Churches of Korcula, Croatia

Like all small towns there are quite a few churches in Korcula and you know we love checking out the odd church or two, so of course we popped our heads into a few of them.

The first church we came across was St. Michael. First mentioned in documents from 1408, it was later restored in 1603 when it got its Baroque appearance. The most eye catching piece as we entered this church was the statue of Jesus on the gold embossed cross. On the high alter is a painting by Domenico Maggiotto from the 18th century, depicting the Virgin of Consolation.

The next church we stepped into was a little church built in 1483 to celebrate the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary. Known as the Church of Our Lady it was used as a private chapel for the local noble families.

Gravestones decorated with coats of arms from several medieval Korcula families are set in the floor. It is believed that the tomb of the priest Antun Rozanovic, who led the defence of Korcula from an Ottoman assault in 1571 is also in the church.

What I loved about this church was the mosaics behind the altar, created by Dutch artist Louis Schrikkela from 1964 to 1967. The hues of the mosaics just complement the church so perfectly. Today the church is used as an occasional art gallery to display works of local and international artists.

The next church we came across was one of the oldest in the Old Town, dating from the 14th century. Sadly it was closed so we were unable to see inside. Sometimes it is the churches with the simplest exteriors that reveal the most stunning interiors.

The church that can’t be missed in town it the St. Mark’s Cathedral. It was built by local stonemasons in the 14th, 15th and 16th century with the support of Italian masters. The cathedral was quite busy with multiple tour groups so we opted not to venture inside, instead checking out the exterior of the cathedral. What caught our eye were the stone statues of Adam and Eve on either side of the Cathedral door. It was certainly an interesting pose to put them in.

While we enjoyed checking out the churches we much preferred to wander and explore the beautiful lanes of Korcula.Læs mere