantastic, even by today's standards, speed. Each new day brought new discoveries. Bronze vessels, stone vases, famous statue Goddesses of fertility, a playing board, a fresco of the "Prince with Lilies" and many other finds, most of which were moved to the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion.

During the excavations, it turned out that the Minoans invented central heating. In the palace, a special hall was arranged under the floor, in which cylindrical structures were installed. When a fire was lit in this hall, the structures heated up, transferring heat to the floor and heating the rooms. Also, royal chambers heated with hot water, which was supplied through pipes from a boiler installed under the floor.

Minoan - Arthur John Evans gives this name to the discovered civilization and its culture. The excavations made it possible to obtain answers to many questions, while leaving much unsolved. In particular, Evans discovered "Linear A" and "Linear B", which still cannot be deciphered. In addition to excavations, Arthur John Evans decides to partially restore the palace, which is a reason for, at times, very sharp criticism.

We, thanks to the work done by Evans, have an excellent opportunity to touch the history of the great Minoan civilization, travel back in time and at least imagine a little how people lived several millennia ago.

Our tour of the Palace of Knossos

I would like to note right away that, having arrived at the sign and leaving the car at one of several fairly spacious parking lots in the Knossos area, we somehow did not immediately find the palace itself :) Tourists walk along the road, but they did not orient us either. Their movement was more like Brownian. Someone was looking for their bus, someone was going to the palace, and someone was just looking for local cafe to "gain strength" before a serious examination. As a result, we orientated ourselves by a fairly modest sign with the inscription: " KNOSSOS ENTRANS. EINGANG. PALAST. PALACE. PALAIS.==>"By the way, you can leave your car here both in paid and free parking.

At the box office we buy entrance tickets and go to a meeting with great history highly developed Minoan civilization.

For clarity, to make it clear where we went, what we saw, we lay out the Plan of the Knossos Palace:

The first thing that appears before our eyes:

It's not only main entrance for visitors to the archaeological site today. Here, according to one version, was the main entrance to the Palace of Knossos. The first thing you pay attention to is three large pits lined with stones from the inside, the so-called "donuts". Some sources say that the containers were used to store grain, others say that they were used to collect the remnants of sacrifices. Parts of an altar were found nearby. Interestingly, the western courtyard dates from the Old Palace period.

In addition to the main function, the western courtyard played the role of a ceremonial place. In the southeastern part of the western courtyard is the western vestibule 1A, the eastern side of which was decorated with a fresco depicting a game with a bull.

2. Corridor with the fresco "Procession"
The corridor, also called the "Path of Processions", was decorated with a fresco depicting young men and women carrying offerings to the Deity or a female priestess. Part of the corridor was destroyed, and information about the corridor in various sources is somewhat contradictory. According to one version, based on the conclusions about the similarity of the floor structure at the beginning of the corridor and the floor at the entrance to the central courtyard with south side, it is assumed that the "Processional Road" connected western entrance palace with a central courtyard.

The three-storey house, dated by Arthur Evans to about 1600 BC, is located on the southwestern borders of the palace. More likely, south house belonged to the high priest.

4. Southern borders of the palace, "Horns of initiation".
Then we deviated a little from the "standard" route, which guide tours lead and about which guidebooks tell. From the southern house, we headed a little to the east, admiring the once majestic panorama of the southern facade of the palace, which is crowned with sacred parolith horns, which also raise many questions and disputes...

5. Central courtyard

Passing parallel to the southern entrance, we find ourselves in the very center of the Knossos Palace - the central courtyard with a floor paved with slabs. The size of the courtyard is very impressive and is 50x25 m, thanks to which all the central and large-scale events of the palace took place in this space. A large open space created additional ventilation and lighting. interior spaces palace. In addition, according to one version, various rituals took place in the central courtyard.

Visitors to the palace entered the central courtyard through the southern entrance, which is part of the Processional Road, as evidenced by the floor structure similar to the beginning of the corridor and the famous fresco "Prince with Lilies". The original fresco was found in a very deplorable state. But restoration work revived the fresco, and now its original is stored in.

