Ruin
Phaistos
🇬🇷 Greece · 19th century BC
Phaistos (Greek: Φαιστός, pronounced [feˈstos]; Ancient Greek: Φαιστός, pronounced [pʰai̯stós], Linear B: 𐀞𐀂𐀵 Pa-i-to; Linear A: 𐘂𐘚𐘄 Pa-i-to), also transliterated as Phaestos, Festos and Latin Phaestus, is a Bronze Age archaeological site at modern Faistos, a municipality in south central Crete. It is notable for the remains of a Minoan palace and the surrounding town.
Ancient Phaistos was located about 5.6 km (3.5 mi) east of the Mediterranean Sea and 62 km (39 mi) south of Heraklion. Phaistos was one of the largest cities of Minoan Crete. The name Phaistos survives from ancient Greek references to a city on Crete of that name at or near the current ruins.
Text adapted from “Phaistos” on Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Phaistos ranks #159 of 8,133 worldwide in the atlas's castle fame ranking, and #6 of the 134 mapped in Greece. Founded c. 1900 BC, it is older than 99% of the atlas's dated landmarks — one of 4 atlas entries founded in the 19th century BC. Its Wikipedia articles were opened 21,423 times in the last 60 days, more than 97% of the atlas. Wikidata records about 130,000 visitors in 2018. See how Greece compares in the castle statistics.
View on the interactive castle map →Frequently asked questions
Where is Phaistos?
Phaistos stands in Greece, at 35.05123°, 24.81427°.
When was Phaistos built?
The atlas dates its founding to c. 1900 BC. Earlier structures may have stood on the site; this is the earliest documented founding year.
Is Phaistos a UNESCO World Heritage Site?
Yes — it is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, per its Wikidata entry.
How famous is Phaistos?
In this atlas's fame ranking: #159 of 8,133 worldwide, and #6 in Greece. Fame here combines how many Wikipedia language editions cover a landmark with how many people read them.
What is the nearest castle to Phaistos?
Castle of Temenos, about 31 km away.
More castles in Greece
- Acrocorinth Greece · 7th century BC
- White Tower of Thessaloniki Greece · 15th century
- Palace of Zakros Greece · 19th century BC
- Lion Gate Greece · 13th century BC
More ruins
- Domus Aurea Italy · 1st century
- Sacsayhuamán Peru · 11th century
- Round city of Baghdad Iraq · 8th century
- Old Summer Palace China · 19th century