In the house of the Minotaur - Knossos

Not everyone at school liked reading Greek myths. Today, however, you can notice a clear trend referring to antiquity - for example in Hollywood film productions created on a grand scale. The times of heroes and demigods have always fascinated people, especially today, when we have learned to use the achievements of technology instead of our own muscles.

One of the most popular myths is the story of Theseus and Ariadne. The father of the Cretan princess, Minos, ruled his territory from the palace of Knossos. Dozens of corridors resembling a huge maze ran under the magnificent structure. It is said that this is where a half-man half-bull, the Minotaur, lived.

Humanity had to wait hundreds of years until the beginning of the 20th century for the discovery of the gigantic palace and the mysterious labyrinth. It was then that Sir Arthur John Evans acquired a piece of land in Crete and made one of the greatest discoveries in the history of world archeology. He stumbled upon the palace of Minos .

To meet the past

The Knossos ruins are one of the largest (if not the largest) monuments in Crete. In the high season, you should take into account the crowds of people crowded in long lines - especially to the Throne Room, one of the leading attractions in excavations. The legend of the labyrinth of Knossos attracts both organized tours and individual lovers of antiquity. To avoid several hours of waiting, it's best to come to the ruins at lunchtime or in the early morning hours. During the tourist season, we can visit the ruins from 8 am to 5 pm.

The admission ticket to the excavation costs approx. 6 euros. We will not pay for the opportunity to take photos, and using the toilet will be associated with a "whatever the favor" fee. During the tour, it is difficult to find a good place to hide from the sun, so do not forget to take water with you. Alternatively, after leaving the ruins, you can cool down in one of the many taverns, drinking cold frappes. They are located next to parking lots - the closer to the excavation site, the more we will see. Importantly, the owners of some parking lots provide them free of charge , expecting only to use the services of the above-mentioned taverns.

The greatest treasure of Crete

The gigantic palace took almost 300 years to build. The remains of the ruins from the Late Minoan period have survived to this day. The building had 4 separate entrances, and the complex stretched over an area of approx. 24 thousand square meters. m². It housed a theater, about 1,300 rooms connected by a tangle of corridors and numerous warehouses. The remains of the exquisitely crafted stairs testify to the storied character of the palace.

Red columns are a characteristic element of the palace. Originally they were built of a cypress trunk, but now they are made of concrete. Among the exhibits that can be seen in the building are figurines made of ceramics and bronze, pitos for storing oil and grain, and gold products. The most famous room, to which the longest lines of visitors form today, is the already mentioned Throne Room . It is decorated with colorful frescoes depicting seated griffins, and by the northern wall there is an alabaster seat - the oldest throne in Europe.

Overnight at the Minotaur labyrinth

You can easily get from the ruins by bus to Heraklion - they run very often. Tourists who intend to visit the largest city of the island, but have more time and their own means of transport, can veer a little east and stay at Creta Camping . It is situated by the sea in the village of Kato Gouves. Overnight on it costs EUR 5.50-6.50 / day, and the fee for a motorhome pitch is EUR 5-6.50 / day.

The journey from Kato Gouves to Heraklion goes along the coast. On the way, we can visit Cretaquarium Thalassocosmos - Aquarium, and then go to the city of Hercules.