For clarity, a part of the "Procession Road" leading to the central courtyard was restored. Well, after waiting for the main part of the tourists to turn their attention to other parts of the palace, we tried to imagine what people experienced when they got to the Knossos Palace through this corridor.

7. Southern Propylaea.

To the west of the southern entrance to the central courtyard are the majestic Southern Propylaea with a large staircase leading to the upper (main) floor of the palace (Piano Nobile), where the cult premises of the Knossos palace were located. The importance of those rooms is evidenced by the fact that on the south side of the Propylaea they were closed with doors. The decor of this part of the palace (the same floor structure, frescoes), according to Evans, indicated that the Southern Propylaea was also a continuation of the Processional Way.

Here is the famous "Rhyton Bearer" - a young man holding a conical vessel for libations.

In the northern part of the Propylaea, pithoi dating back to the Post-Palace period were found, indicating that, most likely, the Southern Propylaea were used as storerooms at that time.

In the northern part of the Propylaea, a large staircase rushes up, which once had columns on both sides and leads to the main floor of the Palace of Knossos (Piano Nobile). Arthur Evans believed that it was on the upper floor that the state rooms and reception rooms were located, since it was here that the space was best lit and ventilated.

Climbing up the stairs, on the right you can see a rectangular room (8A). "Greek Temple" - this is how Arthur Evans interpreted this building, based on the finds made here. Evans also concludes that this building was erected long after the destruction of the palace.

9. Piano Nobile
Finally, after climbing the stairs to the top floor, we find ourselves in the hallway. From the hallway, passing to the north, we enter the Three-Columned Sanctuary. This is how Arthur Evans called it, comparing it with a similar sanctuary depicted in frescoes, and also as a result of the discovery of three columns, pilasters and a stone in the shape of a lioness's head that collapsed on the ground floor.

To the south, in a small room, was the treasury of the Sanctuary, in which jewels, various gifts and a large number of cult utensils were found.

Passing north of the Three-Columned Sanctuary and turning left, we find ourselves in the Great Hall with two columns. And to the north Great Hall located the Sanctuary room with six columns. The fact that the room was sacred, Arthur Evans suggested, based on the wall paintings found on the lower floor, fragments of pithos and amphoras that fell on the floor where the pantries are located. The famous fresco "Parisian" was also discovered here.

10. Western pantries.
The main floor (Piano Nobile) overlooks a whole complex of oblong rooms. These are the Western Storerooms of the palace. The pithoi lined along the walls date from various time periods. There are also underground niches, presumably used to store precious items. However, other sources claim that grain, wool, fabrics and other things that were valued at that time were stored here.

But by far the main product stored in Western pantries was olive oil. This is indirectly indicated by the walls of the pantries, blackened from the fire, which raged here much more strongly than in the rest of the palace.

On the walls of the western pantries, inscribed sacred symbols in the form of a cross, a star, a branch, and a double ax (labrys) were found. The storerooms themselves communicated with the crypts of the Palace of Knossos. All this clearly indicated the sacred nature of these premises.

11. Throne room.
On the east side of the Piano Nobile, a staircase communicates with the Central Court, where we returned to visit the Throne Room, perhaps the most popular room among tourists. Above the Throne Room is Fresco Hall, which contains copies of such frescoes as: "Games with Bulls", "Ladies in Blue", "Saffron Collector", "Blue Bird", "Blue Monkey" and copies of other equally famous finds. Unfortunately, we did not manage to enter the Fresco Hall due to the increased hype on the part of tourists. But we decided to visit the Throne Room at all costs.

The first room is an entrance hall with four passages, behind which the Throne Room itself is located. Here, in the same place as thousands of years ago, stands a stone throne, discovered by Evans during excavations. Opposite the throne is a small pool of ablutions, even further, a little hidden from our eyes, the Sanctuary with a stone pedestal.

The walls restored by Evans are frescoed with images of griffins, a sacred symbol in the Minoan religion. To the right and left of the throne are benches, on which, as an assumption, the priests may have sat. Everything here suggests that the Throne Hall had a cult character, important ceremonies clearly took place here...

