The palace complex at Knossos on the island of Crete was so huge that some who have viewed its ruins have said that it must have been a model for the labyrinth of mythology. The complex was added to many times as it grew and because of natural disasters. However, the Knossos Palace is typical in many ways of all Minoan palaces. Discuss several of the factors that made this palace so exceptional architecturally, and describe the functions the palace complex was designed to serve. How does this compare with previous examples of buildings from the Near East and Egypt?