• KNOSSOS (is the largest Bronze Age archaeological site on Crete and is considered Europe's oldest city) Why Knossos Palace is the monumental symbol of Minoan civilization • due to its construction, • use of luxury materials, • architectural plan, • advanced building techniques • it’s impressive size. The 20,000 square meters slowly unfold before you in a labyrinth-like pattern of 1200 rooms, at the center of which there is an enormous courtyard. Colorful friezes and frescoes,figures and paintings on plaster, many of which have been restored to their former beauty, fill the walls of the palace and exhibit life from this era. Varying pictures from animals and people to gods and various ceremonies depict an advanced and sophisticated society. The variety of building materials used and the marble revetment show an advanced level of technology.This is also demonstrated by some architectural and structural features,such as the light-wells and the complex drainage and water-supply systems.