Korčula Town

Greek settlers knew the island as Korkyra Melaina, Black Korčula, a name inspired by its dense pine woods. A stone inscription found at nearby Lumbarda records a Greek colony on the island in the 3rd century BC and is described as the oldest written stone monument in Croatia.

The medieval town developed under shifting rulers, with long periods of Venetian control, including from 1420 to 1797. Its town statute of 1214 is notable for prohibiting slavery. The defensive walls once had twelve towers, of which several survive, including Revelin, Zakerjan and Kanavelić. St Mark's Cathedral, at the highest point of the peninsula, was built in stages over several centuries in Romanesque and Gothic styles.

Local tradition links Korčula with Marco Polo: a 16th-century account claims he was captured by the Genoese in a naval battle off the island in 1298, though historians debate where his capture took place.

The Moreška is Korčula's proudest tradition. Its roots go back to at least the 17th century, and performers must be native to Korčula. Historically it was danced on special occasions, and it is still traditionally performed on 29 July, the feast of St Theodore, the town's patron saint. Island life also revolves around the sea, boatbuilding and stonemasonry, and the vineyards of the island, with Grk from Lumbarda a local speciality.