But what happened to the hall afterwards, one can only guess. They say that during the excavations, Arthur Evans discovered here randomly scattered vessels, which gave reason to think that at one time something extraordinary and tragic happened in the Throne Room ... However, the Knossos Palace is still full of mysteries like this one. ..

12. Threefold Sanctuary.

To the south of the Throne Hall and the stairs was a room that consisted of three parts, which is why the name "Three-part Sanctuary" came from. It is assumed that the facade of the room was decorated with columns supporting a cornice topped with a number of double horns. The central element of the Tripartite Sanctuary was the tallest. The conclusion about what was there after all, Arthur Evans made by comparing the found room with a similar room depicted on a wall painting element, which is currently stored in the Heraklion Museum. Clay tablets with Linear B and clay seal impressions were found inside the sanctuary.

Behind the Sanctuary are two dark pillared chambers known as "Crypts with columns". In the floor of these rooms recesses in the form of bathtubs are made. And apparently they were used for libations. In another room, two large rectangular vaults were found built into the floor. The containers were full of earthenware vases and valuable objects, among which was the famous figurine of the Goddess with snakes, which can be seen in the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion.

East wing.

Guided by the assumption that the Palace of Knossos was the residence of the king of Knossos, Arthur Evans believed that the living quarters of the royal family were located in the eastern wing of the palace. There were both spacious halls and small rooms connected by a complex of corridors. Although, it is worth noting that over time, the opinions of archaeologists were divided, giving rise to new assumptions that in the eastern part of the palace in Knossos there were not residential premises at all, but, possibly, sanctuaries. While it is not exactly determined what was still here, we personally prefer Evans' version of royal chambers.

13. Big staircase (Front staircase)
These rooms were connected by an impressive Grand Staircase, stretching over four floors, two of which were below the level of the central courtyard. With two flights per floor, the stairs were quite smooth, making climbing them fairly easy.

The grand staircase was well lit by a wooden columned light well decorated with colorful frescoes.

14. Hall of Double Axes or King's Megaron.
The lower level of the stairs is connected by a corridor to the Hall of Double Axes, where the king's Megaron was supposed to be, with a beautiful corner portico of columns.

Leaving the Hall of Double Axes and passing a little to the southwest, we find ourselves in...

15. Queen's Megaron with the famous fresco "Dolphins".
A little to the west is the Queen's Bathroom, separated from the main room by a wall with a window.

Next was the Beauty Room, bordered by a light well called the Spinning Yard. The cosmetic room communicated with the room, in the floor of which a sewer hole was found. Most likely, there was a toilet here.

But, the main thing that the Knossos Palace hid in this part of it was another treasury, where precious objects made of gold and ivory were found. The famous figurine "Player with bulls" was also found here.

16. Craftsman's Workshop and School.
From the northern part of the Grand Staircase, a corridor rushes to the east, ending with a door to the Hall of Wooden Beams. To the north of the Entrance was the Craftsman's Workshop. During the excavations, a tool for working stone was found here, as well as unfinished products. To the north was the so-called School, where, Evans believed, they learned to write on clay tablets, and the clay was kneaded in a mortar next to the bench. It is likely that there was not a school here, but a pottery workshop.

Among other assumptions, the theory that the main (main) workshop was located on the top floor, from where vases and amphoras fell to the first floor, has the right to exist. But, then it remains to guess what was in the lower rooms.

17. Warehouse of Giant Pithos.
Huge pithoi are stored here, surprising with their size and richness of reliefs. It is also interesting that the Warehouse of Giant Pythos is dated to the Old Palace period. Thus, it is over 4,000 years old, which is unique in itself... It is very difficult to appreciate the size of the vessels in a photograph. But these pithoi are really gigantic, as tall as a human being.

In front of the Storerooms of the Giant Pythos there is a staircase starting from the East Entrance to the Palace of Knossos, which was reconstructed by Arthur Evans. The tower-like design of the entrance resembles a bastion, which is why the name "Eastern Bastion" was given to the eastern entrance. Although, it is quite obvious that this tower was clearly not of a fortification nature, respectively, it was unlikely to be a bastion.

