In a time when the world was still unexploited and geographically delimited (13th century), the travels of the Venetian tradesman Marco Polo, reveal information of the so far unknown world of the depths of Asia. The invention of typography came later on, during the 15th century. As a result, the travels of Marco Polo, having been passed on by word by Marco Polo himself and put for the first time in manuscript by Rusticello, have been subject to change throughout the years. Nowdays there are approximately 150 handwritten versions of the travels of Marco Polo.
The writer Italo Calvino (1923-1985) utilising the idea of multiplicity, writes the “Invisible Cities” as a modern version of the “Travels of Marco Polo”.
Generally both in his literary work as in his essays, he claims that the ideas of multiplicity, accuracy, observation and description constitute a necessity to the modern world. Italo Calvino adopts the term of writer-mechanic, whose work follows a certain structure which allows him to evolve through various versions, instead of sustaining him.
In “invisible Cities”, the city is used as a symbol which combines two characteristics, the geometrical logic and human existence, accuracy and multiplicity, which may seem contrary in the beginning.
