On a hill west of Mires on the road to Tumbaki, the remains of the city of Phaistos (or Festos) are located. Built atop embankments from the Neolithic and Early Minoan eras (3000–2000 B.C.) was Phaistos’ earlier palace, which was constructed between 1900 and 1700 B.C.
This historic palace, which included fundamental Minoan architectural elements including paved yards, several gates, a well-kept façade, and skylights, had twice been demolished and rebuilt. After yet another catastrophe occurred in 1700 B.C., the ruins were levelled, and an updated palace was built on top of them, whose existence lasted roughly until 1450 B.C.
The famous Phaistos disc, a sizable assortment of vases with various ornamental colours, and other archaeological artefacts from the palace are on display at the Museum of Heraklion.