18. Checkerboard Corridor (Chess Corridor, Zatrikia Corridor).

The corridor northwest of the Pantry of the Giant Pythos bears several names that have come from the game found here, similar to backgammon or checkers, made of ivory, rock crystal, gold and silver.

At the beginning, we already talked about the fact that the Palace of Knossos had a sewerage system. In this part of the palace, one can be convinced that the Minoan palace did indeed have a fairly perfect sewerage system. In particular, in the southern part of the Chess Corridor, we came across a preserved part of the sewer network. But, as it often happens with us, being surprised and admiring, they forgot to photograph this miracle :) Yes, and we were already drawn to the "left for dessert", to some extent the "symbol" of the island of Crete - the Western Bastion with a copy of the fresco "Bull located in the North Entrance Corridor.

19. Corridor of the North Entrance.
As the name implies, the corridor connected the Northern entrance to the Palace of Knossos with the Central Courtyard. Opposite the Western Bastion was the Eastern Bastion, which also had a colonnade and, in all likelihood, was also decorated with frescoes.

To the west of the Corridor, chambers were found surrounded by a wall extending much deeper than the level of the Central Court. According to Arthur Evans, the walls are elements of a building that belonged to the original palace. A stone lamp, a bucket, fragments of frescoes were found here, among which was the fresco "Three-part Sanctuary".

Leaving the Palace of Knossos through the Northern Entrance Corridor, we find ourselves in...

Arthur Evans called this hall "Customs", suggesting that the inspection of goods and things entering the palace was carried out here. It is possible that there could be a hall for feasts. As usual, everything related to the Minoan Palace at Knossos is shrouded in many assumptions and mysteries...

Leaving the palace through the Northern Entrance, on the left, our gaze appeared ...

The Ablution Pool is surrounded by columns on both sides and was lined with slabs. The building of the Northern Ablution Pool was reconstructed by Evans. He believed that this pool was intended for the "washing" of visitors who visited the Palace of Knossos through the North Entrance.

It is interesting that such "pools" are found in several places of this palace, and indeed, were typical of other buildings of the Minoan period. And until now, these rooms cause a lot of controversy about their purpose, since there is no certainty that the containers in the so-called pools were generally filled with water. And there was no drainage system in these "pools" ...

To the northwest of the Northern Ablution Pool is, in our opinion, another mystery of the Palace of Knossos ... The last one for us (on this day:) ... Evans called this area "Theater".

22. Theater.
The area, paved with slabs and limited by stairs in its eastern and southern parts, indeed, resembled a theater in shape. In the southeastern part of the square, as if cut into a staircase, there is an elevation, which, according to Evans, served as a lodge, from where royal family watched the action that took place here.

Through this area passed the so-called " royal road"("Royal Road"), rushing west to the Small Palace. Along the road were various buildings of Knossos. Basically, these were houses with workshops on the ground floor and living quarters on the upper floors.

There is an assumption that the Processional Road still passed through the "Theater", leading to the northwestern part of the palace, and then going south along the western facade towards the Western Threshold.

Afterword...

Of course, the Palace of Knossos made a strong impression on us. But, unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, we cannot say that "everything is clear ..." Too many mysteries are fraught with this place, and the entire Minoan civilization ... Well, the statement that the palace complex in Knossos - this was the very Labyrinth of the Minotaur ... Indeed, the complex system of corridors connecting many rooms resembles a labyrinth to some extent ... Perhaps this is another grandiose mystery of the island of Crete, which remains unanswered to this day .. .

