The Minoan civilization was the first European civilization and flourished during the second millennium BC. Its center was the ancient coastal city of Knossos, which is the most striking find from the Minoan period. Around the time when Schliemann discovered ancient Troy, beginning in 1878 Minos Kalokairinou, then later the Englishman Sir Arthur Evans, dedicated their fortunes to the completion of the excavation and restoration of sections of the palace. Knossos is now presented as conceived by the imagination of Evans. Of course, the English archaeologist has been criticized for using cement restorations; on the other hand he was vindicated by the result, since visitors can now wander in the premises of the palace in an unparalleled experience. Thus, the red columns stand as a reminder of the multistory building with innovative architectural achievements, the skylights, the hewn beams for reinforcement of the walls, and the complex drainage and water supply network.
Knossos was the seat of the High-Priest-King Minos, (‘Minos’ was probably the title of the king generally, and not the name of a specific person) and was the administrative, religious and economic center for centuries.
The palace covered an area of 20,000 square meters, and was decorated with beautiful murals depicting religious ceremonies, the bull - sacred animal of the Minoan civilization, the double ax, not to mention illustrations of the rich natural environment that surrounded it.
The palace had a continuous presence from the Neolithic to the early Byzantine era, and was the center of the city. The city was destroyed three times by earthquake. Around 1400 BC, the third and final destruction, in conjunction with the rise of the Mycenaean civilization, resulted in the gradual decline of Minoan dominance. There are many myths associated with the Minoan civilization as the monster Minotaur, Daedalus and Icarus and others. In the palace one can admire replicas of paintings, various objects and earthenware storage jars of the period; the conference hall, storage areas, the Royal apartments and the great throne room.