Korčula (town)

Korčula
Korčula
Town
	Grad Korčula; Town of Korčula
	Korčula Old Town
	Korčula Location of Korčula within Croatia
	Coordinates: 42°57′0″N 17°07′30″E / 42.95000°N 17.12500°E
Country	Croatia
County	Dubrovnik-Neretva
Island	Korčula
Government
• Type	Mayor-Council
• Mayor	Nika Silić Maroević (SDP)
Area
• Town	112.4 km2 (43.4 sq mi)
• Urban	4.9 km2 (1.9 sq mi)
Population (2021)
• Town	5,415
• Density	48/km2 (120/sq mi)
• Urban	2,659
• Urban density	540/km2 (1,400/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	20260
Area code	+385 20
Vehicle registration	DU
Climate	Csa
Website	korcula.hr

Korčula is a town on the east coast of the island of Korčula, in Croatia, in the Adriatic.

Population

The City of Korčula has a total population of 5,634, in the following individual settlements:^[3]

Čara, population 616
Korčula, population 2,856
Pupnat, population 391
Račišće, population 432
Žrnovo population 1,368

Town of Korčula: Population trends 1857–2021

population	4277	4440	5004	5567	5890	6463	6518	5996	5685	6474	6157	6097	5829	6240	5889	5663	5415
	1857	1869	1880	1890	1900	1910	1921	1931	1948	1953	1961	1971	1981	1991	2001	2011	2021

Sources: Croatian Bureau of Statistics publications

Construction

The old city is surrounded by walls, and the streets are arranged in a herringbone pattern allowing free circulation of air but protecting against strong winds.^[4] Korčula is tightly built on a promontory that guards the narrow sound between the island and the mainland. Building outside the walls was forbidden until the 18th century, and the wooden drawbridge was only replaced in 1863. All of Korčula's narrow streets are stepped with the notable exception of the street running alongside the southeastern wall. The street is called the Street of Thoughts as one did not have to worry about the steps.

Historic sites

The town's historic sites include the central Romanesque-Gothic Cathedral of St Mark (built from 1301 to 1806), the 15th-century Franciscan monastery with a Venetian Gothic cloister, the civic council chambers, the palace of the former Venetian governors, grand 15th- and 16th-century palaces of the local merchant nobles, and the massive city fortifications.

Cursola, as it was called in Latin, became an episcopal see in the early 14th century, when the bishop of Ston (Stagnum in Latin) asked to be authorized to transfer his seat there because of Serb pressure on Ston. This was granted and he was made bishop also of a new diocese of Cursola united with his previous one. In 1541, the Ragusans asked for the separation of ecclesiastical jurisdiction over Ston, which they had conquered, from Cursola, which in the previous century had become a Venetian possession. In 1828, when both the Korčula and Ragusa (Dubrovnik) belonged to the Austrian Empire, the territory of the diocese of Cursola was made part of that of Dubrovnik.^[5]^[6]^[7] No longer a residential bishopric, Cursola is today listed by the Catholic Church as a titular see.^[8]

Architecture

The architecture of Korčula is represented by many well-preserved buildings such as churches, palaces, piazzas, and towers. Majority of the buildings in the Old Town were built in Venetian Renaissance style excluding the cathedral which was constructed in Gothic Style.

Along with the construction of stone walls surrounding the city, 12 towers were erected throughout the Middle Ages to provide protection for the town. Some of these towers are Tower Zakerjan, Tower Kanavelic, Tower of Sea Gate, Tower Mala Knezeva Kula, Tower Velika Knezeva Kula, Tower Revelin, Tower of All Saints, and Forteca. Of the twelve original towers 7 are still standing today. Another landmark of the town is the many small chapels and churches which can be found within the narrow streets of the town. One of the great architectural pieces of the town is St. Mark's Cathedral which is located at the highest point of the peninsula. The Cathedral is a Gothic-Rennaissance style and was constructed by local craftsman who specialized in stone masonry. Ornament of statues and fluted roses decorate the facade of the cathedral along with lion figures and statues of Adam and Eve framing the main entrance.

A large representation of Venetian Architecture within the town can be seen in the palaces of Korčula. These palaces were built using several architectural styles such as Gothic, Baroque, and Renaissance. Popular palaces in the city are the Arneri Palace, Governors Palace, Gabrielis Palace, Bishops Palace and Caenazzo Palace. Majority of the palaces of Korčula belonged to the wealthy families living within the town. Some of the palaces such as the Arneri Palace were built varying architectural styles. The design of this palace contains a Gothic facade along with Gothic ornamentation. The covered walkway of the palace was built using Renaissance and Baroque styles.

Culture

The devout Catholic inhabitants of Korčula keep alive old folk church ceremonies and a weapon dance, the Moreška, which dates back to the Middle Ages.^[9] Originally danced only on special occasions, in modern times there are performances twice a week for tourists.^[10]

The city's Town Statute^[11] dating back to 1214 prohibited slavery.^[12]^[13]

Gallery

Church of Saint Nicholas
Town walls at dawn
View of the town
Moreška
Sunset at Korčula
Korčula town walls
Panorama view of Korčula
A narrow street in the old town

References

^ Register of spatial units of the State Geodetic Administration of the Republic of Croatia. Wikidata Q119585703.
^ "Population by Age and Sex, by Settlements" (xlsx). Census of Population, Households and Dwellings in 2021. Zagreb: Croatian Bureau of Statistics. 2022.
^ "Population by Age and Sex, by Settlements, 2011 Census: Korčula". Census of Population, Households and Dwellings 2011. Zagreb: Croatian Bureau of Statistics. December 2012.
^ Architecture Korčula-www.korculainfo.com
^ Curzola, in Dictionnaire d'Histoire et de Géographie ecclésiastiques, vol. XIII, Paris 1956, coll. 1116-1117
^ Konrad Eubel, Hierarchia Catholica Medii Aevi, vol. 1 Archived 2019-07-09 at the Wayback Machine, pp. 462-463; vol. 2 Archived 2018-10-04 at the Wayback Machine, p. 241; vol. 3, p. 183; vol. 4 Archived 2018-10-04 at the Wayback Machine, p. 170; vol. 5, p. 178; vol. 6, pp. 189-190
^ Pius Bonifacius Gams, Series episcoporum Ecclesiae Catholicae, Leipzig 1931, p. 405
^ Annuario Pontificio 2013 (Libreria Editrice Vaticana 2013 ISBN 978-88-209-9070-1), p. 878
^ The Early Korčula Moreska Journal article by Max Harris, Lada Cale Feldman; Comparative Drama, Vol. 37, 2003
^ Dunin, Elsie Ivancich, ed. (2006). Korčulanska Moreska (in Croatian).
^ Korčula Statute-www.korculainfo.com Archived 2013-03-16 at the Wayback Machine
^ Footprint Croatia-Page 289 Jane Foster
^ "Razvitak hrvatskih otoka" (PDF). Građevinar (in Croatian). 52 (6). 2000. Retrieved 14 February 2015.

"Korcula Town Walls". Korculainfo. Retrieved 2023-12-01.
Centre, UNESCO World Heritage. "The historic town of Korčula". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 2023-12-01.
"St. Mark's Cathedral, Korcula Town". Korculainfo. Retrieved 2023-12-01.