I consider myself blessed that I could visit Crete island, Greece, where Minoan civilization, one of the greatest and oldest civilization in the world existed. It was one of the most fascinating cultures of the ancient world. The prosperity of Minoans is proved by the impressive, well planned and modernized palace of Knossos, in Crete. According to some historians, Crete is actually the city of Atlantis mentioned by the great philosopher, Plato, in his works. It was with a sense of awe that I set foot on this place where history still waited to be explored!!!

According to mythology, Crete is the mythical land of King Minos. He was the son of the princess Europa and Zeus, the father of the gods. From the city of Knossos, he colonised many of the Cycladic Islands, and he was widely considered a just ruler. There is an interesting story about Minos. He is said to have refused to sacrifice a certain bull to God. Then the God Poseidon punished him by making Minos’s wife Pasiphaë fall in love with the same animal. She subsequently gave birth to the Minotaur, a man-eating monster that was half man and half bull. Minotaur was imprisoned by King Minos in the labyrinth. Daedalus the Athenian craftsman was the architect who designed the labyrinth for the King. The labyrinth was so skillfully designed that no one could escape either from the maze or the Minotaur. Daedalus revealed the secret of the labyrinth only to Ariadne, daughter of Minos, and she aided her lover, the Athenian hero Theseus, to slay the monster and escape from the labyrinth. But, according to Attic legend, King Minos was a tyrant who took harsh measures to avenge the death of his son Androgeous at the hands of the Athenians. At stated intervals he extracted a tribute of seven youths and seven maidens, from Athens, to be sacrificed to the Minotaur until Theseus killed Minotaur. Minos eventually met his death in Sicily, and he is believed to then have become one of the judges of the dead in the underworld.

 

The palace of Knossos, which is the palace of King Minos, is the most important historical place in Greece, second only to Acropolis. About one million tourists visit this place every year. It is an expansive palace atop a low hill just a few kilometres outside Heraklion in Crete, and it seems to be the destination of just about every visitor who sets foot on the island. Justifiably so, because the splendour and flamboyance of prehistoric Cretans is a spectacle that establishes a proper historical perspective on the roots of western culture. This palace is built on the hill of ‘Kefala’ next to the river ‘Kairatos’, in a site which was admired for its natural advantages, like the strong position, good water supplies and access to the sea. The proximity to a large ‘Cephalonian Pine’ forest was an added advantage, since the wood from this tree was used to constuct the beams and columns of the palace. The Minoans are credited as the first European civilization. Their orderly, peaceful, and commercial way of living is said to have influenced the Helladic (mainland) cultures of the time. 

From the narrow, busy road heading from Heraklio to Archanes, the ruins of the heart of Minoan culture are scarcely visible. Visitors pull off into parking lots and walk a few yards to the gate, past gift shops and then to a bronze bust of Arthur Evans, the controversial discoverer of the palace. To call Knossos a palace now, is a bit like calling Stone Henge, a conference centre. As I walked along the grounds of the palace, I could not help thinking about the fantastic myths concerned with the place.The architectural planes and multi-leveled spatial configurations could not have but housed a people who loved life and art. The palace, despite its riches had no defensive walls, and its chambers were dedicated to worship, statesmanship, commerce, and entertainment. Its multi-level volumes communicate with impressive staircases, and ramps, while all the spaces are intricately connected with long corridors, light wells, and tall pillars. The West wing where the visitor enters today is where the religious and official staterooms are found while domestic rooms and workshops occupy the East wing.

 It is well known that the area lies on a great seismic site. The palace had been destroyed time after time and always emerged from its ruins more magnificent than before like Pheonix, until the last time that there was no recovery. Excavations showed that the area was inhabited since the Neolithic times (6000 BC and perhaps even earlier) and verified that the Neolithic levels of Knossos are amongst the deepest in Europe. Following a massive volcanic eruption of Santorini, in the near by island, almost all city states in Crete were destroyed.

The artifacts and the impressive wall paintings that were found represent nature scenes, and abstract themes, consistent with a culture that was closely dependent on its natural environment. My guide was very enthusiastic when describing the dresses used by Minoans. According to him, all Minoans wore skirts with weights attached to the brim in order to prevent them from flying up in the great wind that the place is famous for. This was depicted in the paintings in the palace walls. A very striking thing that caught my attention, in the palace was the ruins of a perfect pipe and plumbing system. It was a sign that a progressed civilization thrived in that island, even in those days. I could not but appreciate the intelligence of Minoans, when my guide explained the people managed to bring water from a distant mountain river to the palace with the help of long pipe lines. Many of the visitors thronged into  the ‘Throne Room’ , where a carved chair of stone, belonging to King Minos, is kept for display. This room is so constructed that it is always air-conditioned by the natural air flow, through the optimally placed windows and doors.

 

It had long been known that there had once existed a city called Knossos in this region and many of the inhabitants often found ancient objects as they cultivated their fields. The first man to excavate in the area was Minos Kalokairinos, a merchant of Iraklion and a lover of antiquity. In 1878 he uncovered two of the palace storerooms. Later Arthur Evans began systematic excavation in 1900, when the island had now been declared an independent State. I was grateful that Evans did undergo the extensive reconstructions as I climbed the grand staircases of the palace. Without them it would have been impossible to comprehend the complexity of the architecture, and to imagine the flamboyant way of Minoan thinking. Though it is better to see raw historical record with minimal reconstructive intervention, the relative completeness of Knossos made me feel the excitation of a child who visits a theme park. Indeed, Knossos can be thought of as a Disney World of archaeological sites! It is an enchanting and magical place, full of history, reconstituted from reality and myth to fuel the imagination. It is a place where myth acquires a touch of reality. The visit to the palace can eat time endlessly, but most visitors are impressed by the rows of huge decorated storage jars called pithoi, and the colourful wall paintings. The palace of Knossos retains its dignity beyond the physical presence as a stage where mythical performances are constituted through its labyrinthine corridors. Its deserted sacred chambers echo mysterious chants through the millennia: A point of reference for all who yearn to discern where we come from, and where we go.

 

How to Get to KnossosThere are many ferries from main land, the Greek capital Athens to Crete island. A short flight is another option.To visit the palace, one can take a bus (KNOSSOS) from Iraklion main bus station by the port, in Crete Island. This bus also stops at Lion's Square. If you intend to use a tripod with your photographic camera you must obtain a licence from the authority found at the building of the Iraklion Museum. It is valid for 14 days and for more than one archaeological sites. A visit to Knossos must be completed with a visit to the Iraklion 

where all the items found on the site are on display.

Tip: Private paid parking lots line the road to Knossos, but the official ones nearest the palace are free. The paid lots may still be a good deal during peak tourist periods.