The Palace of Knossos, located on Crete, stands as the monumental heart of the Minoan civilization, Europe’s first advanced urban society. Excavated by Sir Arthur Evans in the early 20th century, the site revealed a sprawling complex of over 1,300 rooms interconnected by narrow, winding corridors. This architectural complexity likely birthed the Greek myth of the Labyrinth, a prison built to contain the monstrous Minotaur. Beyond the myth, Knossos was a vibrant administrative and religious hub.