Knossos

Knossos is an archaeological site and ancient urban centre in Crete, Greece. It is located within the southern periphery of Heraklion, about 5 km (3.1 mi) south of the city's historic centre. The site was occupied from the Neolithic period into the first millennium AD and became the largest and best-known centre of the Minoan civilisation. Knossos is often described as the oldest city in Europe. The claim is based on the combination of its early Neolithic foundation, its central role in the Minoan civilisation, widely regarded as the earliest advanced civilisation in Europe, and the long continuity of occupation in the Knossos valley, which is now part of the urban area of Heraklion. It was also one of the earliest known Neolithic settlements on Crete. The site is dominated by the monumental Palace of Minos. Like other Minoan palaces, the complex is generally interpreted as an administrative, economic, religious and ceremonial centre.