Tourist Attraction in Heraklion:
Archaeological Museum of Heraklion

The Archaeological Museum of Heraklion is an institution for the knowledge of the Minoan civilization, as well as one of the largest and most important museums in Greece. The museum was established in 1883 as a simple collection of antiquities. A special building was built between 1904 and 1912 for the interest of two Cretan archaeologists, Iosif Hatzidakis and Stefanos Xanthoudidis. Since 1937 work began on the current building, designed with anti-seismic criteria by the famous Greek architect Patroklos Karantinos. The building consists of 22 rooms. The collections follow a chronological order. There are various rythoi, as well as models and reconstructions of the main Minoan palaces. On the second floor are the famous frescoes of Knossos partially recomposed. The first room is dedicated to the Neolithic and Pre-marital period. Exhibits from Knossos are exhibited in showcases 1 and 2. In the windows 3,4,6,7,9 is presented the development of the art of ceramics from 2800 BC to 1900 BC. The collection of vases coming from the village of Basiliki in black and red is very important. In the windows 17 and 18 different jewelry from Mochlo, Archanes and Mesara caves. The second room is dedicated to the protopalazial period. The most valuable pieces are vases in the style of Kamares from Festo. In the windows n ° 20, 21 ° and 21a there are many votive idols coming from the mountain sanctuaries In the showcase n ° 25 there are tablets showing Minoan cities. The most interesting piece is the Festo disk with hieroglyphic characters, exhibited in the display window n. 51 A miniature of the Knossian palace is also exhibited. The fourth room includes artifacts from Festo, Knossos and Malia. They are objects of the neo-palatial period. Room V is also dedicated to the neo-palatial period. from the Katsamba necropolis. The serpent goddess is a symbol of the mother goddess, protector of fertility and motherhood. It welcomes objects found in the tomb of Kamilari, mostly in terracotta. Minute jewelery work is exhibited in showcase 101. Among these stands the jewel depicting two bees on a drop of honey from a tomb discovered in a cave in the necropolis of Malia. Exhibits from the neo-palatial period are exhibited in Room VIII. coming from the Kato Zakros palace. Various objects from excavations carried out in the Prefecture of Lasithi, Gournià, Pseira Paleocastro and Myrtos. Room XI, there are other objects from the postminoic and protogeometric period in which the use of iron appears for the first time. Room XII, Vases of Knossos of white color and blue and red decorations and pottery from Arkades and clay tablets, among which stands a sacred tree with birds in the window 162. Room XIII, Room XIII on the right of the main entrance, shows a series of terracotta sarcophagi 1440 and 1000 BC. Room XIX, Objects from the Archaic period 7th century BC Christ 6th century BC Room XX, finds from the Hellenistic and Roman periods. Room XIII, Great room in which the frescoes from Knossos were recomposed. Rooms XV and XVI, Fragments of frescoes from Knossos, Tyliso, Pseira. Among the frescoes found in Knossos stand out. The XVII room houses the Giamalakis collection, acquired by the Greek state in 1962. Noteworthy is a clay tablet depicting the round sanctuary. Room XVIII, Collections from the Archaic period up to the Roman age. The exhibits displayed in the showcases 191 - 195 come from the excavations of Gortina, Praiso, Arkades, Paleocastro and Priniàs. In the windows 195, 198, 203 bronze objects are exhibited coming from the temple of Zeus to Amnisò, from the cave Psichros, from the cave of the mountain Ida, from Tyliso and from Axò. All the objects found in the area are exposed to the Heraklion archaeological museum.

Attractions in Heraklion