Marco Polo's travels to China
Viajes de Marco Polo a China
- Date
- 1271-1295 · confidence high
- Place
- Khanbaliq (Beijing), China
- Credited to
- Marco Polo, Rustichello da Pisa
- People
- 👤 Marco Polo1254–1324👤 Rustichello de Pisa1300–1322
- Field
- Cosmos & Earth
What was discovered
The Venetian merchant travelled the Silk Road to the court of Kublai Khan and described East Asia in 'Il Milione'. His account fed the European geographical imagination about Cathay and Cipangu for centuries.
Coordinates of Beijing, the Mongol capital he visited. China was obviously a millennia-old civilisation; the 'discovery' is informative for Europe. Some historians have questioned whether he reached China, but most accept it.
What it led to
- Direct inspiration for Columbus (who owned an annotated copy)
- European cartography of Asia (Catalan Atlas, Fra Mauro map)
- European interest in direct trade with Asia
Built on
- Opening of the Silk Roadc. 130 BCE
- Pax Mongolica
- Travels of Giovanni da Pian del Carpine and William of Rubruck
Made possible
- 15th-century world maps