The myth of the Minotaur: from birth to death of a monster. Minotaur - a monster from the Cretan labyrinth Who went to the labyrinth of the minotaur
In 1900, on March 23, ruins were found on the island of Crete after thirty years of excavations. Scientists have suggested that they have found the mythological Labyrinth of the Minotaur.
As Arthur John Evans, who led the excavations, reported, near the city of Knossos, real ruins of the mythological Labyrinth were found - the one where the Minotaur lived and where Theseus was brought by the daughter of King Minos Ariadne.
Every myth has a grain of truth. But did Arthur John Evans really find the labyrinth? We will try to figure this out.
mythical labyrinth
The image of the terrible Minotaur, half-bull, half-man, is known to us from ancient Greek mythology. According to legend, the Minotaur was the fruit of the unnatural love of the Cretan queen Pasiphae, the wife of King Minos, for a sacrificial white bull sent by Poseidon (or Zeus, depending on the source) for sacrifice. According to some sources, Aphrodite sent a feeling for the bull to Pasiphae because the queen did not revere the goddess. And someone believes that Pasiphae suffered from dementia or even mental retardation.
All versions agree on one thing: the queen had a child with a bull's head. King Minos, in order to hide the shame of his wife, ordered the sculptor Daedalus to build a huge labyrinth in which the Minotaur was placed, after which they began to sacrifice young people to him.
Mosaic from Pompeii in the National Archaeological Museum in Naples. Wikipedia photo archive The hero Theseus, with whom the half-sister of the Minotaur, Ariadne, fell in love, defeated the monster and emerged from the terrible labyrinth safe and sound. Yes, and saved the girls and boys.
Looking for facts
Many who saw the Palace of Knossos with their own eyes believe that the building was the same Labyrinth: it is a cluster of many rooms and halls. However, the Palace of Knossos was built much later than the Labyrinth described in the myth, and adherents of the theory of the existence of the refuge of the Minotaur believe that the real Labyrinth is hidden in the mountains near Knossos.
But wasn't the ancient myth taken too literally?
Doubts about the reality, if not the Labyrinth, then the monsters from the myth existed in antiquity. So, the ancient Roman biographer and philosopher Plutarch suggested that the image of the Minotaur was exaggerated, but in reality it was a real person named Minos Taurus - a fighter who participated in demonstration fights in the Labyrinth.
Mosaic "Theseus killing the Minotaur in the labyrinth", Paphos, Cyprus. Photo archive: Wikipedia Not everything is clear with the Labyrinth itself. Ancient people believed that the labyrinth is a haven of the gods, life is a road through the halls and rooms of a mythical structure, a dead end is death, and the exit is a victory over death. Then the theory that the Labyrinth is a symbol may seem more realistic. Then the real Theseus, if he existed, could simply stay alive after some kind of mortal danger, and real story about this turned into a myth about the exit from the Labyrinth.
The Labyrinth found in Crete is neither the first nor the last labyrinth in the world. It is believed that the first structure was built in Egypt. Ancient Greek historians Herodotus of Halicarnassus and Strabo wrote about this. According to the scriptures, the Labyrinth was located in the city of El Faiyum and was built by Pharaoh Amenemhet III. The labyrinth led to the pyramid, which supposedly contained the tomb of the pharaoh. The construction itself, according to historians, represented more than a thousand rooms. We also emphasize that the Cretan Labyrinth was a hundred times smaller than the Egyptian one, but the design was more complex.
In Search of the Labyrinth
Many of our rational contemporaries believe that today the Cretan Labyrinth has not been found. Perhaps in the future there will be other evidence of the existence of the legendary structure. Or maybe the Labyrinth is a metaphor, a symbol, passed down to us by our ancestors through a famous myth.
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Minotaur - a monster from Crete, the main opponent of Theseus. Described as a man with a bull's head, lived in an intricate labyrinth. Killed by Theseus.
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The legend of the origin of the Minotaur
Greek legends described him as a monster of great stature, with the body of an athlete and a bull's head. His mother was Pasiphae (not to be confused with Pasithea), daughter of the sun god Helios and queen of Crete, wife of Minos. Minos ascended the throne only by defeating his brother with the blessing of the gods. In order for Minos to confirm his noble intentions and become a pious king, Poseidon sent him a magnificent bull and ordered the animal to be sacrificed.
