Minoan Palace of Zakros
The Minoan Palace of Zakros is the fourth largest excavated Minoan palace, standing at the mouth of the Gorge of the Dead in eastern Crete, 45 km southeast of Sitia. Zakros was a port and an administrative centre for eastern Crete through the Minoan age, and the site was chosen for its faster communication with the Middle East. Gold sheets, ivory, jewellery and pottery found here record close ties with the ports of Cyprus, Egypt and the Middle East.
The palace itself covers 4.5 acres, and the settlements around it cover 8 acres. Most of what came out of the ground is now in the museums of Heraklion, Sitia and Agios Nikolaos, while the site stays open to visitors.
The Gorge of the Dead
The Gorge of the Dead takes its name from the pre-Minoan graves cut into its sides. The palace was built at the entrance to it, which puts the ravine and the ruins on the same short walk. Our separate write-up of the ravine is on the Zakros Gorge page, 1.1 km from the site.
How the palace was found
Excavation at Zakros began in 1900, run by the British School of Archaeology, and continued until 1940. That work uncovered Minoan houses and objects, but not the palace.
Nikolaos Platon found the palace in 1961, after seeing three golden artefacts from Zakros in a doctor’s private collection. The palace had never been looted, and its treasury vault was still intact, which makes it one of the most significant archaeological finds.
What survives at the site
The heart of the palace is a large central courtyard, joined to a paved road that ran down to the port. Rooms open off that courtyard on every side, and their layout is still readable on the ground.
- Kitchens and workshops sit among the service rooms.
- Warehouses held the palace stores.
- The treasury vault is the room that was found unlooted.
- The file room held the palace records.
- A lustral basin and skylights survive on the residential side.
- A banquet room and the royal apartments adjoin the courtyard.
- A large fountain, shaped like a pool, stands within the complex.
- Multi-room houses nearby were probably auxiliary to the palace.
When the palace was built and destroyed
Zakros follows the same building history as the other Cretan palaces. It was constructed in 1900 BC, destroyed in 1600 BC and destroyed again in 1450 BC.
The wells, the turtles and the quarry
Freshwater wells are common across the Zakros region, and several of them lie inside the archaeological site. Many turtles live in those wells. German scientists are studying the phenomenon and believe the turtles have been present at Zakros since the Minoan era.
North of Zakros, near the Pelekita cave, the quarry that supplied the palace stone can still be seen. It is the source of the building material used in the complex.
What to see near the Palace of Zakros
Beaches, gorges and a second Minoan town lie within easy reach of the palace, in a secluded part of eastern Crete. These are the places we cover closest to the site, nearest first.
- Zakros beach lies 0.2 km away, the nearest shore to the ruins.
- Zakros Gorge lies 1.1 km away, the Gorge of the Dead itself.
- Alona beach lies 4.6 km away.
- Chochlakies Gorge lies 5.6 km away, another gorge walk in the same area.
- Alatsolimni beach lies 5.7 km away.
- Xerokambos beach lies 6.7 km away, near the village of Xerokampos.
- Xerokambos Gorge lies 7.5 km away, also called Lamnoni.
- Skinias beaches lie 8.2 km away.
- Agia Irini beach lies 10.2 km away.
- Hiona beach lies 11.0 km away.
- Roussolakos Minoan Town lies 11.0 km away, a second excavated Minoan site.
- Palaikastro town lies 11.2 km away.
- Kouremenos beach lies 12.1 km away.
- Toplou Monastery lies 14.4 km away, the furthest place listed here.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the Minoan Palace of Zakros?
The palace is in eastern Crete, 45 km southeast of Sitia, at the entrance to the Gorge of the Dead. Zakros beach lies 0.2 km from the ruins.
How large is the Palace of Zakros?
The palace covers 4.5 acres, and the settlements around it cover 8 acres. That makes it the fourth largest Minoan palace excavated in Crete.
Who discovered the Palace of Zakros?
Nikolaos Platon discovered the palace in 1961. He went looking for it after seeing three golden artefacts from Zakros in a doctor’s collection. The British School of Archaeology had dug the surrounding houses from 1900 to 1940 without reaching the palace.
Why is the Palace of Zakros important?
It was never looted, and its treasury vault was found intact. The palace also served as the Minoan port for communication with Cyprus, Egypt and the Middle East, and the gold sheets, ivory, jewellery and pottery found here document those ties.
Where are the finds from Zakros kept?
Most artefacts are held in the museums of Heraklion, Sitia and Agios Nikolaos. The site itself remains open, with the courtyard, the storerooms and the treasury vault visible on the ground.
Why are there turtles in the wells at Zakros?
German scientists studying the wells believe the turtles have lived at Zakros since the Minoan era. Freshwater wells are common across the region, and many of the ones inside the site hold turtles.
Location
Minoan Palace of Zakros is located at Minoan Palace of Zakros, in the Lassithi region of Crete. The map below shows the exact spot; Google Maps and Waze give turn-by-turn directions.
