Knossos was an elaborate palace built around 7,000 BC on the island of Crete by the Minoan civilization. It was designed by Dedalos and covered around 5.5 acres, containing over 1,400 rooms decorated with frescoes. The palace had advanced plumbing systems for water supply, drainage, and waste removal. It also served as a political and economic center, trading goods like copper, ivory and precious stones throughout the Mediterranean region. However, Knossos was damaged by fire around 1700 BC and eventually destroyed by an earthquake, after which it lay in ruins until excavations by Sir Arthur Evans in the early 1900s led to reconstruction efforts that continue today.