Pula
Pula (Croatian pronunciation: [pǔːla] (listen); also known as Pola, Italian: Pola[ˈpɔla], Hungarian: Póla, Venetian; Pola; Istriot: Puola, Slovene: Pulj) is the largest city in Istria County, Croatia, and the seventh-largest city in the country, situated at the southern tip of the Istrian peninsula, with a population of 52,411 in 2021. It is known for its multitude of ancient Roman buildings, the most famous of which is the Pula Arena, one of the best preserved Roman amphitheaters. The city has a long tradition of wine making, fishing, shipbuilding, and tourism. It was the administrative centre of Istria from ancient Roman times until superseded by Pazin in 1991.
Pula’s surrounding natural environment, countryside and the turquoise water of the Adriatic have made the city popular summer holiday destination. The pearl nearby is Brioni island or Brijuni national park visited by numerous world leaders since it was the summer residence of Josip Broz Tito. Roman villas and temples still lie buried among farm fields and along the shoreline of the dozens of surrounding fishing and farming villages. The coastal waters offer beaches, fishing, wreck dives to ancient Roman galleys and World War I warships, cliff diving, and sailing to unspoiled coves and islands large and small.
Pula is the end point of the EuroVelo 9 cycle route that runs from Gdańsk on the Baltic Sea through Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, Slovenia and Croatia.
It is possible to track dinosaur footprints on the nearby seashores; certain more important finds have been made at an undisclosed location near Bale.
Arena – Amphitheater
The most famous and important monument, the starting and ending point of every sightseeing tour is the Amphitheater, popularly called the Arena of Pula, which was once the site of gladiator fights. It was built in the 1st century AD during the reign of Emperor Vespasian, at the same time as the magnificent Colosseum in Rome.
The ground plan is elliptical, the longer axis measuring about 130 m and the shorter one about 100 m. Gladiator fights took place in the central flat area called the arena, while the spectators could sit on the stone tiers or stand in the gallery. It is believed that the Amphitheater could seat about 20,000 spectators. Local limestone was used for its construction. In the Middle Ages it was the site of knights tournaments and fairs.
Today, it is the venue for many different events – Pula Film Festival, various concerts, opera, ballet, sports competitions… since its capacity is about 5000 spectators.
Every week during the summer months, the Arena hosts gladiator fights as part of the historical and entertainment spectacle “Spectacvla Antiqva”.
The underground passages, once used by the gladiators, nowadays host a regular exhibition of viticulture and olive growing in Istria in ancient times. The exhibits include reconstructions of machines once used for the production of olive oil and wine (mills, presses, vessels) and amphorae used for storing and transporting olive oil and wine.
The Amphitheater is situated outside the old city walls because of its size and geographical configuration. The road that leads to the center was constructed during Emperor Vespasian, after whom it was named – Via Flavia. Even today it represents one of the main city roads.
Temple of Augustus
The Temple, situated in the Forum, is dedicated to goddess Roma and Emperor Augustus. It was constructed between the year 2 BC and AD 14 when the Emperor died. According to its shape it follows the typical pattern of temples.
The function of the Temple changed through the years: with the ending of the pagan ancient era its original pagan function ceased and the temple was afterwards used as a church, granary, and in the beginning of the 19th century it was a museum for stone monuments.
In 1944 it was hit by a bomb and completely destroyed. It was reconstructed between the years 1945 and 1947 and nowadays it houses a collection of ancient stone and bronze sculptures.
The other twin temple, of which only the back wall is preserved, is believed to have been constructed at the same time and in the same style and was called the Temple of Diana.
Aquarium Pula
Aquarium Pula is the most visited public aquarium in Croatia whose mission is to show the beauty and diversity of the underwater world and emphasize the need for its protection.The aquarium itself is settled in a 130 year old fort Verudela, part of the once mighty Austro – Hungarian defense complex Fortress Pula , where the centennial military history of Pula is combined in a unique way with the richness of the Adriatic. Fort Verudela, named after the peninsula where it was built (3 km from the center of Pula), has been in a process of conversion into an aquarium since 2002. and is now home to some 200 animal species. Sharks, jellyfish and seahorses are the most sought after inhabitants, with the Marine turtle rescue center, our biggest contribution to marine conservation, as something not to be missed. The fort’s roof, besides offering a magnificent view of Pula and the sea, from 2017. displays a massive steel dome placed over the old artillery block. The dome represents the final stage of our project where we reconstructed the central part of the fort and added 3 new tanks (50 000 liters each), greatly expanding our display.
The underground galleries Zerostrasse, Carrarina 3 & Carrarina 1
New attraction: Austro-Hungarian underground tunnels in the center of Pula
Pula has a new tourist attraction! Close to the Twin Gates, one of the many underground tunnels from the Austro-Hungarian period is open for visitors.
Underground tunnel no. 12 is about 400 m long and has a central hall. Its tunnels are 3 – 6 m wide and about 2.5 m high, whereas the temperature is never above 20oC.