Minos felt sorry for killing such a wonderful creature, and he released the bull to graze along with the herd, and instead killed another, ordinary one. Poseidon became angry and inspired Pasiphae with an unnatural attraction to the bull. According to some sources, Poseidon himself (in a number of myths - Zeus) turned into a bull in order to copulate with the queen. To do this, the Athenian engineer Daedalus came up with an ingenious design in the form of a bronze cow attractive to a bull. It was hollow on the inside, and Pasiphae was in it.
After the due date, the queen gave birth to a monster. The Minotaur, by order of Minos, was hidden in the labyrinth of Daedalus - Knossos. The Minotaur was fed by criminals and Athenian youths and girls - they were brought in every nine years, seven males and seven females. In some myths, seven children were sacrificed to the Minotaur.
Pausanias wrote that the real name of the Minotaur was Asterius, i.e. "starry". Antique vases with images of this beast almost always contain images of stars or eyes. Mycenaean texts also contain references to a certain mistress of the labyrinth, which could probably be Ariadne.
Minotaur and Theseus
Diodorus writes that Theseus sailed in the second party, and Plutarch claimed that in the third. But it is known for sure that the hero was among the victims of the Minotaur after he killed him. According to some sources, to reduce the resistance of the captives, they were deprived of their sight. According to others, it was impossible to leave the intricate labyrinth, and those who escaped death at the hands of the Minotaur simply died without water and food.
Theseus was among the fourteen victims. Together with the others, he was launched into the labyrinth, where he fought the Minotaur and killed him with his bare hands. Sometimes it is indicated that the hero had a sword with him.
Ariadne (half-sister of the Minotaur, but daughter of Minos) gave him a ball of thread with her, which Theseus unwound all the way. As a result, he and the rest of the captives left the labyrinth unharmed. The throne at Amykla contains an image of a captive Minotaur led by Theseus on a rope.
Rationalist version of the legend of the Minotaur
Philochor, and after it Eusebius in their writings they described a different version of the origin of the Minotaur, in which the bull-headed monster acts as an allegory. According to legend, the Minotaur was a man, his name was Taurus. He taught the young king of Crete - Minos, and became famous for his cruelty. At that time, Athens was under the rule of Crete and paid tribute by people. Minos decided to establish a competition in which his teacher fought with sent Athenian youths. Taurus defeated nine, but Theseus, the son of the Athenian king, defeated him. In honor of the victory, Athens was exempted from paying tribute.
The labyrinth at Knossos and the myth of the Minotaur
Also Daedalus' Labyrinth, according to Plutarch was the most ordinary prison. Ordinary prisoners were housed within its walls, and in very tolerable conditions. Minos annually held competitions in honor of Androgeus, his son, who was killed by the Athenians. The winner received as slaves boys and girls sent from Athens. Before that, they were kept in the Labyrinth. Taurus enjoyed the great confidence of Minos and was the first winner of the competition. Taurus was known as a rude and hard-hearted master, merciless with slaves. Aristotle's "State Structure of Bottia" clearly expresses the author's idea that it was simply unprofitable to kill the sent people - young people were highly valued in the slave market. They most likely remained slaves in Crete until the end of their days.
Historian Demon believed that Taurus was a commander whose fleet engaged in battle with the fleet of Theseus in the harbor and was defeated. Taurus died in this battle. Plutarch wrote that Taurus was a general killed in the war between Crete and Athens. The later story of the Minotaur is the fruit of human invention and myth-making.
Other hypotheses and the cult of bulls
Minotaur could be borrowed Phoenician god under the name . Moloch was depicted as a horned man, and children were sacrificed to him. The famous expression "hell of fire" came from the place where human sacrifices were made to Moloch - the children were "guided through the fire", that is, they were burned alive. The cult of Moloch could very well be in Crete. The death of the Minotaur marked the end of this cult.
A number of modern historians consider the history of the Minotaur to be an allegorical story about the collision of the Indo-Europeans with the cultures of the autochthonous "peoples of the sea". These "sea peoples" of unknown origin revered bulls. The clash was won by the more civilized Indo-Europeans in the modern sense. Also, the appearance of the Minotaur is suggestive of the beast-headed Egyptian gods.
Theseus, a novel by Mary Renault, contains a description of ritual sacrifices. They were called "bull belts" - a kind of protocorrida. Scenes with bull belts are often found on the frescoes of the Cretan period. Artistic materials of the Minoan era contain images of taurocatapsia - ritual jumps over a bull. The cult of the worship of the bull was very strong in Crete, and such rituals were a significant part of it.
