A look at the churches within the Old Town Korčula, on a major religious holiday.
An unsuspecting tourist would probably be expecting that the piece of land the size of the Korčulan Old Town would have that one big church at the top and that that would be it.
That unsuspecting tourist would be very wrong. There are almost a dozen churches, small chapels, and other buildings that are meant to serve religious purposes, or be the houses of the layman Fraternities in Korčula. Of those many churches, three are located on the main street going down the middle of the Old Town, oriented North-South.
Walk up the main street and just before you get to the Cathedral, on your left-hand side, you will see a very small church: the Church of Our Lady (locally called Gospojina), built in late 15th century as a chapel for the two most famous and wealthy Korčulan families, Ismaelis and Gabrielis. Some of the members of those two families were laid to rest in the church, and their remains are still there. Today, the church mostly hosts various exhibitions, by local artists or dedicated to certain events (currently, you can see an exhibit dedicated to Kumpanjija from Smokvica there).
Then there’s the St. Mark’s Cathedral, the tallest building in Korčula, built on the highest point of the Old Town, finished in the 15th century on the location where the previous churches have stood since the 13th century. It’s remarkable portal, facing West is one of the most amazing sights on Korčula (for those who are into arts and culture, and not just swimming in clear sea and wine), and it’s worth putting some decent clothes on to see the inside of the church as well. If you’re a tourist in the Old Town, you will hear its bells, and are more than welcome to come to service, which is held here regularly.
And, after you’ve passed the Cathedral, look to your left carefully, or you might miss yet another small church, this one dedicated to St. Peter, a Gothic church built in 14th century, with an amazing relief of St. Peter made by Bonino da Milano, a famous sculptor active in the early 15th century. It also features interesting statues of apostles inside, and has in the recent past been used for art installations – and the small square in front of the church, actually a bit wider beggining of a street that leads past it is also often used by local artists for their performances.
PS: A notable mention to one other church, although it’s not in the same square as the others. But, when you first enter the town through the town gate and the Revelin tower, on your right-hand side you will see the Town Council, and on your left-hand side you will see a small church. It’s dedicated to St. Michael, it was first mentioned in early 15th century, has been restored many times in the past, adding stylistic details each time it got a do-over. Even today mass is sometimes held at the church, which also serves as the center of worship for the St. Michael’s Fraternity.
