Central Court


At the heart of the palace, the Central Court was hemmed in by high walls during Minoan times. Rooms facing the western side of the courtyard had official and religious purposes, while the residential quarters were on the opposite side.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Grand Staircase

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The impressive grand staircase leads down to the royal apartments.

2. Throne Room

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Behind an antechamber, this beautifully proportioned room is separated by a pillar from a sunken basin that may have been used for purification rituals…

3. Fresco Gallery

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Replicas of the ancient site's most famous artworks are displayed here.

4. Queen’s Bathroom & WC

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Next to the queen's bedroom, but barely visible through glass, the ruler's wife's 'bathroom' may have had a clay bathtub and a primitive type of water…

5. Hall of the Double Axes

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The Hall of the Double Axes is a spacious double room, possibly where the ruler both slept and carried out court duties. It takes its name from the double…

6. Piano Nobile

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From the Piano Nobile you can get a view of the clay storage vessels in the west magazines.

7. Drainage System

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Remnants of a drainage channel and underground clay pipes show that the Minoans had developed a sophisticated water-supply and sewage system.

8. Queen’s Megaron

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Archaeologist Sir Arthur Evans believed that this pretty space in the residential eastern wing, with its painted pillars and playful dolphin fresco on the…