Knossos to receive a €1.85 million upgrade

July 2025 was a landmark for Crete, with the inscription of six Minoan Palatial Centres on Crete into the World Heritage List of UNESCO. Long sought after by the government and the Cretan authorities, the distinction cemented the position of these Minoan sites as important assets of world cultural heritage. However, in addition to ensuring greater visibility and a probable boost in visitor numbers, the recognition also entails significant responsibilities for Greece:

Poster promoting the restoration works at Knossos, with a view of the palace against a brown and blue background,

“As Minister Mendoni explained, UNESCO bestows its ‘brand’, but it also places a binding obligation on the member state to implement the commitments made in the nomination dossier. This includes addressing existing issues, such as unauthorised constructions around Knossos, which the state is now obliged to limit or demolish. Ongoing projects to improve accessibility and external areas, like interventions at Knossos’ reception areas, flood protection at Malia, and studies for Phaistos and Kydonia, underscore these commitments.” (www.greeknewsagenda.gr)

The ongoing maintenance and restoration work at Knossos, announced by the Region of Crete in a recent press release as follows, can be seen in the context of these commitments.

Funding of €1.85 million from the Region of Crete for the restoration of the “Queen’s Megaron”* and the upgrading of walkways at the Palace of Knossos has been authorised by the Regional Governor Stavros Arnautakis. The total budget for the works is €1,855,000 and the project is jointly funded by the European Regional Development Fund. The goal of the project is the protection and display of the Palace of Knossos, the biggest and most important such structure of Minoan Crete.

The works will include maintenance and restoration work on the “Queen’s Megaron”, which is one of the most popular parts of the palace. At the same time, in order to improve overall accessibility, there will be improvements to the existing walkways used to tour the site, as well as the creation of a new visitor route specially designed for people with disabilities, in the “Central Court” and from the “West Court” to the “Theatre”.

A room with two doorways framed by a painted circular repeat pattern, and the fresco with blue dolphins on a pale background above.
The “Queen’s Megaron” at Knossos with dolphin fresco and vaulted ceiling. The fresco is a reconstruction carried out by Arthur Evans based on fragments found during his excavations of the site in the early 20th century. Photo: www.worldhistory.org

Remarks by the Regional Governor
“As the Region of Crete we are continuing the maintenance of an emblematic monument of global importance, and at the same time we are materially improving the experience of the thousands of visitors to the Palace of Knossos,” the Regional Governor Stavros Arnautakis said. “We are giving special emphasis to unhindered access, creating new walkways which ensure equal opportunities for people with disabilities to tour the monument. Utilising the resources of the Crete 2021-2027 Fund, we are protecting our history and passing on to the coming generations a monument which is safe, fully accessible and worthy of our island’s remarkable cultural heritage.”

The work consists of five distinct sub-projects
— Works of maintenance, static reinforcement of masonry and restoration of the “Queen’s Megaron”, including grouting, stonework, mortars and copies of wall paintings made by Evans, and replacement of glass panes.
— Provision of materials and creation of new walkways for visitors and those with disabilities, as well as improvement of the surfacing on existing walkways.
— Provision of the required building materials and metallic elements (anchors, beams, etc) for the static reinforcement of the walls.
— Restoration of the roof of the “Queen’s Megaron”, with removal of the existing supports, reconstruction of vaulting, waterproofing and installation of a protective roof.
– Placing of bilingual signage and information materials, including braille for the unsighted.

Beneficiaries of the work are the Ephorate of Antiquities of Heraklion and the Directorate for Restoration of Ancient Monuments, with completion scheduled for November 2029.
(www.crete.gov.gr)

*The names in quotes are those bestowed on the different areas of the palace by Arthur Evans, being consistent with his theories about Minoan culture. It was Evans who introduced the term “Minoan” for the Bronze Age civilisation of Crete, drawing on the myth of King Minos. (Wikipedia)