In 1271, 17-year-old Marco Polo, scion of a Venetian merchant dynasty, embarks on a journey that will take him far beyond the edge of the known world. 25 years later hereturns to tell wondrous tales. »Emperors, kings and princes, knights and citizens - and all of you who are avid to learn about the manifold splendors of the countries of this world - take up this book and have it read to you. Here you will find a plethora of wonderful and remarkable things, indeed ...« This is the beginning of one of the world's greatest tales of travel: Il Milione - The Wonders of the World. And they're wonderful tales, indeed, that Marco Polo tells us: After visiting Acre, he travels to the Persian Gulf via Baghdad andends up at the court of Kublai Khan.He enters his services and travels through China and India. After many adventures he finally returns to Venice. In this opulently designed book the adventures of the famous traveller are retold in a colorful manner. Colorful in a double sense, as Claudia Lieb's fantastic illustrations, inspired by Asian and Oriental art, commentate and complement a wealth of factual information, resulting in an exhilarating blend that takes us on a reader's journey from medieval Venice to Beijing and back! A classic gem among the literature of discovery and explorationrecasts in a modern way.