Knossos Palace was the ceremonial and political center of the Minoan Civilization during the Bronze Age. Considered as Europe’s oldest city, Knossos was once the city-state of Crete, with the town surrounding the hill the palace is on. The area actually has a very long history of human habitation, from the first Neolithic settlement around 7000 BC, bis 1500 BC, when the surrounding city had a population of 100,000. The palace suffered through an earthquake but then was reconstructed. It’s believed that the palace was abandoned around 1380 An 1100 B.C. for largely unknown reasons.
The excavation and exploration of the site have provided historians with a wealth of knowledge and insight into the Minoan Civilization. Werkzeuge wie in Ton und Stein eingeschnittene Spulen und Wirbel deuten auf eine Textilindustrie hin, und geschwungene Frauenfiguren weisen auf die Verehrung von Muttergöttinnen hin. Die Palaststruktur, die wir heute sehen, ist nicht mehr ganz so, wie sie in ihrer ursprünglichen Zeit aussah, aufgrund von Umbau- und Renovierungsarbeiten im Laufe der Jahre, und es wird von einigen Archäologen als Faksimile betrachtet. Man geht davon aus, dass der Palastkomplex nicht nur die Residenz des Monarchen war, sondern auch die Stadt, religiös, und Wirtschaftszentrum von Knossos.
Also auf der Westseite des Palastes, In den Obergeschossen befinden sich die Festsäle und die öffentlichen Lagerräume. Zusätzlich, Da sind die Heiligtümer, die Schatzkammern sowie der Thronsaal. Im südwestlichen Teil des Palastes, are the Western Courtyard and the Western Entrance leading to the Procession Corridor. The latter was decorated with frescoes. On the left side of the corridor, are the Propylaea and the famous Double Horns. The Double Horns are one of the sacred symbols of the Minoan religion.
On the east side were the royal apartments, which led to a large staircase, staff rooms, and a sanctuary. Among the most important rooms are the Double Ax and the Queen’s Apartment with the dolphin mural. To the north and east of the queen’s apartment are the main warehouses as well as the Zatriki Corridor. In the Zatriki Corridor, the ancients used to play a type of chess called ‘Zatriki’. Further east was the various workshops, as well as the royal warehouses. The north wing is dominated by the „Customs“, a tank of purges, and a stone theater. From the theater starts a Cobbled Road that led to the small palace. Finally, in the south wing, there was the majestic south Propylos.
