In Greek mythology, what was King Minos’s capital city?

In Greek mythology, King Minos’s capital city was Knossos.

Knossos was the most prominent palace centre on Bronze Age Crete and became closely associated with Minos in later Greek tradition. Mythographers placed the Labyrinth near the king’s residence, which is why Knossos is the archaeological site most often linked with the Minotaur story.

The real Knossos complex was built and rebuilt over many centuries. Its large scale, complicated rooms, corridors, storage areas, and ceremonial spaces may have encouraged later Greeks to imagine an elaborate maze. However, archaeologists have not found a literal underground labyrinth matching the myth.

Knossos should not be confused with Phaistos, another important Minoan centre on Crete. Mycenae and Thebes were major centres on mainland Greece, not Minos’s traditional Cretan capital.