Measures for the fire protection of the archaeological site of Zominthos are being taken by the Ministry of Culture, as part of the works being carried out at the six Minoan palaces – Zakros, Knossos, Phaistos, Malia, Kydonia, Zominthos – included in the candidature file for their serial inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The six Minoan Palace Centres cover the whole island geographically and chronologically the whole range of Minoan civilisation from the Early and Middle Bronze Age when the first palaces were founded (1900-1700 BC) and the Late Bronze Age when the new palaces flourished (1700-1450 BC) to the Final and Post-Palatial period (1450-1100 BC).

The Minoan Palace of Zominthos is located in the Municipality of Anogia, at an altitude of about 1,200 metres, on Psiloritis. It was inhabited from the Minoan period until the Venetian rule and was an important religious centre for the Minoans. Zominthos has a permanent fire-fighting water supply system with an underground reservoir.

Culture Minister Lina Mendoni said: “The Palace Centres, the most emblematic elements of Minoan civilisation, need holistic management. The Preliminary Management Plan for the Minoan Palace Centres is the ‘core’ of their management, aiming to highlight their outstanding universal value as a cultural asset, but also to ensure their authenticity and integrity.

The philosophy of the holistic plan for the promotion of Minoan civilisation, as reflected in the six archaeological sites nominated for inscription on the UNESCO List of Monuments, defines and ensures the ways in which they are protected and promoted, as well as their connection to an emblematic cultural route.

The Memorandum of Cooperation between the Ministry of Culture and the Region of Crete concerns the creation of this cultural route, with a total budget of 15,000,000 euros, linking the six Minoan Palace Centres.

Based on this, all the necessary procedures have been initiated for the planning, maturation and implementation of the project within the framework of the Regional Operational Programme of Crete 2021-2027.

The fire protection study is part of the grid of studies included in the Memorandum of Cooperation, as prerequisites for the implementation of the protection, enhancement and integration of archaeological sites and monuments.

The architectural study for the enhancement of the archaeological site of Zominthos, which has already been approved, is part of this framework, in order to protect and enhance the ancient remains and make them accessible to the public.

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Within the archaeological site, the Palace Hall is located, founded on the natural rock, which was already used in the past as an open-air place of worship.

Most of the main building has been uncovered, which is thought to have been a two- and three-storey building.

Zominthos was considered necessary to be included in the already extended original nomination of Knossos, which was already extended with four other Minoan palatial centres, and was converted into a serial nomination in order to reflect more fully the dispersion of Minoan civilisation throughout Crete.