Palace of Knossos, Bronze Age palace in Heraklion, Greece.
The Palace of Knossos is a Bronze Age palace and archaeological site in Heraklion Municipality on Crete. The site covers around 20,000 square meters with several levels, passages, courtyards, and storerooms arranged in an intertwined layout.
The site was built around 1650 BCE as the center of Minoan civilization on Crete. A fire destroyed the complex in 1350 BCE and ended its use as a center of power.
The name Knossos comes from pre-Greek times and marks the most important center of Minoan culture on Crete. Visitors today see partly reconstructed rooms and columns that show how inhabitants lived and shaped their palaces thousands of years ago.
Visitors must buy entrance tickets online before arriving because demand is high. Combined tickets for the site and the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion are available.
Three separate water piping systems within the complex show advanced engineering for the Bronze Age. This technology allowed water to be channeled and used in different areas of the sprawling building.
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