Reference Information:

1. Where is the Palace of Knossos? The Minoan Palace at Knossos is located in the central part of the island of Crete, only about 4 km southeast of the center of Heraklion.
2. Palace coordinates: 35.297883, 25.163118 (35°17"52.4"N, 25°09"47.2"E).
   Car parking coordinates near the palace: 35.298329, 25.161189 (35°17"54.0"N 25°09"40.3"E)
3. How to get there? It is quite easy to get to the Palace of Knossos in the following ways:
   * By public transport, namely by bus. This is the most cheap way reach the archaeological site. From the bus station Bus Station A, located in the seaport area, a city bus runs to the Palace of Knossos. Here you can find bus route and timetable Port - Knossos (Port - Knossos) . By the way, the majority arrives at the same bus station intercity buses. Therefore, the Palace of King Minos can be easily reached by bus not only from the center of Heraklion, but also from other parts of Crete. All questions about traveling around Crete by bus were discussed on the forum in the topic: Getting around Crete by bus.
   * With an organized tour or private guide. Excursion to the Palace of Knossos is one of the most popular excursions held in Crete. And no wonder, because we are talking about one of those places whose history you want to know as much as possible. Indeed, almost every tour company on the island is ready to offer an excursion to this unique Minoan palace. And now you can even buy an excursion to the Minoan Palace of Knossos online, without leaving your home, or, without getting up from a sunbed on the beach, on special sites for booking excursions. So, for example, through the Internet you can find such an excursion as:. By the way, on these and other similar sites, you can see the prices and find out in advance the cost of such an excursion, so that later, when searching, for example, in street agencies, you can already freely navigate the price. And yet, choosing organized tour, as a way to get acquainted with the archaeological territory of Knossos, the main thing is not to make a mistake with the choice of a company and a guide, because a lot depends on how the tour itself will be conducted. That's whyWe strongly recommend that you carefully study the reviews of various tour companies and guides in advance.
   * By rented car. This is one of the most convenient and rational ways to get to the palace in Knossos. After all, after getting to know this attraction, you can go to others, no less interesting corners islands of Crete. You can read about how to rent a car on the island in the article: Car rental - features, basic rules.
   * By taxi. This is one of the easiest, but at the same time one of the most expensive ways to get to the Palace of Knossos. However, we talked a little about this method of transportation here: Taxi in Crete.
4. Opening hours of the archaeological site of Knossos can be found on a special page of the site
5. Where to buy and how much are entrance tickets? Entrance tickets to the archaeological site of the palace complex can be bought at the box office near the palace itself, as well as at the Heraklion Archaeological Museum. By the way, combined tickets are also available for visiting both the Palace of Knossos and the Archaeological Museum (the validity of such tickets is limited). More information about ticket prices can also be found on a special page of the site. Ministry of Culture and Sports.
6. Best time to visit the palace, in our opinion, these are the morning and evening hours, when the sun is still in the morning, and in the evening it is not so active. In other words, in summer it is most comfortable to walk around the palace during the opening hours or a few hours before the closing of the archaeological site.
7. What to see in the surroundings? Probably the most correct way to combine a walk through the territory of the Palace of King Minos with a visit Archaeological Museum of Heraklion, which, in turn, contains numerous finds, many of which were discovered on the territory of the palace complex in Knossos. Indeed, in fact, both of these famous sights harmoniously complement each other, helping us to immerse ourselves in the richest history of the island of Crete and the great Minoan civilization that once existed here ... Also, in Heraklion is located Museum of Natural History which will be interesting not only for adults, but also for children. Not far from the city is a women's Monastery Savvatiana, picturesque village Archanes and sacred Mount Yukhtas with stunning views of the endless vineyards.
   In general, in the area of ​​Heraklion there is a huge number of interesting places and sights to visit, and, of course, you can’t get around or go around them in one day. Therefore, when we plan trips to the Heraklion region (especially if we are traveling from Chania, ~ 150 km, and sometimes more), we stop at one of the city hotels. On our trip in the fall of 2016, we stayed at the hotel Olive Green Hotel which is located in the city center next to Archaeological Museum Heraklion.
   Photos of the hotel and rooms can be seen in our review Review of Olive Green Hotel. Heraklion
   
   Other hotels and apartments in Heraklion city can be viewed here:

   In the largest search engine for online booking systems Hotellook.ru(there is also Booking and many other equally popular booking systems)

legendary palace

The great city of Knossos, the residence of the legendary king Minos and the capital of Crete, was located on the northern coast of the island, a few kilometers from modern city Heraklion. It was in the city of Knossos that, according to legend, the hero Theseus killed the Minotaur, a monster that lives in a labyrinth and devours people. Ariadne, the daughter of the king, helped him in this, giving Theseus a magic ball.

