One of many winged lions of Saint Mark, symbol of the Venetian Republic, carved on city walls and gateways in Korčula, Dubrovnik-Neretva county, Croatia. The lion in this image is depicted on water to symbolise Venice’s supremacy at sea and holds St Mark’s Gospel in a forepaw.
Korčula, Dubrovnik-Neretva county, Croatia: winged lion of St Mark, symbol of the Venetian Republic. Korčula is an island and town in the Adriatic, in the Southern Dalmatian archipelago, reached by ferry from the mainland. Korčula town was the birthplace of Marco Polo (1254 - 1324), Venetian merchant and explorer, and is today known as ‘Little Dubrovnik’. A Greek colony was founded on Korčula island in the 4th century BCE. In about the 6th century CE, the island became subject to the Byzantine Empire and in the 9th century was colonised by the Slavonic Neretvans. In 1000 AD, it submitted to the Doge of Venice. Shortly afterwards, it acceded to Croatia and after 1102 to Hungary-Croatia. In 1214, the island established its own independent statute, said to be the oldest in Dalmatia. There was a period of Venetian rule in the 1200s and 1300s, but the Venetians departed in 1358 and Korčula was ceded to Hungary. Then, in 1420, in common with Dalmatia, she returned to Venice. After the fall of Venice in 1797, the island was occupied successively by Austria, France, Russia and Great Britain before reverting to Austria from 1815 - 1918. Italy occupied the island during the First World War and until 1921, when Korčula was joined to Yugoslavia.
Size: 4256px × 2832px
Location: Korčula, Dubrovnik-Neretva county, Croatia
Photo credit: © Terence Kerr / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
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