knossos
Located on a slope amidst lush foliage the Knossos Palace is one of the world’s most famous archeological sites. The area is full of natural springs and there is a creek running past the site which provided fresh running water for the palace’s sophisticated and earthquake resistant plumbing system.
The results of Sir Arthur Evans excavations and efforts to restore the palace in part have been the subject of controversy in the scientific community. The purist archeologists view the restoration works as vandalism – where as those who defend the restoration believe (and not without justification) that Knossos is one of the few archeological sites in Greece that really gives you a sense of the grandeur and magnificence of the palace which hosted such a large and lively populace.
What is most truly amazing about this site is that it displays the architectural ingenuity and functionality of the structures – you really can imagine people living there, working there, and celebrating there. However you look at it Knossos it was much more than a votive temple. It was a thriving center for commerce.