Marco Polo

:This article is about the Venetian explorer. For other uses, see Marco Polo (disambiguation)

Historical impact

Although the Polos were by no means the first Europeans to reach China overland (see, for example, Radhanites and Giovanni da Pian del Carpini), thanks to Marco's book their trip was the first to be widely known, and the best-documented until then.

Related Topics:
Radhanites - Giovanni da Pian del Carpini

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Marco Polo's description of the Far East and its riches inspired Christopher Columbus decision to try to reach those lands by a western route. An heavily annotated copy of Polo's book was among the belongings of Columbus.

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Legend has it that Marco Polo introduced to Italy some products from China, including ice cream, the piñata and pasta, especially spaghetti. However, these legends are highly dubious — for instance, there is evidence that pasta was known in Italy since antiquity.

Related Topics:
Ice cream - Piñata - Pasta - Spaghetti

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The name Marco Polo was also given to a children's game (Marco Polo), a story in the science fiction series Doctor Who (Marco Polo) and a three-masted clipper ship built in Saint John, New Brunswick, in 1851. The fastest ship of her day, Marco Polo was the first ship to sail around the world in under six months. Several ships of the Italian navy were named Marco Polo. The airport in Venice is named Marco Polo International Airport. See also the Marcopolo satellites.

Related Topics:
Marco Polo - Science fiction - Doctor Who - Marco Polo - ''Marco Polo'' - Venice - Marco Polo International Airport - Marcopolo

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The travels of Marco Polo are given an extended fantasy treatment in the Irish writer Donn Byrne's Messer Marco Polo. He also appears as the pivotal character in Italo Calvino's novel Invisible Cities.

Related Topics:
Fantasy - Irish - Donn Byrne - Italo Calvino

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The tourism authorities of Korcula advertise it as the home of Marco Polo, based on a later tradition that places the Polo family in the Dalmatian town of Sibenik, later moving to Korcula and then Venice. Some authorities maintain that the Polos lived in Venice since the 11th century. Marco never mentioned his birth place, nor did he write about the history of Polo family. The issue is still being debated.

Related Topics:
Korcula - Sibenik - 11th century

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