A "brand new" museum at Herakleion, Crete

During next week visitors of Herakleion, the biggest city in Crete, can see a brand new museum. The local Archaeological museum is literaly brand new because the old building has been totaly restored and the exhibition is new- new.

The Greek minister of culture Panos Panagiotopoulos said today that the Archeaological Museum of Herakleion, that had been closed for restoration for eigth years, is about to open. The ceremony will be held later, but people will be able to see the whole museum that holds memorabilia of one great civilisation: the minoan.

The Heraklion Archaeological Museum is regarded as one of Europe's most important museums. The present building was constructed between 1933 and 1937 to plans by P. Karantinos, on the site of the imposing Venetian Franciscan friary destroyed by an earthquake in 1856.

The museum brings together archaeological finds from all over Crete, covering over 5500 years of the island's history. Pride of place is given to the treasures of Minoan civilisation, the entire historical course of which can thus be appreciated. Justly regarded as the home of Minoan civilisation par excellence, the museum houses the most important collection of Minoan antiquities the world over.

You can see very interesting and very beautiful objects like the jewel with the bees from Malia, the Snake Godess, the Phaestos disc or same vases called Camaraika because they come from the region Camares.

This is really a great museum and some 1 million visitors enjoy its treasures every year (except the last 8).