A similar theme can be traced back to the Bronze Age, from where it migrated to the Hittite kingdom, Syria, Bactria and the Indus Valley. Bullfighting and bull veneration are common in Mediterranean cultures. Today, this phenomenon has survived as a Spanish bullfight.
The double-edged ax of the executioner - "labrys", was an integral part of the bull cult. Probably, "labyrinth" is a modified "labrys". Pre-Hellenic religions often practiced sacred bullfights, and Cretan demonology contains quite a few bull-headed people. The minotaur living in the heart of the labyrinth was most likely a cruel legend, an echo of the even more terrifying rituals of Crete. The most ancient forms of the legend of Theseus and the Minotaur say that the hero defeated the monster with a double-edged axe.
Today, along with the twelve labors of Hercules, the legend of the Minotaur remains one of the most recognizable. It is difficult to say exactly what she is talking about - about the ancient cult of the bulls, the traditional competitions of slaves, or the monster that lived in the labyrinth of Daedalus. However, this is not the only mystery left to the descendants of the myths of ancient Greece.
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Crete can truly be considered a fabulous island. It is with him that many ancient Greek legends and myths are associated. Visiting it, you should definitely see the local attractions. The most popular of them is the labyrinth of the Minotaur on the island of Crete. Despite the fact that the story of the Minotaur is more legend than truth, this place is very interesting. Here you can see the numerous corridors and completely plunge into the Greek legend.
From history - the legend of the Minotaur
The legend begins with the king who once ruled the island of Crete, Minos. In honor of the god Poseidon, he had to sacrifice the sacred animal of the bull. However, he did not want to do this and kept the bull for himself. Poseidon, in turn, was so angry that he bewitched the wife of Minos. Under the spell, she committed adultery with this bull and gave birth to a half-bull. He had the outlines of a man and a bull, and they called him the Minotaur.
The Minotaur was fearsome and ferocious, so King Minos commissioned the architect Daedalus to build a large labyrinth from which it was impossible to get out. The Minotaur was placed there and guarded the labyrinth. To feed him every year he was supplied with 14 girls and boys. They were delivered from Athens, as they were guilty before the king of Crete. Athens did not want war, so they obeyed and sent a ship with black sails every year.
One day, Theseus, the son of the king of Athens, found out about this. He went to Crete with the doomed youths in order to kill the Minotaur. He promised his father that if he manages to do this, then white sails will be set on the ship upon his return. The daughter of Minos Ariadne helped Theseus in this matter. She fell in love with the Greek hero and gave him a ball of thread before he went into the labyrinth of the Minotaur. Theseus defeated the ferocious animal, and with the help of threads he was able to find his way back. He took Ariadne with him, and together they went to Athens. However, Theseus forgot to change the black sails to white ones, and his father, seeing the ship from afar, rushed off the cliff into the sea. Such a story-legend with a sad ending is remembered in Crete to this day. This is what attracts many travelers and tourists.
Description of the attraction
The labyrinth of the Minotaur is actually known as the Palace of Knossos. It has an impressive size and is of great interest. Until today, the building has not been preserved in its original form, but was a ruined building. The palace gained its wide popularity after it was partially reconstructed and betrayed the appearance of Minoan architecture. At the same time, even the smallest details were taken into account. Now tourists can see what palaces were at that time and walk through its ruined territory. Daedalus is said to have built the famous labyrinth here.
The palace of Knossos consisted of a large number premises. They were connected to each other through complex transitions. Thus, the layout is very intricate and resembles a labyrinth. Even today, one can see a sign depicting a labyrinth on the ruined walls. All rooms of the palace are decorated with interesting frescoes and paintings of that time.
There are many versions about whether the labyrinth is located in the palace itself and its environs, or whether it was built in some other place. Despite this, the territory of the Knossos Palace is very large. The buildings here are not symmetrical and thus very interesting. Going to the island of Crete, you need to see this famous place, which is legendary. Locals and guides can tell many legends, which are associated with the appearance of the palace and the labyrinth of the Minotaur itself.
Independent visit
Labyrinth of the Minotaur (Palace of Knossos) on the map:
Getting to the Palace of Knossos will not be difficult, because. it is located in the suburbs of the capital of Crete, the city of Heraklion. Regular buses run towards the palace, the schedule of which you can ask at the reception in your hotel.
