Did you know that the labyrinth of the Minotaur is not just a simple legend? It’s in one of Crete’s main towns, Knossos, that you can spot what might be the mythical maze that housed the half-bull, half-man Minotaur.
Knossos was the centre of Minoan civilisation and the most important archaeological site dating back to Bronze Age. This city was an important political, religious and economic centre that exploited the close river to develop its trades.
The beautiful Palace of Knossos was built on top of the hill where it was believed that Zeus was hidden by his mother Rea to save him from its father Cronus, who wanted to devour him. With its 20000 square meters, 1300 rooms and 5 floors, it is the biggest Minoan building ever built. Further to its largeness, the palace surprises for the variety of materials used and the beautiful still-existing decorations that adorn its areas. The best-known wall paintings found in Knossos are the “Bull Jumping” and “The Prince of Lilies”, which colors are still stunningly intact. Another interesting part of the building are Queen’s Baths, which present a modern sewage pipe system and some wonderful decorations.
The first site excavations were conducted by Minos Kalokerinos of Herakleion in 1878 and they were continued in the 1920s by a famous English archaeologist called Sir Arthur Evans. The complicated planimetry of a building where it was almost impossible to get orientated suggested that Knossos could be the place that had inspired the popular Minotaur legend.
The story tells that the maze was ideated by Dedalus, who was helped by his son Icarus in its realisation. As it was extremely intrigated , both of them were imprisoned by it and could only escape flying away, using the wings that Icarus had just finished building. The project was commissioned by Minos, King of Crete, to enclose the frightening Minotaur inside it. This monster with a half-bull, half-man body was born from Pasiphae, the king’s wife, and a white bull sent by Poseidon that made her fall in love. The wrath of King Minos induced him to oblige Athens, that had just been defeated in war, to send 7 girls and 7 boys in the labyrinth each year, to feed the monster. One day, Theseus arrived in Crete hiding himself in the group of kids and fell in love with Ariadne, the king’s daughter. With the help of Dedalus and Ariadne’s thread, Theseus killed the Minotaur and found the way out of the labyrinth.
Are you ready to dream inside this magic palace? Plan your visit and get charmed by the beauty of this site! Full-tickets cost €15 while reduced ones cost €8 and you can easily reach the Palace from the main cities of the island.
If you are looking for a lovely accommodation to rent for your stay in Crete, we suggest one of our charming holiday rentals in Crete.
© Alice Pilastri
