Cathedral of St. Mark Korcula

If you have rented an apartmant, a room or a vacation house in Korcula, you cannot avoid the local beauty. Cathedral of St. Mark is one of the most beautiful monuments in the old town of Korcula. It was built in the 15th century on the site of a Romanesque church from the 13th century. Many local craftsmen contributed to its construction, known from Dubrovnik to Venice. The finest among them was Marko Andrijic who had left his masterpieces on this building: the final part of the bell tower with a dome and lantern, and the ciborium above the main altar. Entrance to the cathedral is the work of Bonino from Milan from the beginning of the 15th century. At the entrance there is the statue of St. Mark the Evangelist, the patron saint of Korcula. A large painting depicting St. Mark Bartholomew and Jerome who was the first translator of the Bible into Latin, and from Dalmatia, is on the wall behind the main altar. The painting is attributed to Jacopo Tintoretto, the most prominent representative of Venetian Mannerism. There is also the Annunciation, another Tintoretto's work, as well as the icon of Our Lady of the 14th century, which is believed to be the savior of Korcula from the Turks in 1571. The cathedral is still the center of religious life of the natives of Korcula, and is open for visitors every day during the tourist season. Many music events are held in the area of the square in front of the Cathedral, but the highlight of the evening concert season, in the environment of these impressive monuments of culture, is Korkyra Baroque Festival, as an indispensable cultural event which takes time at the begining of September every year.