Heraklion is the administrative capital of Crete and the fourth largest city in Greece. Unlike Chania and Rethymnon, it is a modern city, rebuilt after brutal bombing in World War Two. Over time, the city has been the slave-trade capital of the eastern Mediterranean, a Byzantine fortress town, a Venetian haven, and after a period of Turkish Rule, became the capital of Crete in 1971. Many famous people have called the city home over time, including the painter, El Greco.

Many of the artifacts have been sourced from Knossos, only a few kilometers away, showing the sophistication of the Minoan people who lived in the region. Knossos is the main attraction of Heraklion. It was the capital of Minoan Crete.