Archaeological site of Archanes, Archaeological palace in Ano Arhanes, Greece.

The archaeological site of Archanes is a Minoan palace in the Tourkogitonia district of Epano Archanes. Excavated remains include a propylon, sanctuaries, spacious halls and staircases; some walls of dressed stone stand up to two metres high. The thickness of the walls suggests the building had several, possibly three, storeys. The palace courtyard lay on the south-east side, where an entrance between two columns led to a platform with an altar.

The palace was built around 1900 BC in the Old Palace period, as Kamares-style pottery found there indicates. It was destroyed by an earthquake around 1700 BC, rebuilt, and destroyed again a century later. From 1600 to 1450 BC it prospered in the New Palace period, then came under Mycenaean rule after 1450 BC. Excavations by Jannis Sakellarakis and Efi Sapouna-Sakellaraki from 1964 uncovered the palatial buildings.

The name Tourkogitonia recalls the former Turkish quarter where the ruins stand, between the houses of Epano Archanes. In the palace courtyard, between two columns, a platform with an altar was found, together with sherds of cult vessels, animal bones and a channel running southwest to carry the blood of sacrificed animals and purification water.

The excavation lies inside the Tourkogitonia quarter of Epano Archanes, among the houses, reached through a usually closed entrance on the west side. Archanes is just over 11 km from the north coast, with Knossos about 6.8 km away. The exposed area is small, so allow little time; the rest of the Minoan complex lies beneath the modern town.

Arthur Evans, who excavated a Minoan water basin 40 metres north-west of the palace centre, argued in 1922 that the walls had a palatial character and proposed a summer palace of the kings of Knossos here. Excavation only resumed in 1964 under Jannis Sakellarakis and Efi Sapouna-Sakellaraki.