Palace of Knossos

One of the optional cruise excursions on Crete is a visit to the Palace of Knossos about 30 minutes from the city of Heraklion and lasts about 3 hours. We will be docked in Crete on Thursday from 7 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. The excursion costs around 56 Euros (subject to change).

Knossos was once the capital city of the prehistoric Minoan civilization and thought to be the basis for the original underground labyrinth housing the mythological Minotaur. This half-man, half-bull was born of King Minos’s wife, Pasiphae, and slain by Theseus. We will be able to visit a portion of the excavated and partially reconstructed Palace of King Minos and the surrounding area.

There are many palaces on the island of Crete, but Knossos is the largest and most sophisticated with over 1,000 rooms and an elaborate drainage system, flushing toilets, and paved roads. All the more amazing because this palace dates to around 1700 BC! The first palace, built around 1900 BC, was destroyed by an earthquake and these ruins date almost entirely from the rebuilding.

Unlike other Minoan sites, the Palace of Knossos was restored by Sir Arthur Evans between 1900 and 1929. Although his version of the reconstruction is controversial at best, it does give us an idea of life in the Minoan civilization.

The Palace houses the Hall of the Royal Guard decorated with frescoes and shields, the Hall of the Double Axes, the King’s Chamber housing the alabaster throne amid paintings of griffins and lilies, and the Queen’s Apartment adorned with murals of dolphins and spirals reminding us of the legend of the labyrinth. The original frescoes are in the Archaeological Museum in Heraklion.

The King’s Chamber and the Queen’s Apartment may be closed due to temporary restoration but can be viewed from above. Go here for a 3D virtual reality tour. Be sure to click inside each photo to scroll around for a 360-degree view.

This is an excellent introduction video to Knossos and the part Sir Arthur Evans played in its excavation and reconstruction.

The remaining time will be spent browsing in Heraklion. Since the museum is closed for restoration until 2012, a special exhibit of its most famous holdings is available, but the entrance fee is not included in the excursion price.

If you are game to try and visit Knossos on your own, here is a site that will give you some tips.

The Island of Crete

One of our island stops is on the island of Crete at the port of Heraklion from 7 a.m. til 11:30 a.m. – a 4½ hour stop. You will be free to roam around the city of Heraklion on your own or opt to take one of two excursions provided through the cruise line. One is to the Palace of Knossos and the other is the Panoramic Heraklion and Wine Tasting tour.

Crete is one of the largest islands in the Aegean Sea…and one of the most rugged. It is also home to the Minoan civilization which lay buried for nearly 3,000 years until Sir Arthur Evans discovered this archaeological wonder. Magnificent palaces at Knossos, Phaestos, Malia, and Zakros show just how sophisticated the Minoans were.

Over the centuries, the island fell under the rule of the Romans, Byzantines, Venetians, Ottoman Turks, and finally Greece. The most southerly of the Greek islands, four great mountain ranges traverse the island which stretches from east to west.

Crete’s capital of Heraklion (or Irakleio) lies on the northern coast and is famous for its Archaeological Museum which houses the world’s greatest collection of Minoan art including the famous frescoes from Knossos and the Phaestos Disc, which has yet to be deciphered.

The museum, which began in 1883, also houses such great works as the Snake Goddess, Bull’s Head Rhyton, the Minoan Double Axe, the golden bee pendant, and the Bull Leaper.

The museum has been closed for renovation since 2006 and is scheduled to reopen in 2012, however a temporary exhibit of its most famous artifacts is in a building nearby. We will visit on Thursday and the museum is open from 8 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Heraklion’s harbor is dominated by a vast Venetian fortress of Rocca al Mare and Crete’s Historical Museum is on the waterfront. Housed here is El Greco’s View Mt. Sinai and the Monastery of St. Catherine, his only painting in Crete. El Greco, whose real name is Dominikos Theotokopoulous, was born in Crete in 1545.

Also in Heraklion is the Plateia Eleftheriou Venizelou, a pedestrian zone with cafes and shops around the Morosini fountain. Facing the square is the restored Venetian church Agios Markos built in 1239 and now used for concerts. Also of note is the headless Roman statue that graces the 16th century Bembo Fountain. A place to stop for coffee!

Here's a 360 view of the port of Heraklion. This video is in Greek (I think!) but the pictures give you a good overview.