How to visit the Palace of Knossos (Crete): Labyrinth and Minotaur

The enclosure of the Knossos Palace is main historical attraction of Crete and one of the most visited of all Greece.

In the entire country it is only surpassed by the Acropolis of Athens and sometimes by Olimpia.

There are several reasons why we all want to know Knossos when we travel to the largest Greek island.

Here we want to materialize the famous legend of the Labyrinth, the Minotaur and Ariadne's Thread.

Furthermore, the partial reconstructions carried out by Arthur Evans, the archaeologist who excavated this site, manage to evoke an ancient and sophisticated kingdom that is very attractive.

Where is and how to get to Knossos

Knossos It is located just five kilometers away from the center of Heraklion, capital of Crete, so it is very easy to access.

In case you do not contract the option of a guided tour or excursion to Knossos, from the aforementioned Heraklion you can get there on your own by taxi, bus or rented car in a few minutes.

Although it is most convenient to go by taxi or bus, since the parking lot usually fills up and it can be difficult to find free spaces.

Curiosities of the history of Knossos

The place of Knossos has been inhabited for 8.000 years, since Neolithic to the Byzantine era and it is always stated that it is the cradle of Minoan culture, the first European civilization.

The period that produced the most important remains corresponds to the New Palatial Period, between 1700 and 1600 BC

At that time what can be called the Second Palace over an area of ​​20.000 square meters and countless rooms.

What is the Legend of the Labyrinth and the Minotaur like?

Such a complex structure may be in the origin of the labyrinth myth.

Greek mythology tells us about Minotaur, a monstrous being with a human body and the head of a bull, son of Pasiphae, the wife of king minos, And Cretan Bull.

Minos commissioned his architect Daedalo to build a labyrinth from which he could not escape.

The beast periodically received the offering of 14 young Athenians who were locked in the labyrinth and eventually devoured by the beast.

Teseo, the son of the king of Athens Aegean, he volunteered as part of that group of young people with the goal of killing the minotaur and saving Athens from that servitude.

It must be remembered that a good part of the structures seen today are reconstructions made by Arthur Evans a century ago.

The archaeologist bought the land to be able to work to his liking, and his reconstructions respond to a trend that is not now shared by the majority of archaeologists.

However, his figure continues to be highly recognized.

What to see when visiting the Palace of Knossos

And the first thing we see when entering West Courtyard of the Knossos Palace It is a small monument, a bust on a pedestal, that remembers him.

It is thought that this West Courtyard It could be a public area dedicated to a market or meeting place.

Upon entering you see three kouloures, large circular wells, which may have been used as grain deposits, storage of sacred objects or simply garbage cans.

Probably, over time, they have served for all of this.

In one of them you can see, in the background, the remains of a house. On its walls archaeologists found traces of red paint that served as inspiration for the restoration work.

Opposite is the West Facade, and we then entered the palace complex through the West Porch.

How to see and what the Knossos frescoes are like

This entrance to the complex is via a walkway towards the Processional Route, a name that is due to the Fresh that represent groups of people walking carrying offerings.

It is worth remembering that all Fresh that we will see during the visit are recent copies. The original fragments can be seen in the Heraklion Archaeological Museum.

This tour of the Processional Route allows a good view of the South House before reaching the part known as South Propylaea.

In this part we will see the famous fresco of the Cupbearers. We will also pass by the Horns of Consecration, large in size and made of stone.

A wide staircase leads to the upper floor, which Evans I call Noble Floor, where the structures known as Warehouses.

In this area we will see several pithoi, the large jars that were used to store oil or cereals.

In the restored part we will see several frescoes, among them the famous The blue ladies.

We must remember once again that it is a modern painting based on the remains found, so we do not know exactly what the original paintings were like and to what extent this interpretation fits reality.

For example, for this work the restorer relied on the remains found, but also on those of the fresco of the Cupbearers, which we have seen before, and which was in better condition when it was found.

In this room there are more copies of frescoes, including that of The bull jumper, which links to the minotaur myth.

From this upper part we can appreciate the dimensions of the Central Courtyard.

This area in which we find ourselves, to the west of the courtyard, was dedicated to religious and political ceremonial purposes, while the living area was on the other side.

It seems that this separation was common in the Minoan palatial settlements.

We then go down the Monumental Staircase al Yard.

Just to the left is the Throne room, which can only be seen from the entrance, but we can perfectly appreciate the alabaster throne and the walls painted with mythological guardian griffins.

In the same space, separated only by some columns, there is a pool for ceremonial baths.

On the other side of the Monumental Staircase is the Tripartite Sanctuary, where the snake goddess figurine, but which cannot be accessed either.

Before moving to the eastern area, do not get lost, on the southern side of the Central Courtyard, fresh from The Prince of lilies.

This is another of the best-known paintings, but whose reconstruction arouses more criticism among current researchers.

If we go down the Grand Staircase, we enter the eastern sector, the residential one. In it Queen's Megaron highlights the wonderful fresh from The Dolphins, one of the most attractive of all Knossos.

Next to it is the King Megaron, also known as the Hall of Double Axes.

It must be taken into account that several of the places in this residential area cannot be visited for different reasons.

If we go north, we will pass through the area dedicated to warehouses, which is generally less attractive to visitors.

It is possible to see the sophisticated drainage system, different large jars and what may be workshops.

If we return to Central Courtyard, we can head north since there we will find another of the best-known structures of Knossos.

This is the rebuilt bastion where we will see, from a few meters away, the famous painted relief of charging bull.

Hours and ticket prices for the Palace of Knossos

The Knossos Palace visiting hours They vary according to the time of year, so that from April to October the opening is at 8 in the morning, and the site closes between 18 and 20 p.m., with last access three quarters of an hour before closing.

From November to March, the hours are from 8,30:17,30 a.m. to XNUMX:XNUMX p.m.

To visit the palace, you will have to reserve a time slot to access it.