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Central Court
The Central Court is the centrepiece of the palace, affording spectacular views of the surrounding area. It is extremely well preserved and gives a good sense of the magnificence of the palace. Porticoes with columns and pillars once lined the long sides of the Central Court. Notice the Neolithic hut at the southwestern corner of the Central Court.
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Phaestos
Pottery deposits indicate that the site was inhabited in the Neolithic era around 4000 BC, when the first settlers established themselves on the slopes of Kastri Hill. The first palace was built around 2000 BC and then destroyed by the earthquake that levelled many Minoan palaces. The ruins were covered with a layer of lime and debris, which formed the base of a new palace that was begun around 1700 BC. It, too, was destroyed in the catastrophe that befell the island in 1450 BC.
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Propylon
From the Theatral Area, the 15m-wide grand stairway leads to the Propylon, which was a porch. Below the Propylon are the storerooms that still contain pithoi (storage urns). The square hall next to the storerooms is thought to have been an office, where tablets containing Linear A script were found beneath the floor in 1955. South of the storeroom a corridor led to the west side of the Central Court. South of the corridor is a lustral basin, rooms with benches and a pillar crypt similar to that at Knossos.
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Theatral Area
A stairway leads down from the Upper Court to the Theatral Area that was once the staging ground for performances. The seats are at the northern end, and the southern end contains the west facade of the Old Palace.
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Upper Court
Past the ticket booth, the Upper Court that was used in both the Old and New Palaces contains the remains of buildings from the Hellenistic era.
Showing 1-5 of 5 results
