Knossos – a new UNESCO World Heritage site
The Minoan palace of Knossos joins the UNESCO World Heritage site list alongside the Minoan palaces of Phaistos, Malia, Zakros, Zominthos and Kydonia.
We are overjoyed that six of Crete’s Minoan Palaces have been recognised for their historical and enduring global importance. Our work at Knossos goes right back to the earliest days of the BSA and the continuing endeavours at the Knossos Research Centre, established by the well known Knossos excavator Sir Arthur Evans, remain at the core of our research.
We send our warm congratulations to our colleagues at the Hellenic Ministry of Culture, in particular to our colleagues in the Ephorates of Antiquities of Heraklion, Lasithi and Chania, also to the Region of Crete for the coordinated efforts they have made in this endeavour, to the Scuola Archeologica Italiana di Atene, the École française d’Athènes, and the Archaeological Society at Athens.
We hope that this path will also lead to the inclusion in the UNESCO list of the remaining palace buildings, which years of archaeological excavations have brought to light.
Photo caption: The facade for the West Wing of the palace at Knossos looking from the central court. Photo 1930-1931. (© John Pendlebury Family Archives, British School at Athens, Archive, PEN 7/2/5/011)