William of Rubruck or Guillaume de Rubrouck was a Flemish Franciscan missionary and explorer.
Voyage of William of Rubruck in 1253–1255
An initial from a 14th-century copy of the manuscript. The upper portion shows William of Rubruck and his travelling companion receiving a commission from Louis IX of France. The lower portion shows the two friars on their journey.
Marco Polo was a Venetian merchant, explorer and writer who travelled through Asia along the Silk Road between 1271 and 1295. His travels are recorded in The Travels of Marco Polo, a book that described to Europeans the then-mysterious culture and inner workings of the Eastern world, including the wealth and great size of the Mongol Empire and China under the Yuan dynasty, giving their first comprehensive look into China, Persia, India, Japan, and other locations throughout Asia.
Polo wearing a Tartar outfit, print from the 18th century
Commemorative plaque on the site of Casa Polo in Venice, part of the Teatro Malibran which was built upon Polo's house
Corte Seconda del Milion, Venice, next to Polo's house, is named after the nickname of Polo, Il Milione
Mosaic of Marco Polo displayed in the Palazzo Doria-Tursi, Genoa, Italy
