Overview:

Knossos is the site of the most important and better-known palace of Minoan civilization. According to tradition, it was the seat of the legendary king Minos. The Palace is also connected with thrilling legends, such as the myth of the Labyrinth with the Minotaur and the story of Daidalos and Icarus.

The site was continuously inhabited from the Neolithic period (7000-3000 B.C.) until Roman times. The Linear B tablets (Mycenaean script) of the 14th century B.C. mention the city as ko-no-so. Intensive habitation occurred mostly in the Minoan period when the so-called first (19th-17th centuries B.C.) and second palaces (16th-14th centuries B.C.) were built along with luxurious houses, a hospice, and various other structures. After its partial destruction in 1450 B.C., Knossos was settled by Mycenaeans from the Greek Mainland. The city flourished again during the Hellenistic period (sanctuaries of Glaukos, Demeter, other sanctuaries, chamber tombs, north cemetery, defensive towers) and in 67 B.C. it was captured by the Roman Quintus Caecilius Metelus Creticus. The “Villa of Dionysos”, a private house with splendid mosaics was built in the same period.

Knossos was discovered in 1878 by Minos Kalokairinos. Arthur Evans conducted systematic excavations at the site between 1900 and 1931, bringing to light the palace, a large section of the Minoan city, and the cemeteries. Since then, the site and the surrounding area have been excavated by the British School of Archaeology at Athens and the 23rd E.P.C.A.

  Address:

Knossos

 Location:

Knossos, Heraklion

  Telephone:

(+30) 2810231940

  Fax:

(+30) 2810322570

  E-mail:

[email protected]

 Url:

www.culture.gr

  Operating Period:

JAN-DEC

  Operating Days & Hours:

NOV-MAR: MON-SUN: 08:00-15:00 (Last admission 14:45)
APR-OCT: MON-SUN: 08:00-20:00 (Last admission 19:45)

  Admission Fee:

• General admission: Full: €15, Reduced: €8
• Special ticket package: Full: €20  (Package valid for: Heraklion Archaeological Museum, Knossos). The special ticket package is valid for 3 days (only one visit per site is allowed in the 3 day period). From 1st April to 31st October 2021, the price of the special package is 20 Euros.

Buy your tickets online from https://etickets.tap.gr/

Free admission days
06 March (in memory of Melina Mercouri)
18 April (International Monuments Day)
18 May (International Museums Day)
The last weekend of September annually (European Heritage Days)
28 October
Every first Sunday from November 1st to March 31st

  Notes:

• Wheelchair friendly
• Parking area
• Souvenir shop
• Cafeteria

* The above information, are subject to change without prior notification from the institution. In any case, visitcrete.com has no responsibilities for any occurred changes.