Palace of Knossos
Palace of Knossos is one of the narrated stops on the self-guided Heraklion audio walking tour in Gingerguide. Plan about ~90 min here. Press play at the spot for its two to three minute story, or ask the AI guide anything about it.
- Type ruins
- Suggested visit ~90 min
- Heraklion Heraklion guide
About Palace of Knossos
The vivid frescoes and red columns look Bronze Age, yet most were poured in concrete a century ago; step inside the myth-soaked palace that Arthur Evans rebuilt from ruins.
The Palace of Knossos, about five kilometres south of Heraklion, is the largest Bronze Age site on Crete and the principal centre of the civilisation known as Minoan. The multi-storey complex covered roughly 14,000 square metres, combining staircases, corridors, storage magazines, workshops, shrines and reception rooms around a central court. The earliest settlement on the hill dates to around 7000 BC, and the site is often described as the oldest city in Europe.
Large-scale excavation began in 1900 under the British archaeologist Arthur Evans, who worked here until 1931 and coined the term Minoan, borrowing it from the myth of King Minos. Between roughly 1905 and 1930 Evans reconstructed large parts of the palace in reinforced concrete and had frescoes repainted, a restoration that remains scholarly controversial. The vivid frescoes on the walls today are replicas; the surviving originals are held in the Heraklion Archaeological Museum.
Did you know? Knossos ran an advanced water system for its age: channels, drains and deliberately sloped surfaces carried rainwater and wastewater away from parts of the building, plumbing that would not look out of place millennia later.
How long should you spend at Palace of Knossos?
Plan about ~90 min at Palace of Knossos. That is enough to take it in and hear its narrated story; stay longer if it grabs you. The tour is self-guided, so there is no rush.
Is Palace of Knossos worth visiting?
Palace of Knossos is one of the 20 sights the Gingerguide team researched and narrated in Heraklion, so it earns a place on a self-guided walk. Its story explains why it matters, and you can ask the AI guide anything the story leaves open.
Nearby stops in Heraklion
Sources and further reading
Where to check the facts about Palace of Knossos and read more:
Day 2 of the Heraklion in 2 days itinerary →
Updated:
Hear the story of Palace of Knossos
Preview the Heraklion tour free in the Gingerguide app.