Legends
According to a local tradition Marco Polo was born on 08.09.1254 in Korcula, to an established family of merchants,. With 17 of age he started his journey with his father Nikola and uncle Mate. They travelled the Silk Road deeply in Asia. After 24 years they came back to Korcula and brought rice, silk, pasta, spices, ice cream and porcelain…when European inhabitants did not know about raw materials and certain food. They decided to move to Venice and continue with their business even though they got very rich while trading through Asia.
Nastanjuju se u Veneciji i nastavljaju trgovati.
On the 27th of September of 1298 Marco Polo participated as the commander of a Venetian Gaul in the biggest naval batlle of the Middle Ages between Venice and Genoa. The batlle took place nearby Korcula’s walls. Venice was defeated by Genoa and needed for that reason very long time to recover. The batlle left after its end 7000 dead and 7400 imprisoned men. Marco Polo was also taken prisoner by victors and enclosed in Korcula’s prison. After that he spent one more year in Genoa’s captivity where his first well known book “Il Millione” was wrriten. His book describes his journeys and travels. While dying he said: “I did not write even a half of what I have seen because I knew that you are not going to belive me.”
The Statute of Korčula
The Korčula Statute, dating from the period between 1214 and 1265, is the oldest Croatian legal code, the second oldest code in the Slavonic world, after the Russian Justice system. The Statute is evidence of the highly developed and organized life in the community. The Korčula Statute was among the first in Europe to abolish the slave trade and organise help to the sea, and because of many of its provisions touching on environmental and terrorist issues, from wich we can still learn.
articels from 1214 (amended in 1265, reformation until 1455). the oldest legal document of the South Slavs was the inspiration for the artistic action.
“We decree that a person who raises a hand onto another or attacks another violently with hands shall pay 3 perpers. If they cannot pay, they shall be flagellated.”
“We decree that a person who casts a stone at another person or attacks another with a bludgeon… shall pay 5 perpers… and if they cannot pay, they shall be flagellated and branded with red-hot iron.”
“We decree that, in the future, we shall treat our neighbours as they treat us, without influencing in any way the established position of all other communities.”
“We decree that no person shall give loans with interests, and those who do shall lose all the interest they promised and half of the principal; those who receive a loan with interest shall lose 1 perper.”
“We decree that no one is allowed to import foreign wine to Korcula for the purpose of sale, or else they shall lose 25 perpers… however, we decide that anyone can import up to one small barrel of wine for personal use.”
“We determine and decree that no leader… or any other official… shall dare receive a gift… as bribery, under the threat of paying a monetary fee.”
“All those who clean their houses… shall not throw out the garbage at any public location or block it with it, especially not in the port… or else they shall pay the fine in the amount of 5 perpers… moreover, all garbage shall be removed at the expense of the person who left it there.”
“The prince and the judges can… give… uncovered and neglected houses to all and any person, both to locals and to foreigners, who wish to make them suitable for living, and those houses shall remain in their possession forever.”
“And all those who live on the island of Korčula and possess any real estate here shall be considered residents of Korčula and shall be treated as residents of KorCula.”
“If a person of any origin, position, gender or social class… engages in slave trade in any way… they are doing something that is forbidden. If it is discovered that they are breaking this prohibition… they shall, without exception, pay 100 golden ducats… and if the offender does not have the money to pay, their right arm shall be cut off.”
Brotherhoods
A special history of the island Korcula are its different brotherhoods. Ever since the middle Ages these brotherhoods have supported the indigenous people and have had enormous influence on the social and cultural development of the town.
Some of the main brotherhoods named “All Saints” (since year 1301), “Saint Roko” (since year 1575) and “Saint Michael” (since year 1603) in the town of Korcula combine forces every year to celebrate the Good Friday and on the 27th of July during the day of the St. Todor, the protector of the town.
Moreshka
This is the honorable sword dance game of knights preserved only in Korcula even though it was present in many of the Mediterranean cities. The dance follows the story of the conflict between the Red King (locally called “White”) versus Black King and their soldiers, as Bula – the Red King’s fiancée is captured by Black army. This dance is performed every Monday and Thursday throughout the summer months.
Kumpanija
This dance of the swords is still danced in Zrnovo, Pupnat, Cara, Blat and Vela Luka and it reminds of the fight between Korcula’s inhabitants and the pirates that attacked the town over and over again through the centuries.
ISLAND VRNIK
Vrnik is a beautiful island of tranquility well know its deep stone quarries dating from Roman times.
The old town of Korčula, as well as many places in Dalmatia, Venice and Europe was constructed from the town`s 29 stone quarries. Looking at today, the quarry, some depth more than 40m, although the silence, you can still hear the sound of metal with which they dealt with this tireless hands beautiful, wise, white stone.
ISLAND BADIJA
Badija is the largest island in the Korcula Archipelago located in the near vicinity of Korcula Island.
Throughout the centuries Badija was the center of spiritual life with its beautiful 14th c.Franciscan monastery witch is most dominant feature of the island. . In late 14th century Franciscan monks from Bosnia were given ownership of a part of the Badija island when they began building a monastery.
Most of the monastery was built in the middle of 15th century in late Gothic style.
The island and its monastery were used as a sports centre in second half of 20 century. The monastery and portion of the island was then returned to the Franciscan order.
The island is forested with pine and oak trees and bordered by rocky and pebble beaches and is therefore popular place for day trip by locals and visitors alike.
Locals from Korcula usually visit Badija by their boats while visitors to Korcula and surrounding area are usually taken there by local taxi boats.
