Knossos

Some time after 3000 BC the New Stone-Age is followed by the Bronze Age, or the "Minoan Era", as the archeologists call it. 

This era covers the period up to 1100 BC.  During those times civilization enters a new stage - a different civilization is born, setting the framework for a new way of living.  Besides, this it establishes new views about art and aesthetics. Nowadays the Minoan civilization is deemed as the distant ancestors of the modern European civilization that developed around Knossos.

Knossos was discovered in 1878 by Minos Kalokairinos. Arthur Evans conducted systematic excavations at the site between 1900 and 1931, bringing to light the palace, a large section of the Minoan city, and the cemeteries. Since then, the site and the surrounding area have been excavated by the British School of Archaeology at Athens and the 23rd E.P.C.A.  The restoration of the palace to its present form was carried out by Arthur Evans.

The Palace of Knossos - It is the largest of the preserved Minoan palatial centers. Four wings are arranged around a central courtyard, containing the royal quarters, workshops, shrines, storerooms, repositories, the throne room and banquet halls.

The Little Palace - Lies to the west of the main palace and has all the features of palatial architecture: scraped wall masonry, reception rooms, a pristyle hall, a double megaron with polythyra and a lustral basin-shrine.

The Royal Villa - Lies to the NE of the palace and its architectural form is distinguished by the polythyra, the pillar crypt and the double staircase, with two flights of stairs. It is strongly religious in character and might have been the residence of an aristocrat or a high priest.

House of the Frescoes - Is located to the NW of the palace and is a small urban mansion with rich decoration on the walls.

Caravanserai - Lies to the south of the palace and was interpreted as a reception hall and hospice.

Some of the rooms are equipped with baths and decorated with wall paintings.

The "Unexplored Mansion" - Private building, probably of private-industrial function, to the NW of the palace. It is rectangular, with a central, four-pillared hall, corridors, storerooms and remains of a staircase.

Temple Tomb - Is located almost 600 m. to the south of the palace and was connected with the "House of the High Priest" by means of a paved street. It seems that one of the last kings of Knossos was buried here. Typical features of its architecture are the hypostyle, two-pillar crypt, the entrance with the courtyard, the portico and a small anteroom.

House of the High Priest - Lies 300 m. to the south of Caravanserai and contains a stone altar with two columns, framed by the bases of double axes.

Villa of Dionysos - Private, peristyle house of the Roman period. It is decorated with splendid mosaics by Apollinarius, depicting Dionysos. The house contains special rooms employed for the Dionysiac cult.

The South Mansion - Private civic house, located to the south of the palace. It is a three-storied building with a lustral basin and a hypostyle crypt, dating from the 17th-15th centuries B.C.