Korčula’s towers and remaining city walls look particularly striking when approached from the sea, their presence warning pirates the town would be no pushover. Originally these defences would have been even more foreboding, forming a complete stone barrier against invaders that consisted of 12 towers and 20m-high walls.
From the western harbour the conical Large Governor's Tower (1483) and Small Governor’s Tower (1449) protected the port, shipping and the Governor’s Palace, which used to stand next to the town hall. Continuing clockwise around the edge of the old town peninsula, the Sea Gate Tower has an inscription in Latin from 1592 stating that Korčula was founded after the fall of Troy. Next you’ll come to the renovated Kanavelić Tower , its semicircular profile topped with battlements, and then a smaller tower that has now been converted into a cocktail bar.
The entrance to the old city is through the southern land gate in the Veliki Revelin Tower . Built in the 14th century and later extended, this fortification is adorned with coats of arms of the Venetian doges and Korčulan governors. There was originally a wooden drawbridge here, but it was replaced in the 18th century by the wide stone steps that give a sense of grandeur to the entrance. The best remaining part of the defence walls stretches west from here. The upper section of this tower is home to the small Moreška Museum dedicated to the Moreška dance tradition; it has some costumes and old photos.
