THRONE ROOM IN EUROPE LOCATED IN ANCIENT PALACE ON CRETE ISLAND

The remains of an old palace can be found on the island of Crete. Originally the capital of the Minoans, an Aegean civilisation, Crete is now a part of modern-day Greece. The Minoans, who had trading ties to Mesopotamian and Old Kingdom Egypt, were significant players in the eastern Mediterranean during the Bronze Age. They were well-known for their elaborate palaces and exquisite frescoes. It's common knowledge that the Minoans were Europe's first sophisticated civilisation. The splendour of Minoan culture is never more evident than it is at Knossos, a royal residence close to the port of Heraklion, Crete.

From roughly 3000 to 1500 BCE, the Minoan civilisation flourished and was finally ruled by Mycenaean Greece in the late Bronze Age. Approximately 2000 BCE saw the construction of Knossos' first palace. Later, in or around 1720 BCE, an earthquake destroyed it. What's left is the reconstructed palace, an intricate network of frescoed chambers, imposing columns, and winding staircases. The palace functioned as the Minoan realms' ceremonial and administrative centre.

The palace was designed to accommodate a sizable populace. Wheat, oil, and treasure could be hoarded thanks to basement storage. Artists catered to the needs of the occupants by working in adjacent quarters. The rest of Crete now had easy access to fresh water and travel thanks to pipes, drains, and paved roads. A writing system known as Linear A replaced the earlier hieroglyphic script used by the Minoans, and inscriptions from this writing system can be found all over Minoan culture. 

The magnificent throne room of the palace at Knossos, a royal seat, is regarded as the oldest intact throne room in Europe. The site still has the throne made of gypsum stone, upon which the king once sat. A stone bowl that might have been used in religious rites is also present in the room. Gryphons are portrayed in the room's frescoes on the walls. The throne may have been used by a ruler, but it could also have served only ceremonial purposes, with the throne saved for when a god or goddess visited.

Numerous other painted columns and frescoes can be found throughout the 1,300-room palace; many of these have been restored recently. One indication of the significance of marine life to the coastal palace is a well-known fresco of dolphins. Another fresco shows what appears to be intentional "bull leaping." Acrobats would risk their lives to literally leap over bulls as part of what may have been religious rites involving the cows.