Knossos is a famous ruin of an ancient city located on Greece’s largest island, Crete, well-known to enthusiasts of Greek myths.
Some time ago, I wrote about a trip to the Greek island of Crete, during which we wandered to such interesting and beautiful places that I promised myself I would return here someday for a longer stay. The wonderful climate of Crete, the unhurried lifestyle, and the incredible history that the island is steeped in! I am sure that you, my dear reader, have heard many of these stories, studying Greek myths throughout your education.
One of the places that particularly stuck in my memory is the ruins of the ancient city of Knossos, which played a critical role not only in the history of the island but also in Greek mythology. Due to the brief nature of the previous article, I treated Knossos somewhat cursorily, so today I will add a bit more detail to bring this extraordinary corner of Crete closer to you. And perhaps encourage you to pack your backpack and set out on a journey to history-laden Crete.
Crete and the mythical palace of King Minos
The Palace of Knossos on Crete, near Heraklion, is a point where the paths of many Greek myths intersect, and these, in turn, are connected to many Greek heroes. As you probably know, legends and myths are one of our many interests. We bring them back from numerous journeys and document them in a special section created for this purpose on our portal, which I warmly encourage you to visit.
Knossos is the main archaeological site from the Bronze Age in Heraklion, a modern port city located on the northern coast of Crete. The ancient ruins were discovered and partially excavated at the end of the 19th century by the British historian and archaeologist Arthur Evans. Even then, it was recognized that the discovered palace complex would be the largest archaeological site on the island. Today, we know that this place was the centre of the rich Minoan culture thousands of years ago and the seat of the mythical King Minos of Crete, and research and excavations are still ongoing, promising further sensational discoveries.
The ancient ruins were discovered in 1877 by Minos Kalokairinos. He was a Cretan merchant, antique dealer, and antiquarian. As an experienced treasure hunter, Minos occasionally ventured into the interior of the island to dig in randomly chosen places, hoping for valuable finds. One day, he simply had more luck than he could have dreamed of. In his search for ancient artefacts, he found the ruins of the mythical city with all its treasures.
For historical clarity, it should be remembered that at the end of the 19th century, Crete was still ruled by the Ottoman Empire. The Turks were expelled from the island only after a bloody uprising in 1897. It was then that Crete became an autonomous republic under the protectorate of the Ottoman Empire, and in 1908, it declared independence, which was recognized by the international community.
Crete and the troubled times at the turn of the century and the beginning of archaeological work in the ruins
In this turbulent time full of change and violence, gold signets and ancient seals came into Arthur Evans’ hands, sold to him by the antiquity’s dealer Minos Kalokairinos. These items, Evans assumed, were incredibly old and covered with mysterious symbols, which, over time and with the help of friends from the Royal Institute of History, he interpreted as ancient Greek texts. He was so astonished by the discovery that he decided to abandon his lucrative position as the curator of the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford and move to Heraklion, Crete.
Once there, he arrived at the site of the crude, carelessly conducted excavations, or rather, the damage, done by Kalokairinos. While exploring Crete, he discovered symbols and signs he had already seen on the ancient artefacts had purchased earlier. Using his position and funds provided by friends from England, he bought a large plot of land in Heraklion, where he expected to make further discoveries. Over time, it turned out that what he initially thought were the ruins of a wealthy ancient Cretan’s estate were just a small part of a vast palace complex from the Bronze Age. The find was hailed as the Palace of the mythical King Minos of Crete.
Eventually, Evans, along with David George Hogarth, the director of the British School at Athens, purchased the entire surrounding hill and the adjoining valley, and began professional excavations. These gradually uncovered the entire urban and palace system, which became a major event in the archaeological world.
All this took place at a time when Crete was being ravaged by the armies of many contemporary powers. Greeks and Turks fought over the island, and the atmosphere was further strained by religious divisions and constant skirmishes between the Christian and Muslim inhabitants of Crete. It was not until 1913 that a relatively stable atmosphere and a fragile peace emerged, allowing the excavations at Knossos to proceed in full swing. Unfortunately, just a year later, World War I broke out, and the research work was once again halted. Fortunately, Crete was not affected during the war, and excavation work resumed in 1922.
After the war, the Ottoman Empire collapsed, and the Greeks and the British occupied Turkey. Evans had an ideal opportunity to return to work on Crete. Besides excavations, the reconstruction of the ancient palace began. To this day, the reconstruction carried out by Evans is considered controversial. The worst part is that concrete was used to restore some buildings to their former glory, which made future corrections impossible as new knowledge about the ancient city was acquired.
In 1935, Evans retired, leaving the research work in the hands of Pendlebury, a young and talented English archaeologist. Before returning to England, Evans received honorary citizenship of Heraklion and participated in the unveiling of his monument. Intensive archaeological work at Knossos continued until 1966, and currently, detailed studies of certain parts of the ancient ruins are ongoing.
