Knossos Palace
Europe's oldest city and the ceremonial centre of Minoan civilization.
5 km south of Heraklion Allow 3–4 hours All ages welcome
Europe's oldest city and the ceremonial centre of Minoan civilization.
The Palace of Knossos is not merely an archaeological site — it is the origin point of European civilisation. Built by the Minoan people around 2000 BC and reaching its zenith between 1700 and 1400 BC, Knossos was the administrative, religious, and cultural heart of a Bronze Age civilisation of extraordinary sophistication.
At its height, the palace complex covered approximately 20,000 square metres across five floors, housing hundreds of rooms — storerooms, workshops, throne chambers, ceremonial halls, and private apartments. It contained one of the ancient world’s first sewage systems, a network of light wells to illuminate deep interior spaces, and frescoes of breathtaking beauty.
At its height, the palace complex covered approximately 20,000 square metres across five floors, housing hundreds of rooms — storerooms, workshops, throne chambers, ceremonial halls, and private apartments
Knossos Palace · 35.2476226° N, 24.2526941° E