Working hours: from June to October from 8 am to 19:00 (on weekends and holidays until 15:00);
from November to May the palace is open from 8 am to 3 pm.
Entrance ticket price: 6 euros, but there is an opportunity to go for free. Entrance to the palace is free on national holidays and every Sunday from November to March.
One of the most interesting and famous legends of ancient greece is a legend about Minotaur and Theseus.
The labyrinth in Crete was built by order of the king Minos famous ancient Greek engineer Daedalus. He built a labyrinth so confusing that later he himself could hardly find a way out of it. The reason for the construction of this grand structure was to isolate the monster of the Minotaur, which was in the form of a man with the head of a bull. The Minotaur was actually the son of the king's wife, who fell in love with a bull as a result of the spell of the ruler of the seas, Poseidon, and gave birth to such a terrible son.
Once a year, seven boys and seven girls were brought from Athens as a sacrifice to the Minotaur, whom he ate. Perhaps, of course, he did not eat them, but they died in unsuccessful attempts to find a way out of the intricate labyrinth. Once to get to the Minotaur as a tribute, the turn of the brave young man Theseus came. He planned to kill the monster in order to save people from a constant nightmare. But he still had to then find a way out of the labyrinth. The daughter of King Minos, Ariadne, gave Theseus a ball of thread, which he unwound along the way, and with this thread he later easily found his way to the exit. By the way, the expression "Ariadne's thread", thanks to this story, has become commonly used with the meaning "guiding thread", which helps to find a way out of a confusing situation or place.
Most people, including scientists, agree that the labyrinth of the Minotaur was located in the Palace of Knossos in Crete, if, of course, it actually existed, and was not just a myth. Inside, this palace with its intricate corridors and majestic halls really looks like a labyrinth - the rooms in it look absolutely randomly located. Although the Palace of Knossos was built much later than the myth of the labyrinth appeared, this fact does not bother the adherents of such a theory.
Of course, there are other versions of the location of the labyrinth of the Minotaur. For example, in mountain caves, intertwined with each other in the most intricate way. Those who adhere to this version say that in these caves even today you can meet mysterious creatures that do not look like either people or known animals.
The labyrinth itself in the ancient world symbolized life. After all, if you think about it, our life is actually like a maze. You can take a step - and find a way out of a confusing situation. Or, on the contrary, find yourself in a dead end from which there is no way out, and you will have to return to the starting point, start from the very beginning. Just like in a labyrinth, you can get confused in life, being far from the exit or unexpectedly finding it.
Also, the labyrinth symbolized the struggle between light and dark forces, where the evil forces, of course, tried to confuse the traveler, and the good ones - to lead to the exit. Therefore, the symbol of the labyrinth, endowed with such occult meanings, was widely used in ancient magical rituals.
And let's go back to labyrinth of the Minotaur. Most of the tourists who visited the Palace of Knossos agree that this labyrinth could be located here. This palace is located near the city of Heraklion on the island of Crete, just 5 kilometers away. Opened for visitors Knossos palace at 8 am, and is open in summer (June-October) until 7 pm, and in winter (November-May) until 3 pm. Entrance to the territory of the palace for visitors is paid. Interesting excursions give tourists the opportunity to get in touch with the legendary stories of ancient Greece.
You can get from Heraklion to the Palace of Knossos either by a rented car (there is free parking near the palace) or by a bus that will take you directly to the place. Buses to the palace run regularly both from the Heraklion bus station and from the city fountain on Lions Square.
Since the labyrinth of the Minotaur is one of the most famous mythological places associated with Crete and Greece in general, the appearance of the Labyrinth amusement park on the island of Crete was natural. This park is located near the city of Hersonissos, just 4 kilometers from it. You can get there by taxi for 10 euros or by rented car.
As the park's name suggests, its central attraction is the labyrinth designed by designer Adrian Fischer. He is known for the fact that about 600 labyrinths were created according to his designs. various countries peace. The Cretan labyrinth with an area of about 1.3 thousand square kilometers is made in 3D format from pillars, panels, stairs and bridges, as well as towers where you can climb to enjoy the view. The length of the labyrinth is more than 1 kilometer, it takes an average of 30-45 minutes to complete it. In hot weather, it is recommended to take a bottle of water and a sun hat with you into the labyrinth.
