Festos Palace & Gortyna

Phaistos was one of the most important palatial centres of Minoan civilization, and the most wealthy and powerful city in southern Crete. It was inhabited from the Neolithic period until the foundation and development of the Minoan palaces. The Minoan city covered a considerable area around the palace. After the destruction of the palace in the 15th century, the city continued to be inhabited in the Mycenaean and Geometric periods, that is, until the 8th century BC.

Later, the temple of Rea was built to the south of the old palace. The Hellenistic city was extremely prosperous; houses of the period are to be seen in the west court (upper terrace) of the palace. In the middle of the 2nd century BC it was destroyed and dominated by the neighbouring city of Gortyn.