Piskokefalo Minoan Mansion

A two-storey Minoan mansion was discovered at the Klimataria site, situated along the road connecting the city of Sitia to the village of Piskokefalo. The mansion was unearthed during the construction of the main road in 1952, which unfortunately led to the destruction of a portion of the mansion. Excavations were conducted by Nikolaos Platon from 1952 to 1954, and further research was carried out by archaeologist Eleni Mantzourani in 2003.

Visitors can still observe the remaining ruins of rooms, stairs, and protective boulders that shielded the palace from the Stomio torrent. The mansion was occupied from 1700 BC to 1450 BC and was part of a small network of villas in the hinterland of the Minoan city of Petras. It is believed to have served as the agricultural center of the area, as evidenced by the numerous pithi (giant jars) discovered, and the products were likely transported to the present-day area of Sitia via the Stomio river.