Knossos, Crete, Greece: The city of Bronze Age

By asad russel -

About
For the Minoan Crete undeniably Knossos was the capital. Than any other places known to us it is more complex, grander and more flamboyant, and from the modern port town Iraklio it is located in south in a distance of twenty minutes.

 History
For several thousand years Knossos was inhabited, sometime in the seventh millennium BC with a Neolithic settlement it was beginning, and in 1375 BC which marked as the end of the Minoan civilization after its destruction was abandoned. On the ruins of the previous settlement around 1900 BC beside the Krairatos River on the low hill the first palace was built. At 1700 BC around the Crete along with the other Protopalatial palaces for the first time it was destroyed by foreign invaders or by a large earthquake probably, to an even more elaborate complex it was immediately rebuilt and during invasions, earthquake and by the colossal volcanic eruption of the Thera in 1450 BC it was damaged several times until its abandonment. This was also faced the invasions of Mycenaeans and until 1375 BC as they ruled the island of Crete they used it as their capital.

By famed architect Dedalos the palace was designed according to the Greek mythology that could find the exits no one placed in it with such complexity. King Minos commissioned the palace and he kept the architect in the prison to ensure that to anyone he would not reveal the plan of the palace. Dadalos was a great inventor, to fly away from the island he built two sets of wings for him and for his son Ikaros and they did so. Not to fly too close to the sun Dedalos warned his son on their way out because the wax would melt which held the wings together. But until the sun rays dismantled Ikaros wings he was flying higher and higher and in the Aegean Sea the young boy fell to his death. In Greek mythology for the Minotaur the Labyrinth was the dwelling, and with the legend of Theseus Killing the Minotaur many associate the palace of Knossos.

Discovery
In 1900 AD the British archaeologist Arthur Evans excavated this site and in a way the large part of the palace was restored for that it is possible today to appreciate the complexity and grandeur of the constructions over several millennia that evolved and about 20,000 square meters grew to occupy. With the mythological labyrinth why the palace of Knossos was associated one can comprehend during walking through its complex multi-storied building.

Visitor’s attractions
Around the ramp the area which leads the today’s visitor to the main palace, the rich strata of ruins which span for millennia immediately exposes. There are three large Kouloures to the left of the entrance ramp of large round pits shape reveals the deep bottom of them for the Prepalatial building ruins which remains. During the Minoan time for the entire island administration was the center the palace of Knossos. With the gypsum throne its throne room and to accommodate about sixteen persons the benches, the theater, the central courtyard and the royal chambers paint a portrait of Knossos and many other historical ruins visitors can see in this amazing place.

Short preview
According to the Greek National Tourist Board every year about 705,305 tourist come here to visit this extraordinary place. This is the city of Bronze Age of Minoan civilization, around 1500 BC may be this city was destroyed. But what left restored for the visitor which includes the Palace of Minos, depicting dolphins with finely detailed frescoes, fish and griffins as well as visitors walking past the flowers.

 

Posted by : Unknown 8:44 PM Tags : Travel Destinations

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