Visit Croatia (Part 4) - The island of Korčula. The home of Marco Polo !

Hello SteemIt users,

it's time to take you on a new journey through Croatia. This time I take you to the island of Korcula, home of Marco Polo.

The town of Korcula is located on the eastern part of the island of Korcula, opposite the Peljesac peninsula. It can come in several ways. By ferry from Split to Vela Luka and another thirty minutes by car from Vela Luka to Korcula, a great road across the island.

A little more complicated, but cheaper way is by ferry from Ploče to Trpanj on Peljesac, then by car from Trpanj to Orebic, and then again by ferry from Orebic to the place Domince on Korcula. It is a 5-minute drive away from the town of Korcula. You can also reach the ferry from Drvenik directly to Domince, a local ferry operator. If you do not come by car, sailing the catamarans is much faster and more convenient.

Introduction

The island belongs to the County of Dubrovačko-Neretvanska, covering an area of 279,03 km2 and got 16,000 inhabitants. It is the sixth largest Adriatic island.

The climate is Mediterranean (mild); the average temperature in January was 9.8 ° C and in July 26.9 ° C. The average annual rainfall is 1100 mm, and the island is covered with Mediterranean flora, sometimes with pine forests.

Image source: http://www.nekretnine-albatros.com/

The three biggest places on Korcula are the capital of Korcula, Blato in the interior, as well as the small port Vela Luka on the west of the island. Other places and settlements are Brna, Lumbarda, Pupnat, Kneže, Racisce, Žrnovo, Prigradica, Prižba, Grščica, Čara, Zavalatica, Babina, Smokvica.

In the town of Korcula there is a house believed to have been born in Marko Polo. There is a doubt that he was born on Korcula or perhaps somewhere else.

The island is connected by ferries to Orebic on the Peljesac peninsula, Split, and the Ublands on the island of Lastovo.

Image source: http://www.nekretnine-albatros.com/

Which sights you should visit!

Korcula city

The town of Korcula is an unforgettable place on an island that definitely deserves your attention. The city was endangered by 13th-century walls, and the landing gate was established by a large arch, Revelin, from which it was overseen by a canal that dug the Venetians to isolate the city.

If you take the narrow streets, you will reach the central Strossmayer Square where the main city monument is located: St. Peter's Cathedral. The stamp was built of honey-colored stone. Along the Cathedral in Bishop's Palace, today Opatija House, there is the Opatija Treasury, which is famous for the works of Dalmatian and Venetian artists.

Opposite the church of Sv. Petra is home to the Gothic palace of Arneri and the Renaissance palace of Gabriellis. The Gabriellis Palace is today a City Museum containing documents about Korčula's maritime history. Nearby is also the alleged birth house of Marco Polo, which through history became a symbol of the city. On the shore there is the church of All Saints, built in 1301 and rebuilt in baroque style, which belonged to the oldest fraternity on the island.

Vela spila

Vela spila (in Croatian lexicography Vela cave) is a cave located above the town of Vela Luka on the island of Korcula in Croatia. It is located on the slopes of Mount Pinski rat, at an altitude of about 130 meters.

Image source: https://www.tourprom.ru/

The cave consists of an elliptical cavern shape measuring 40 meters in length, 17 meters in height, and about 40 feet in width. There are two openings on the roof of the caves that resulted in the collapse of the vault. The timing of the emergence of these two openings is still uncertain.

The cave is located on the island of Korcula, above the bay of Kale on the northwest side of Velolučkoga bay. The hole is an arch in the form of a port (10 m wide, 4 m high), at an altitude of 130 m, facing southwest.

The cave is located in the limestone cave age, shaped as an oval hall, 50 m long, 30 m wide, with a 17 m high dome ceiling. There are two natural openings on the ceiling (Velo ždrilo, 11 m × 9 m, Small plank, 5 m × 4 m), through which daylight illuminates the front and center of the cave. The lowest part of the hall is 10 m lower than the entrance level

Events

Moreška and Kumpanija are the two most famous Korčula festivals. Offshore, the sword-dancing Moreška, is performed in Korcula on July 29, on the day of the patron saint.

However, during the summer it is repeated every Thursday as a tourist event. In Blato's festivities, Kumpanij is dedicated to the patron saints, Vincent, who is celebrated with music and song. At the end of the battle there are girls in bright costumes accompanied by gay and drummers. The festival is held on April 28 in front of the church, but it is repeated at other times in other places on the island.

Image source: http://www.solointhebalkans.com

Image source: http://www.visit-korcula.com