Fodor's Travel
Melanie Haiken
03 Apr 2026
A 4,000-year-old Minoan labyrinth discovered at Papoura Hill in Crete is being hailed as a major archaeological find—but nearby airport construction could put the ancient site at risk.
Last year, as construction got underway for a planned new international airport just outside of Heraklion, Crete, an excavation crew made an astonishing discovery: a massive circular labyrinth-like complex dating to the Minoan period that bears an eerie resemblance to the legendary lair of the Minotaur.
The discovery of the 20,000-square-foot monumental structure, which features eight concentric limestone walls encircling a round chamber divided into quadrants, thrilled the archaeology world, with the head of the Association of Greek Archaeologists calling it “one of the most important finds of the 21st century.” And last fall, Papoura Hill, as the area is called, won the 2025 prestigious Archaeologist of Palmyra award for the best archaeological discovery of the previous year.
Yet despite this worldwide recognition, the massive 4,000-year-old complex is under direct threat from continuing construction of the new airport’s 100-foot radar tower, which has broken ground just 90 feet from the area so far uncovered. While that might seem a reasonable distance, surveys show the full structure may extend well beyond the excavated circumference...
Newly Discovered Minoan “Labyrinth” Faces Threat from Airport Construction - Fodors - 03 Apr 2026
