Without a doubt, Knossos is one of the three most important archaeological sites in Greece. The palace of Knossos was the cultural, religious, military, commercial and administrative center of Minoan Crete.
The first settlement in Knossos dates back to around 7,000 BC, in the Neolithic Age. The economic, social and political development of the settlement led at the end of the second millennium BC. in the construction of the magnificent palace of Knossos. Knossos was the seat of the mythical king Minos and the main center of power in Crete.
This First Palace was destroyed in 1,700 BC. approx., but was rebuilt only to be permanently destroyed by fire in 1350 BC. Since then the area of the palace is turned into a sacred grove of Rhea, but it is not inhabited again.
The palace of Knossos is the monumental symbol of the Minoan civilization in terms of construction, use of luxurious materials, architectural design, advanced building techniques and its impressive size.