The Greek Ministry of Culture prioritizes remodeling the entrance to the Knossos archaeological site. Preliminary architectural, static, electromechanical, and geotechnical studies have been prepared under a research program.
Enhancing the entrance: connecting Knossos to Heraklion’s urban fabric
This program aims to connect the archaeological site with Heraklion’s urban and surrounding areas. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Defense aims to address functional and aesthetic issues, enhancing the overall site upgrade.
The project will occur in two phases with a total budget of around 3.5 million euros.
Vision for the Minoan Palaces: cultural and developmental goals
Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni stated, “Knossos is Greece’s second most visited archaeological site, after the Acropolis. Promoting the Minoan Palace and five other palace complexes from the same era is a priority for the Ministry of Culture. The Minoan Palaces are Greece’s 2025 candidate for the UNESCO World Heritage List. To achieve this, we designed a series of interventions to restore and showcase these unique architectural ensembles. Our goal is to include the Minoan Palaces in a cultural route that highlights their developmental dynamics.”
The Ministry is conducting restoration work on important monuments at the Palace of Knossos. They are also improving visitor tours and accessibility. This study is part of a larger project to reorganize the archaeological site and surrounding urban area. Specifically, it aims to arrange entrance-exit areas to solve functional and aesthetic problems related to visitor flow and service, and to reform the wider area, enhancing the visitor experience and reflecting the site’s archaeological and historical value.
Infrastructure enhancements and timeline for completion
“The Regional Governor of Crete, Stavros Arnautakis, and the Regional departments collaborated closely with us. I want to thank them for their constructive partnership in shaping the Integrated Spatial Investment of the Minoan Palaces. This project is planned to be financed by the Regional Operational Program of Crete – NSRF 2021-2027,” Mendoni stated.
The study aims to redesign the entrance area for visitor convenience with sustainable, durable, and energy-independent infrastructures while respecting the site’s historical significance. The study retains the current ticket-check point and the start and end points of the tour route, as well as the visitor movement path inside the Palace.
However, the redesign affects the entire area from the southern boundary of the large parking lot (north of “Royal Street”) to the southern employee parking area, and from the access road (west) to the tour route’s starting point. Additionally, a new wider square at the entrance area will separate incoming and outgoing traffic. The plan also includes three new single-story public service buildings, constructed in two phases.
In addition, they are widening the footpath from the north car park to the entrance area, alongside the end of the underlying ‘Royal Street.’
Overall, the project will roll out in two phases, with the second phase scheduled for completion by 2030.