Park "Labyrinth" is suitable for all ages, and the paths are made taking into account the possibility of movement in wheelchairs. By the way, children under 4 years old enter for free. The essence of the attraction is to follow the signs to the center of the labyrinth, where the Minotaur is waiting (in the form of a statue, of course), and then run to the exit. Which, by the way, still needs to be found.
In this amusement park, of course, there are many other attractions and ways to have a good time. In the cinema hall during the day you can watch videos about the Minoan era and improve your level of knowledge. You can play mini golf on a small course, even with children. It will be interesting for children to ride ATVs on a 400-meter long track. You can walk through the eco-park to get acquainted with the vegetation of the island of Crete (herbs, vegetables, fruit trees). Nearby there is a real pottery workshop, where you can try your hand at making pottery for a nominal fee. Do you love horses? Walk through the park on horseback under the guidance of an instructor. Animal lovers will be interested in visiting the mini-farm located in the Labyrinth park, where ponies Hector and Achilles, Marcus the donkey, rabbits, a ferret, goats and different types birds. After all these wonderful walks, you can simply relax in the cafeteria, stylized as antiquity, and enjoy refreshing drinks, salads and delicious and varied ice cream.
Ania Mendrek tedbassman Ania Mendrek JB TorresMedina Juan Manuel Caicedo Carvajal William Allen Inside the Palace of Knossos (Steve Jurvetson) Max Froumentin Fresco of the Palace of Knossos (Juan Manuel Caicedo Carvajal) Fresco of the Palace of Knossos (Juan Manuel Caicedo Carvajal) Taurokatapsia, fresco from the Grand Palace of Knossos, Crete (George Groutas) Fresco with dolphins (Ania Mendrek) Ania Mendrek Ania Mendrek Ania Mendrek Palace of Knossos - North Entrance (Nelo Hotsuma) Giant pithoi (Ania Mendrek)
The culture of ancient Crete is covered with numerous myths and secrets. So the ancient Greeks believed that the island was the birthplace of the supreme god Zeus. Then the Thunderer gave the land to his son Minos, one of the most powerful rulers of antiquity. Here, according to legend, there was a labyrinth built by the order of Minos by the mythical builder Daedalus.
Knossos Palace (William Allen)
The real history of Crete was talked about only at the beginning of the 20th century, when sensational archaeological monuments and artifacts were discovered, as a result of which it became known about the existence of statehood that arose long before Ancient Greek.
In 1900, the British archaeologist Arthur Evans began excavations near Knossos. The very first penetrations into the cultural layer of the soil opened the eyes of researchers to evidence of the existence of settlements on these lands. And two weeks later, the remains of buildings that occupied an area of 2.5 hectares appeared before the eyes of scientists. Their outlines resembled a labyrinth.
The abundance of rooms and halls with many doors and a complex scheme of corridors, even in a ruined state, could confuse anyone. All this led a number of researchers to the idea that the found Knossos palace once belonged to the semi-mythical king Minos, the father of Ariadne and the owner of the terrible creature of the Minotaur.
Thus, a civilization was discovered, which in modern history has received the name "Cretan-Mycenaean".
Knossos Palace: architecture and interior decoration
Many who saw the Palace of Knossos with their own eyes claim that it is he who is the legendary labyrinth of the Minotaur, which came to life from myths.
Eyewitnesses are not embarrassed by the fact that the labyrinth in Crete was built much later than the myth itself was born. And this is no coincidence, the impressive architecture and scale of the building suggest this idea.
Inside the Palace of Knossos (Steve Jurvetson)
The palace of Knossos was larger than the Vatican and Versailles. Built on a solid foundation, the building had a complex system of passages.
The palace was a kind of building-state with various multi-level buildings connected by countless stairs and passages.
There were several courtyards and buildings, a theater and the summer residence of the king, temples, warehouses and even internal gardens. With all this diversity, the Palace of Knossos was not a chaotic heap, but had a clearly conceived architectural plan, which has no other analogues in the world.
The palace of Knossos was distinguished by its magnificent decoration with artistic painting and frescoes with a complex composition. Artifacts found during excavations testify to the luxury of the furnishings.
So fragments of furniture and elements of decoration have survived to our time: golden vases and lamps, gilded figurines of the gods. In the pantries were found armor inlaid precious stones. In the rooms - women's jewelry.