Okay, we’ve gone through the historical facts and events that made Knossos the biggest tourist attraction in Crete, but back to the myth of King Minos, it was so…
The legend of King Minos from Knossos in Crete
Crete was a powerful Greek city-state, where trade flourished, and the people living there were wealthy and lived in prosperity. There was no lack of money for luxuries such as fine wine, food, or exotic beauties working in the port taverns. The island was ruled by Minos, a spirited but not very bright king, assisted by his wife Pasiphae, with whom he was utterly infatuated.
Everything was going well, and for a long time, life was smooth. The rulers of the island, spoiled by comfort and peace, decided that it was time to ruin the idyll and began trying to have a child. With great enthusiasm, they set about their plan. Unfortunately, despite many attempts, sleepless nights, and countless litres of sweat and more, they failed to achieve their goal.
After innumerable disappointments, King Minos went to the seashore and pleaded with Poseidon to help him a little. In return, he promised to sacrifice the most beautiful bull on the island to the god of the sea. As mentioned earlier, Minos wasn’t very bright, and instead of sacrificing the most beautiful animal as promised, he chose to cheat.
Poseidon, being a god, didn’t let himself be fooled and became furious. He punished the greedy king in the most severe way possible. He made Pasiphae fall madly in love with the bull, the very one that should have been sacrificed.
Due to divine intervention, although it’s difficult to imagine, one night the unfortunate queen sneaked into the pen, and believe it or not, the bull didn’t have the problem Minos struggled with. Nine months later, Pasiphae gave birth to a son who greatly resembled his father (the one from the pen), and he was named the Minotaur. In time, it turned out that the ugly appearance wasn’t the only thing the child inherited from his animal father. The boy, as he grew up, wasn’t a pleasant creature; he liked playing at killing, and when he was hungry, he gladly gnawed on human flesh.
Later, everything happened quickly. Minos brought the great Greek builder and scientist Daedalus to the island to build a home for the Minotaur. Thus, the legendary labyrinth was created, into which unfortunate souls were sent to satisfy the monster’s hunger.
Everything went on somehow until Theseus appeared with his great, magical sword. The handsome hero caught the eye of Ariadne, Minos’ daughter. Before the brave young man was sent into the labyrinth to kill her brother. She gave him a thread unravelled from her tunic, so that after it all, he could find his way back to her and not get lost in the complicated maze.
Theseus killed the Minotaur, and everything returned to normal and moderate happiness, except perhaps for Daedalus, who was forced to stay on the island against his will. Worse still, after some time, he also lost his son, who worked as a test pilot in his father’s aviation workshops, as you probably know.
As you can see, there is a lot to tell, and this is just a drop in the ocean of stories that abound on this sun-baked Paradise Island.
Knossos Palace in Crete and its history
As I wrote earlier, the palace in Knossos on Crete was discovered in the 19th century by an antiquarian who spent his life searching through old books and legends for places that might hide ancient treasures.
The ruins are dated to the period between 2000 and 1400 BC. They were excavated at the beginning of the 20th century, revealing an area of over 17,000 square meters. Research indicates that the palace was rebuilt and expanded many times. There are also traces of significant destruction, likely caused by earthquakes or wars with Greece, especially Athens.
The underground of Knossos in Crete is like a real labyrinth
The palace consisted of many levels. The lowest resembled a true labyrinth, filled with narrow corridors and small rooms, likely used as storage and utility spaces. On the higher floors, the chambers were spacious, richly decorated with paintings and columns. At the very top of the structure were large terraces, gardens full of fountains and ponds.
Inside, in a large courtyard, stood a throne and ornate doors leading to the Hall of the Double Axes, the private chambers of Minos. These were named after the double-edged axes that adorned the entrance to the chambers. These symbols can still be found on the walls and stones throughout the palace. In the main building and the smaller adjacent buildings, there were toilets and washrooms with running water, a feature presumably arranged by the master builder Daedalus himself.
Around the palace, there are remains of grand villas belonging to the king’s family and the wealthiest inhabitants of the island. Strangely, although we walked around ordinary ruins and remnants of walls, we had the impression that this place was alive and still filled with its former grandeur. Undoubtedly, the palace at Knossos on Crete and the nearby city of Heraklion are must-see places for visitors to Crete, even if you come here just to enjoy the sun and the island’s wonderful beaches.
Knossos Palace in Crete information, facts and interesting facts
- The Palace of Knossos was built around 2000 BC.
- The ruins were discovered in 1886.
- Knossos is associated with many Greek myths, including those of the powerful King Minos, Ariadne, Daedalus, and the Minotaur.
- The symbol of Knossos is the horns of the Minotaur.
- The palace covered an area of over 20,000 square meters.
- In addition to the palace itself, the remains of villas of former wealthy residents, craft workshops, and many other buildings have been preserved in Knossos.
- The palace was repeatedly rebuilt, destroyed, and reconstructed. Its final destruction was carried out by the Achaeans, who conquered the island in the 16th century BC.
- I recommend purchasing tickets to the Palace of Minos at Knossos online before arriving in the city. The lines can be long and winding, and it’s a waste of time to spend it waiting.
- While in Crete, don’t forget to visit Balos Bay and one of the most beautiful beaches in Europe.
You must be logged in to post a comment.