Page 260 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Greek Islands

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PALACE OF KNOSOS

ΑΝΑΚΤΟΡΟ ΤΗΣ ΚΝΩΣΟΎ

⌂ 5 km (3 miles) S of Iráklio § 2810 231940 @ 2 from Iráklio # Hours vary, check website
EXPERIENCE Crete In the Bronze Age, Crete was ruled by the Minoans, an advanced civilization that
¢ Main public holidays ∑ odysseus.culture.gr
built cities and palaces across the island, and used a language that is yet to be
deciphered. Knosos was this civilization’s capital, and the largest and most
impressive palace was built here in 1900 BC.

This palace is famous in legend as the domain
of King Minos, half-human son of Zeus, who
kept the ferocious Minotaur in a labyrinth
underneath the building. In reality, the palace
was the centre of a Bronze Age empire that
ruled much of the Aegean, as evidenced by the
sophistication of the complex.
The first palace of Knosos was destroyed by
an earthquake in about 1700 BC and was soon An elaborate fresco at Knosos,
completely rebuilt. The restored ruins visible restored imaginately by Evans
today are almost entirely from this second
palace. These two palaces have been used to
mark distinct eras in Minoan civilization,
referred to as the First Palace
Period and Second Palace Period.

North entrance to
the palace, showing a
reimagined walkway
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