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The Knossos palace in Crete island is one of the most famous antiquities in Crete, as well as in the world civilization. The archeological excavations have discovered here a monumental ensemble (the palace, villas, roads, courtyards, columns), which gives the opportunity to plunge into the atmosphere of antiquity and also feel the roots of the European civilization.
The Knossos palace is connected with the name of the mythologic king Minos, who lived in the palace-labyrinth. The palace was built for him by Daedalus, in the depth of it was hiding his son, the bloodthirsty Minotaur.
Athens was paying to the monster a tribute. Each year they were sending seven young girls and boys to be eaten by Minotaur.
The prince of Athens, Theseus, decided to save his town of this painful tribute. He arrived to Crete and went to king Minos. But Ariadna, the daughter of Minos fell in love with Theseus and gave him a clew. This helped him not to get lost in the labyrinth.
The palace in Knossos has been enhabited since the late Stone Age, while the beginning of the construction belongs to the third millenium BC.The kings who had been living in the Palace, had a great power on their subjects, all the riches were gathered in the palace. Everything was registered on clay tables.
The Cretans developed the fishery, the commerce with Egyptians, Cypriots and Phoenicians.
The Knossos palace was destroyed by the earthquake around year 1570 BC, then rebuilt and redestroyed by the following earthquakes. The building contained 1300 rooms, 800 of them being opened now. Even having the map of the labyrinth, one might not find the way out of this web of corridors, rooms, larders and stairs.
Apollon / Daedalus / Minos / Zeus
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