The labyrinth of the Minotaur could be located near the Palace of Knossos

Moreover, according to one version, the Palace of Knossos was just that labyrinth. Not all researchers agree with this idea, many of them point to the time difference between the appearance of the myth and the construction of the palace. Some researchers suggest that the same labyrinth of the Minotaur should have been located somewhere away from the palace.

Restored ruins of the Palace of Knossos

Miraculous discovery

For the first time, the Greek merchant Milos Kalokerinos drew attention to the ruins of Knossos. But tense relations with Turkey prevented him from getting down to business. Excavations in Crete were also planned by Heinrich Schliemann, the same one who discovered Troy. But circumstances got in the way. That is why the discoverer of Knossos is considered not at all a Greek and not a German, but an English scientist Arthur Evans.

Englishman Arthur Evans excavated the city of Knossos

The archaeologist personally bought up all the lands on which, according to the assumption, the Palace of Knossos was located. Excavations began in 1900. For several months, Evans and his assistants literally pulled a huge architectural complex, which the Englishman dubbed "the palace of Minos." Formally, the excavations ended already in 1905, but small private works continued until 1931.

Bathroom in the palace, illustration from Evans' book "The Palace of Minos"

Palace restoration

Evans was delighted with his discovery, and decided to restore the palace and the paintings found in it at all costs. Partly with his own money, partly with the support of the Crete Exploration Fund, the archaeologist restored the ancient building. With his find, he treated freely: it is believed that he completely painted some of the famous frescoes himself, some of the statuettes were assembled almost from randomly typed fragments. Yes, and how much the appearance of the restored palace coincides with how the building looked thousands of years ago is a big question.

Evans identified three forms of ancient writing

However, Evans spent a lot of money on his project and, no doubt, made a huge contribution to the study of the Minoan civilization. Later he took up the study of Cretan writing. It was Evans who identified three forms of ancient writing - hieroglyphics, linear writing, A and B.

Queen's Megaron, reconstruction

Risen from the ashes

The palace of Knossos was on a hill. Still, it was not in vain that it was compared with a labyrinth - the building was built rather chaotically, so that visitors unfamiliar with the plan often wandered in it for a long time. It was rectangular in plan, but the rooms themselves were randomly arranged around a quadrangular courtyard. The palace was built twice. The first version of the palace, according to legend, was built by King Minos, and Daedalus was its architect. The first building is attributed to about the 2nd millennium BC. e. Around 1700 B.C. e. the palace was destroyed by an earthquake. Some time later it was restored. The "Novodvortsovy period" is considered the heyday of the Minoan civilization.

Throne room in the palace, Evans reconstruction

Between 1648 and 1500 B.C. e. a strong tsunami hit the island due to a volcanic eruption on the island of Santorini. The city was destroyed. For several decades it was covered with a layer of ash. In 1450 the Palace of Knossos was destroyed by fire. Interestingly, during excavations in the city, the remains of people or animals were not found. Probably, the inhabitants of Knossos were warned about the eruption and the impending earthquake and left the city in time, settling on the coast.

Architecture and painting

Frescoes "Parisians"

The palace of Knossos is considered the "first skyscraper" of the ancient world: some parts of it were five stories high. Natural lighting was used, but there were no windows: holes were made in the roof, which illuminated everything, up to the first floor. They also served as ventilation. The palace was also equipped with running water and sewerage.

The Palace of Knossos had running water and sewerage

Interesting frescoes found in the palace. They were painted on damp plaster with paints. Mostly they depicted plants and various ornaments, but there were portraits of people. The figures on them did not look frozen, and the Palace of Knossos - the so-called "Parisians". They depict women with elegant hairstyles.