Venice, Italy

1) "Marco Polo (September 15, 1254 – January 9, 1324 at earliest but no later than June 1325) was a Venetian trader and explorer who gained fame for his worldwide travels, recorded in the book Il Milione ("The Million" or The Travels of Marco Polo). Polo, together with his father Niccolò and his uncle Maffeo, was one of the first Westerners to travel the Silk Road to China (which he called Cathay, after the Khitan) and visit the Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, Kublai Khan (grandson of Genghis Khan)." "Born September 15, 1254(1254-09-15) disputed Venice, Italy, usually accepted Died on or after January 9, 1324 Venice" "The Polo name originally did not belong to a family of explorers, but to a family of traders. Marco Polo's father, Niccolò (also Nicolò in Venetian) and his uncle, Maffeo (also Maffio), were prosperous merchants who traded with the East. They were partners with a third brother, named Marco il vecchio (the Elder). In 1252, Niccolò and Maffeo left Venice for Constantinople, where they resided for several years. The two brothers lived in the Venetian quarter of Constantinople, where they enjoyed political chances and tax relief because of their country's role in establishing the Latin Empire in the Fourth Crusade of 1204. But the family judged the political situation of the city precarious, so they decided to transfer their business northeast to Soldaia, a city in Crimea, and left Constantinople in 1259. Their decision proved wise. Constantinople was recaptured in 1261 by Michael Palaeologus, the ruler of the Empire of Nicaea, who promptly burned the Venetian quarter. Captured Venetian citizens were blinded, while many of those who managed to escape perished aboard overloaded refugee ships fleeing to other Venetian colonies in the Aegean Sea." Source and further information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marco_Polo So Marco Polo was a Venetian, but at that time, Venice had many colonies in the Mediterranean. It seens generally accepted that he was born in Venice. 2) "According to one authority, the Polo family were great nobles originating on the coast of Dalmatia. Niccolo and Maffeo had established a trading outpost on the island of Curzola, off the coast of Dalmatia; it is not certain whether Marco Polo was born there or in Venice in 1254. The place Marco Polo grew up, Venice, was the center for commerce in the Mediterranean." Source and further information: http://www.silk-road.com/artl/marcopolo.shtml 3) "1254 - Marco Polo born in Venice, although one tradition locates his birthplace in the Venetian colony of Dalmatia." Source: http://www.amazon.com/Marco-Polo-Venice-Laurence-Bergreen/dp/140004345X

There are no proofs that he was from Venice. In fact here in Croatia we believe that he was born in Korčula, a little place on the same island. There is also a house in which we believe that he was born, however there are no firm proofs where he was born exactly. Also there were at least two different living Marco Polo at that time, with proof that they existed, but where were they born that is not firmly answered jet. There is also a National Geographic or Discovery series researching this theme.