On the northern slope of Mount Juktas, a few kilometres from Archanes in central Crete, Anemospilia is a compact archaeological site with an unusually large place in discussions of Minoan religion. The building is not a palace complex or a museum. Its importance comes from the way its plan, finds and sudden destruction have prompted questions about ritual practice—and from the fact that some answers remain disputed.
The site was excavated in 1979 by archaeologists Yannis Sakellarakis and Efi Sapouna-Sakellaraki. The municipality of Archanes-Asterousia places it on the north side of Juktas and describes it as a distinctive Minoan sanctuary. The surrounding mountain is part of a wider archaeological landscape, but Anemospilia should not be confused with the nearby palatial remains at Archanes or with the peak sanctuaries elsewhere on Juktas.