Britannica Sources used in this answer

What happened to Knossos after the earthquake around 1720 BCE?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Map of the Aegean region highlighting principal archaeological sites associated with ancient Aegean civilizations around 1250 BCE. The map shows mainland Greece, western Anatolia, and numerous islands in the Aegean Sea, with key locations such as Mycenae, Knossos, Troy, and Athens labeled. — Aegean civilizations Principal sites associated with Aegean civilizations.

Following the destructive earthquake that leveled most of Knossos around 1720 BCE, the palace was rebuilt on a grander scale. The new structure featured extensive colonnades and flights of stairs that connected various buildings across the hilly site.

This reconstructed palace became the center of a sophisticated Bronze Age culture, organized around a central court with administrative and ceremonial quarters on the west side, workshops to the northeast, and residences in the southeast. The site was also updated with an elaborate system of drains, conduits, and pipes for water and sanitation, and it was connected to other Cretan towns and ports by paved roads.1