Knossos excavations, Bronze Age archaeological excavation in Heraklion, Greece.

Knossos is the largest Bronze Age archaeological site on Crete, located near Heraklion. Its palace complex, excavated and partly restored by Arthur Evans from 1900, served as the ceremonial and political centre of the Minoan civilization. The ruins include storage magazines with large pithoi, a west facade, and courtyards built into Kephala Hill.

Arthur Evans began systematic excavations in 1900 and uncovered layers spanning more than 2000 years of occupation and rebuilding. The site shows continuous settlement from the early Minoan period until the late Bronze Age around 1450 BCE.

The name Knossos, in Ancient Greek Knōsós, is also romanized Cnossus, Gnossus and Knossus. The site was the ceremonial and political centre of the Minoan civilization and culture, and a branch of the British School at Athens now stands on its grounds. Villa Ariadne, the mansion Arthur Evans had built for archaeologists, was briefly home to the Greek government-in-exile during the Battle of Crete.

The site is sprawling and requires comfortable shoes and sun protection, as most areas have little shade. Well-marked pathways and informational signs throughout help visitors understand the different sections and their original purposes.

The water system with clay pipes and drainage channels shows that the Minoan people had advanced engineering capabilities for their time. Ongoing excavations continue to reveal new details about how these clever systems worked beneath the palace.