ISLAND MAJSAN
Archaelogical protected cultural heritage site
The ruins off a small fishermens settlement during Roman times ( 1st ct AD ) have been transformed into a monastery with the advent of Christianity ( 4th ct AD ). The achitectural complex consist of residential and comercial buildings, grouped around a small chapel with the shrine of St.Maximus,, saint after whom the island was named. A fortress built at the top of the island controlled maritime traffic and provided shelter for the monks.
Archeological excavation in the 1960”s yielded numerous artifacts from the Roman period, as well as coins and jewellery of Byzantine origin. Fragments of architectural decoration and liturgical installation ( now in the Maritime Museum in Orebić ) date from 5th – 6th and 10th – 11th centuries. These finds give us an insight into the history of this small island, which has attracted pilgrims up until the 16th century while at the same time providing shelter for sailors and their ships.
THE PSEPHISMA FROM LUMBARDA
The psephisma from Lumbarda is a stone tablet discovered in the second half of 19th century in the ruins of the ancient cistern on top of the Koludrt hill in Lumbarda. It tells the story of how Lumbarda was founded two thousand three hundred year ago.
The psephisma from Lumbarda is a proof of the first urban center established in Lumbarda – a settlement of witch little else is know, and without which the whole enterprice would have been ignored by history. For reasearch into the ancient world that tablet constitutes precious evidence of how people in the ancient world established a town, and is thus a marvellous source widely used in Croatian and foreign authors – for studying Greek colonization.
The psephisma from Lumbarda is a tablet of red-brownish lime-stone surmounted by a triangular decorative panel, about 1 meter high and 13 cm thick, with inscription 69 cm wide.
The text consists of two parts. The first records the decision of the Assembly on the foundation of the colony and the devision of land between the new setllers. The second part consist of a list of colonist divided into three Dorian tribes (phylae): the Dymanes, the Hylleis and the Pamphyloi.
Interpretations;
According to the Psephisma the founders of the settlement were Greek colonist from the island Vis – then called Issa. They were Dorians divided into three tribes. The Assembly which governed the domestic and foreign affairs of the polis consisted of representatives of each tribe. It is possible that they also ellected the hieormnamonos the most important state official. His duties extended over both secular and religious matters. He was elected annually and the people of Issa called the years by his name. The Psephisma from Lumbarda bears the name of the hieromnamonos Praxidamos.
Pyllos and his son Dazos were probablythe representatives of the local Illyrian aristocracy and the owners of the land that the people of Issa wanted to obtain. According to the Psephisma these two parties agreed on a contract, so that the settlement was founded in peace.
We will never know for sure what made few hundred people from Issa set off to Lumbarda. Some believe that it was due to poverty and that the authorities of Issa successfully dealt that way with problem of their poor landless citizens. That was a common practice in Greek colonization. But the position of the Lumbarda settlement was also of strategic importance. It could control the Pelješac canal, which was at the time one of the most vital seaways in the Adriatic. A settlement there would thus give Issa an opportunity to exercise some control over Adriatic traffic and trade.
Apart from Psephisma, which is kept in the Zagreb Archaelogical Museum, finds from destroyed necropolis at the foot of the Koludrt hill, kept in Korcula City Museum and also dating back to the 3rd century BC, are the only current proof of the Isseian settlement in Lumbarda. Future research may well tell us more about this mysterious city.
Sana Hančević, archeologist
THE BELLS
The Bells were mentioned in the Statute of Korčula in 1214. Today, there is a total of 29 bells in 15 churches, including those on Badia and Vrnik.
As in the beloved song, they talk about our history carefully as the father to the son … “Rang for the storm, rang for the wedding, they rang the lives and the last trip. As an eternal music, our glory, our grief, rang from ancient times, the bells of my old town. ”
SHIPBULIDING
Shipbuilding has existed here since the Middle Ages. Along with stonecutting, agriculture and trade, this is one of the main occupations of the inhabitants. Shipyards were located close to the southwestern side of the walls and a little further to the southeast, and facilitated the development of suburbs. Due to the proximity of the city, shipbuilders were safer and could easily come to the defence of the city.
HAPPY HALF NEW YEAR
Korcula traditionally celebrates 30. June known as the Half New Year’s Eve. Masked locals and tourists dance in the streets singing and wining, forgetting together the stressful time in which we live.
KORČULA – a short introduction to biodiversity
Living conditions in the Mediterranean supported creating a rich biodiversity of plant and animal species . These conditions are such a that any population whether vegetable, animal or human can live, provided the minimum conditions for survival and slow development are these. Time evolution has been given the opportunity to, in cooperation with the geological, tectonic and climatic changes in the Adriatic Sea, which is part of the island of Korcula, creating one of the most important centers of biodiversity on the planet.
The area of the island of Korcula accounts for 0.5% of the total area of Croatia. On it there is more than 19% of all Croatian plant species, which shows the importance of Korcula in the Croatian biodiversity.
Korcula Island, as a part of the Adriatic, is small enough for a visitor to explore and get well acquainted with the island , yet large enough to introduce visitors to the richness of the life in the Mediterranean. With over a thousand of plant species that can be found here , including unique underground fauna in over 160 caves as well as with its beautiful pine and oak forests.
ORCHID
Of about 25,000 known species of orchids in the world, only about 1% are faund in Europe.On Korcula Island there are 35 diferent species of orchid.
THE BIG CAVE (VELA SPILJA)
Vela Spilja cave is one of the most important archaeological sites in the Mediterranean. Life started here in the last ice age, 20,000 years ago in 1500 BC. It was used in Greek, Roman and Byzantine times. This is a unique location for exploration of human adaptation throughout the Ice Age and since then.
To find more about Big Cave, visit Vela Luka Cultural Centre.