The surviving wall paintings give an idea of the values and ideals of a bygone civilization. Here you can find the ideas of the Minoans about the universe and the gods. In addition, wall scenes made it possible to establish the material culture of a bygone civilization: traditional clothes, household items, occupation, etc.
Fresco with dolphins (Ania Mendrek)
Why was the palace of Knossos destroyed?
There is no exact information about the "death" of the Palace of Knossos. There is a version that it was destroyed during an earthquake and was abandoned by people.
It is also possible that he was buried under the action of volcanic lava that covered him during a volcanic eruption, as evidenced by the corpses of people and animals found during excavations.
And a completely mythical version - the inhabitants of Knossos are representatives of Atlantis.
The myth of Theseus and the Minotaur
One of the famous ancient Greek myths says that once upon a time a terrible creature lived on the island of Crete - the minotaur - a monster with a human body and a bull's head.
It was the fruit of a vicious connection between the wife of the Cretan ruler Minos Pasiphae and a bull. To hide the traces of infidelity of his wife, Minos ordered Daedalus to build a labyrinth, in which he placed the monster.
After the son of Minos Androgey, the angry ruler of Crete, died at the competitions in Athens, he demanded a terrible tribute from the Athenians - every 9 years, 7 girls and 7 boys arrived on the island by ship. All of them, as a sign of punishment, went to the labyrinth, where they either died, unable to get out of the labyrinth, or were torn apart by a ferocious monster guarding the underground possessions.
The third terrible tribute from Athens was taken to the island of Crete and the son of the ruler of Athens - Theseus. The young man begged his father Aegeus to let him go along with the young people in the hope of defeating the monster and breaking the chain of terrible tribute. So, under black sails - a symbol of mourning - another group of terrible sacrifices set off. However, Theseus assured his father that he would return alive and announce his victory with white sails.
According to the myth, the beautiful Ariadne, the daughter of the ruler of Crete, fell in love with Theseus. To save her lover, she came up with a cunning plan - she secretly gave him a knife to kill the Minotaur and a ball of thread, through which the hero and his companions could get out of the labyrinth.
The plan was a success - the monster was defeated, and the young people went to their homeland. Ariadne followed her lover. However, Theseus was forced to abandon the girl, because she was destined to be the wife of the god Dionysus.
Saddened by separation, the young man forgot to change the sails, and the ship entered the harbor of Athens under a black banner. Seeing this, Aegeus, distraught with grief, thinking that his son was dead, threw himself off a cliff into the sea. Since then, it has become known as the Aegean.
Minotaur Labyrinth: Fiction and Truth
The emergence of the legend of the Minotaur has a historical basis. In Crete, the cult of the bull has been revered since ancient times. It was believed that he ruled the underworld and in anger shook the earthly firmament, causing it to oscillate. This is how the islanders explained private earthquakes.
Knossos Palace - North Entrance (Nelo Hotsuma)
The island of Crete, which is of volcanic origin, was constantly subjected to earth tremors. Numerous finds of ceramics, images on walls and frescoes, where the main character is a bull, also speak in favor of this version. To appease the wrath of the underground god, the Cretans offered him human sacrifices. So there is information about the existence in the ancient Cretan cult ritual - a dance with bulls.
Tauropols - girls and boys who underwent special training - participated in this sacred ceremony. Their whole life was devoted to mastering the sacred dance, so that at the age of 14-15 they would be sacrificed to the underground god during the bloody "fun" with the bulls.
At the same time, the Cretans identified the labyrinth with way of life- there is a beginning and an end, its own roads, choice of direction and dead ends. In addition, the labyrinth was a symbol of the struggle of light forces with dark principles.
Thus, the labyrinth was covered with a kind of sacred meaning. It is no coincidence that the Cretan builders equipped all the temples in the likeness of a labyrinth.
Frescoes in the Palace of Knossos
The frescoes of the Palace of Knossos with graceful drawings of the Minoan culture picturesquely decorate the walls. The main colors used by ancient decorative artists are turquoise, orange, black and bright red.
Fresco of the Palace of Knossos (Juan Manuel Caicedo Carvajal)
Many frescoes with images of girls who jump over a bull, beautiful young men, the “Prince with a Lily”, “Rhyton Bearer” are skillfully and detailed.
