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GENERAL
INFORMATION
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By its natural
beauty and
well-indented
coast, the
island of Korcula
belongs to the
most attractive
Mediterranean
islands. It is
46,8 km long and
its surface is
about 276 km2.The
coastline is 182
km long and
ennobled by 195
well-preserved
coves and capes
and 48 small
islands and
islets.
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Korcula
is covered with
hundreds of
different sorts
of aromatic
Mediterranean
plants and lush
pinewoods after
which the island
was named
Korkyra Nigra,
centuries
ago.
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With the
lushest
vegetation
of all
islands
in the
Adriatic
and the
exceptional
purity
and
clarity
of the
surrounding
seawater
washing
its
shores,
Korcula
is the
island
of
superior
advantages
as a
place
for
holidaymakers,
travelers,
and
sailors
which
means
that you
can
really
revel in
swimming,
diving
in the
submarine
world of
flora
and
fauna,
wind-surfing,
as well
as
walking
through
the pine
forests,
descending
into
pot-holes,
playing
tennis
and
other
sports. |
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The main
towns
and
villages
of the
island
are the
city of
Korčula,
Lumbarda,
Račišče,
Žrnovo,
Pupnat,
Čara,
Smokvica,
Blato
and Vela
Luka.
Korčula
is also
a
showcase
of
European
culture,
which
has left
traces
on it
for
millennia
through
the
Greek,
Roman,
Illyrian,
Croatian
and
Venetian
civilizations.
Today
Korčula
is
linked
with
Europe
and the
world
via
shipping
lines
and car
ferries,
roads
and
airports
in
Split,
Dubrovnik
and
Zagreb.
Korčula
has
preserved
its
tradition
of
holding
chivalric
dance
dramas.
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| Korčulan mariners and travellers have brought back to their homeland the habits and spectacles that have pleased them, adapting them to their own taste and fancies. Thus the following chivalric dance dramas came into being: moreška, moštra, kumpanija. In these shows there are dancers dressed up in authentic costumes. Marco Polo |
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Born: in 1254. on the island of Korcula
Died: January 8th 1324. in Venice
There are many disputes regarding Marco Polo's place of birth, but it is most likely (and with most scientific foundation) that he was born in the town of Korcula, on the island with the same name. The street and the part of the town are there even today (according to existing documents), and there we can find the House of Marco Polo, that corresponds to the quarters that belonged the the Polo family from the very beginning.Discussions are held about his name origin (genealogy) as well – whether it is of Italian or Croatian descent – the most logical presumption, however, |
| seems to be that it is of Slavic (Croatian) origin, and derives from the name of the water bird, locally called «pol».The coat of arms of the Polo family ads to that presumption, as it contains images of four water birds. Furthermore, Marco itself signed his last name as Pol, and not Polo (which was obvioulsy the latinized version). His father and uncle were Venetian traders, with branches in Constantinopol and Crimea. They have reached the very palace of the Mongolian ruler Kublai Khan. Twenty years later, in 1271, the Polo brothers headed back to China, taking seventeen year old Marco with them. Venetian traders crossed over Hormus, Taskent and Kataia, and reached the great khan in spring of 1275. |
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The Polos spent the next 17 years in China. Kublai Khan took a liking to Marco, who was an engaging storyteller. They set him on many diplomatic missions throughout his empire. Marco carried out diplomatic assignments but also entertained the khan with interesting stories and observations about the lands he traveled.On their return from China in 1295, the family settled in Venice where they became a sensation and attracted crowds of listeners who had difficulties in believing their reports of distant China. According to a late tradition, since they did not believe him, Marco Polo invited them all to dinner one night during which the Polos dressed in the simple clothes of a peasant in China. Shortly before the crowds ate, the Polos opened their pockets to reveal hundreds of rubies and other jewels which they had received in Asia. Though they were much impressed, the people of Venice still doubted the Polos.Marco Polo was later captured in a minor clash of the war between Venice and Genoa, or in the naval battle of Curzola, according to a dubious tradition. He spent the few months of his imprisonment, in 1298, dictating to a fellow prisoner, Rustichello da Pisa, a detailed account of his travels in the then-unknown parts of China.
His book, Il Milione (the title comes from either "The Million", then considered an extremely big number, or from Polo's family nickname Emilione), was written in Old French, a language Polo did not speak, and entitled Le divisament dou monde ("The description of the world"). The book was soon translated into many European languages and is known in English as The Travels of Marco Polo. The original is lost and there are now several often-conflicting versions of the translations. The book became an instant success — quite an achievement at a time when the invention of the printing press was two hundred years away in Europe.
Although the Polos were by no means the first Europeans to reach China overland (see, for example, Radhanites and Giovanni da Pian del Carpine), thanks to Marco's book their trip was the first to be widely known, and the best-documented until then. Marco Polo's description of the Far East and its riches inspired Christopher Columbus' decision to try to reach those lands by a western route. A heavily annotated copy of Polo's book was among the belongings of Columbus.
Marco Polo died in his home on 8th January 1324, at almost 70 years old. He was buried in the Church of San Lorenzo.
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Apartments Vera-Vela Luka
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2
apartments
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First
apartment is for 4+1 persons
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Second apartment is
for 2+1 persons
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The owner lives in the ground-floor apartment
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Distance from the apartment to the sea is 100
meters
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Distance from the public town's beach is 2500 m
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House entrance accessible by car
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Optional car park nearby 50 m
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Distance to the
restaurants 300 m - 1500 m
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Distance to the
shops 150 m-1500 m
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Distance to the sport and recreation centre is
1000 m
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Distance to the bus station is 400 m
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The
post office and bank is in the centre of the
town.
More
about the apartment
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Spend
delightful moments in our apartments,
and unforgotten holiday at numerous
beaches surrounding Vela Luka
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Proizd, the
beach of the year on the Croatian Adriatic coast, 2007
Several times a
day, little ships take visitors from
downtown Vela Luka to the wel-known
destinations for day trips, the
small islands of Osjak and Proizd,
with crystal clear seawater and
gorgeous beaches. By car, the
numerous coves with small beaches
are accessible in less than 10-15
minutes.
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Apartments
Vera
Ulica 66
20270 Vela Luka
otok
Korcula-Croatia
Information and reservations:
CONTACT
Fax: +385( 0)20 812-351
GSM: +385 (0)91 184 5674
e-mail:
nsurjan@inet.hr
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Island of
Korcula
