Palace at Knossos
The Minoans on the island of Crete and neighboring islands in the Mediterranean Sea south of mainland Greece constructed large, multilevel buildings called palaces containing many rooms, corridors, worship spaces, and porches. They housed royal families, servants, administrators, and managers of enormous storage complexes. The walls were decorated with colorful paintings showing diverse scenes of nature, elaborately dressed people, and ceremonies. Urban settlements grew up around these palaces. The palace at Knossos is the largest known. It controlled a fertile agricultural area that provided the rulers with a luxurious lifestyle. (DEA / A. VERGANI / De Agostini Editore / age footstock.)