Knossos

You can get acquainted with the Minoan architecture, as well as appreciate the beauty and scale of the Palace of Knossos, by tasting the Greek island of Crete. This historical monument has long been decorated with photographs, souvenirs and postcards of local production. The modern palace of Knossos has this appearance thanks to Sir Arthur John Evans, who devoted a lot of time to the reconstruction and study of this find.

Scientists divide the existence of the palace into two periods, among which the so-called "early court" and "posnedvorets". The first palace, which dates back to 2000 BC, was destroyed in an earthquake. The second palace was built by the Minoans on the site of the ruins of the first, and it is he who has survived to this day. The Minoan civilization was quite advanced, as evidenced by the architecture and paintings of the Palace of Knossos.

Among the historical sites of the Minoan era, the Palace of Knossos was the largest, with an area of 130x180 meters. It contained about a thousand rooms, which were intended for various ceremonies and appointments. This palace was a kind of administrative center in the middle of the city. He was surrounded by a huge courtyard, where colonnades, stairs, galleries and other buildings were placed in a chaotic order.

Most of the walls of the local premises are decorated with wonderful frescoes that present sports, as well as other topics. The halls are also pleasing to the eye, because everything is concise, refined and harmonious. A wide staircase leads to the royal chambers themselves. Everything is quite strict, the local columns alternate black and red, expanding towards the ceiling. The western part of the court grounds was used for various ceremonies.

There is a legend about the Palace of Knossos that a monster with a bull's head but a human body lived here. This creature struck fear into the local population, because it devoured people. There was a brave man who decided to deal with this terrible beast. They were a simple guy named Theseus, who, after finishing off the creature, returned home without getting lost, only because the royal daughter Ariadne gave him a ball of thread that showed the way back. This once again confirms the size of the palace, as well as its intricate layout.

There will be no problems visiting this attraction, because it is located near the capital of the island of Crete. There are regular buses from Heraklion that depart from the local bus station near Lviv Square.