Minoan Palace of Knossos on the Island of Crete Greece

One of the places to see in Crete Greece is the Minoan Palace of Knossos. The Ancient City of Knossos was inhabited from the Neolithic era until 5th century AD. This land is considered to have given birth to the first civilization of Europe the Minoans. During your visit you have the opportunity to walk along the reconstruction and see how the city evolved over time.

Reconstruction and excavation began in 1878 by the Herkalian Minos Kalokairinos. Later in history from 1900-1913 and 1922-1930 the excavations continued by British Sir Arthur Evans. The research by Sir Evans brought to light the Minoan Palace in its entirety. The palace was the residence of the wise King Minos.

As you walk through the city you can visit the throne room, see the reconstructed frescoes, the grand staircase, the Queen’s megaron and the apartments of Knossos palace.

It is amazing to see storage containers that are thousands of years old. You can see where the residents held sacrifices and where they attended the theater.

We were struck with how advanced the society was thousands of years ago. They had trading set up to Egypt and the Far East. They traded liquid gold in the form of olive oil produced on the island.

The art frescoes that are recreated are amazing. You can see the ornate frescoes in the throne room. Which have the body of a lion, the tail of a snake and the head of an eagle. Each one showcases strength.

Like many ancient sites this one is best visited with good shoes. The walkways are uneven and the stairs are also uneven. During our visit it rained making the walkways incredibly slippery. There are guides available at the entrance if you are not on a cruise shore excursion. There are also great interpretive panels at each of the main sites describing the area and history.

There is a coffee shop and snack shop at the main entrance that has amazing fresh pomegranate orange juice. It is well worth the splurge to try this tart drink.

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