Unfortunately, tourists are not allowed to many rooms with beautiful images. The throne room is decorated with paintings in red and white shades, with painted graceful vultures guarding the throne of the ruler of Knossos. The walls of the rooms above the throne room are decorated with copies of found frescoes (the "Hall of Frescoes") with beautiful images of "Blue Bird", "Lady in Blue", "Blue Monkey", "Saffron Collector", "Playing with Bulls" and many others. The original frescoes are kept in the Heraklion Museum.
Of particular interest is the megaron of the Queen of Knossos. Parts of a clay bath were found in the bath. The image of a labros periodically appears on the walls of the palace - this is a sign of a labyrinth, which once again suggests that the Palace of Knossos is the secret labyrinth of the Minotaur from the myths of Ancient Greece.
Knossos Palace - the main tourist attraction of Crete
The similarity of the Knossos palace to a labyrinth has made it the most popular archaeological site among tourists. In all guidebooks, its second name is noted - “The Labyrinth of the Minotaur”.
There is also a legend that the real labyrinth built for the Minotaur is hidden under the mountains. It is an extensive network of bizarre caves and outlines. Locals claim that strange creatures still live in it to this day.
The attractiveness of the Palace of Knossos also lies in the fact that even during the excavations, work was carried out in parallel to restore it. Thus, not just ruins appear before tourists, but reconstructed premises of the “labyrinth”. But at the same time, the restoration work carried out does not allow an ordinary tourist to determine where the real remains of the palace are, and where is just an interpretation.
Where is the Palace of Knossos?
The Palace of Knossos is located near the Cretan capital of Heraklion. Buses run constantly towards the palace. Thus, the way to the main attraction of the island takes quite a bit of time.
Cost of visiting the Labyrinth of the Minotaur
A visit to the "maze" for adults will cost 6 euros, for children - 3 euros. The museum-palace is open all year round. During the tourist peak - from July to October - it is open from 8 to 19 hours. The rest of the time - from 8 to 15. Near the palace there are numerous souvenir shops where everyone can buy a memorable gift.
Tips: how to save money on excursions to the Palace of Knossos?
The palace of Knossos stands serenely, literally on the outskirts of the capital of Crete, Heraklion. Only 4 kilometers from magnificent beaches and a popular recreation area, so getting here is quite easy.
Juan Manuel Caicedo Carvajal
By purchasing a guided tour to the Palace of Knossos, you can overpay 3-5 times, average price from the tour operator - 50 euros, from the street guide - 35 euros. Note that the entrance to the museum complex itself is not included in the price of the tour offer.
But there are also positive aspects here - a comfortable bus and a competent guide.
For those who want to visit the museum complex on their own and save money, they can use the public bus. Every 10-15 minutes buses leave from the Heraklion bus station and the Astoria hotel (bus number 2) to the Palace of Knossos. The trip does not last long - about 20 minutes.
There are differences between the buses: green buses are intercity buses, blue buses are city buses. For a trip to the Palace of Knossos, a blue bus leaves, costing 1.5 euros one way (final stop). The bus ticket must be bought from the vending machine located at the bus stop.
For those who rented a car, there is free parking near the palace complex and many signs on how to get there, which, however, are not required, because. almost all rental cars in Crete are equipped with navigators with maps of the island's attractions.
Cost of visiting
The cost of visiting the palace complex is 6 euros, children under 5 years old - free of charge, preferential categories, children 5-12 years old - 3 euros. We advise you to purchase a "double ticket" at a price of 10 euros for an adult, which is also a ticket to the informative and interesting Heraklion Archaeological Museum (children under 5 years old also have free entry).
Best time to visit
A visit to the Palace of Knossos during the largest tourist months (from April to October) is possible from 8-00 to 19-00 on weekdays (on weekends entry until 15-00); and from March to November from 8:00 to 15:00. Crowds of tourists can be avoided if you visit the palace complex in the morning or closer to the closing of the museum. An hour or two to visit the museum complex is enough.
Free entry
Like many Greek museums and the Acropolis, Crete has special days for tourists, where entry to many museum complexes is free. This also applies to visiting the Palace of Knossos. So, these are the days - May 18, June 5, August 15, September 27 and the last weekend of September.
Before the trip, it is advisable to prepare and study the map of the Palace complex. The palace of Knossos is located on a hilltop, so it is almost constantly blown by hot wind and open to the hot rays of the sun. Hats must be worn and drinking water. Souvenir products are still better to buy in Heraklion, where they will cost several times cheaper.