Hall of the Double Axes


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 axe marks (labrys) on its light well, a sacred symbol to the Minoans and the origin of the word 'labyrinth'.


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1. 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…

2. 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…

3. Grand Staircase

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The impressive grand staircase leads down to the royal apartments.

4. 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.

5. Central Court

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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…

6. Magazine of the Giant Pithoi

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Covered storerooms in the east wing hold giant clay jars decorated with ornamental relief that once held oil, wine and other staples. They were…

7. 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…

8. Fresco Gallery

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