The old part of the city is surrounded by medieval walls
The streets of Korčula city are made in the form of fish bone. The urban design has been maintained until today, which is another special characteristic of the City of Korčula. Old Town used to be completely surrounded by high fortification walls with towers, and for a long period in history, it was connected to the mainland with a movable bridge. There are two entrances to the Old Town – Mainland Gates on the south and Maritime Gates on the west. Inside the Town there are 9 churches. The most beautiful examples of palaces and churches were made in the 15th and 16th century in the Gothic-Renaissance style. St Marko’s Cathedral is in the most prominent part of the city, on top of a small peninsula, and it was constructed between the beginning of the 15th century and the middle of the 16th century. It was built by native masters, while the portal was made by master Bonine from Milan.
City of Korčula
You can learn more about the history of Korčula in the Korčula City Museum situated opposite the Cathedral and in the Bishop’s Treasury of Koručula adjacent to the Cathedral. Next to the Church of All Saints there is a museum of icons made between the 13th and 19th century. In the Old Town you can visit the house of Marko Polo who is believed to have been born in 1254 in Korčula. He is also confirmed to had participated as a ship captain in a naval battle between Korčula and Venice (which at the time ruled over Korčula). He was captured by the Venetians and he spent the time in prison writing about his journeys to China. To honour that event, every year in the beginning of September there is a reconstruction of the battle called The Battle of Marko Polo.
