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Throughout history, Pula has gone through many changes. Three thousand years ago, the Histri tribe built the first fort on the hill where the castle is located, but its history truly started after the arrival of the Romans. Pula has got some of its most interesting sites from this period. The old city centre is full of culturally and historically valuable sites, and you can find signs of its rich past almost everywhere. The extremely famous amphitheatre, or Arena, is the most attractive legacy from Roman times. As well, there are lots of interesting sites from Antique times – the Triumphal Arch of the Sergii, The Gate of Hercules and the Twin Gates, the Small Roman Theatre, Temple of Augustus...
Cultural sights and monuments in Pula
Nesactium is an important archaeological site found in the area surrounding Pula. Remains of Histri prehistoric buildings can be found there, as well as remains from Roman and early medieval times. The turbulent centuries have left their traces, and it is not easy to condense them into a few sentences. However, here we try to present some key historical moments that shaped Pula and its surroundings.
Popularly called the Arena of Pula, it was bulit in the 1st century AD during the reign of Emperor Vespasian and it became the ancient monument in the center of Pula. 3000 years ago it hosted the popular gladiator fights which took place in the central flat area called the arena…
Amphitheatre (Arena) Info
Situated in the western part of Pula, Forum is the main square. During the Roman time it was the nucleous of the city and its religious, administrative, legislative and commercial center. On the northern part of the Forum stood two twin temples and a central one dedicated to Jupiter…
Forum Info
This Roman-era gate was once an entry into the city of Pula. On the very top of the arch, it’s possible to detect the remains of a relief. Though unrecognizable to the untrained eye, the relief is of Hercules – to the left of his head he raises his club…
Gate of Hercules Info
The former city gate «Porta Aurea» was erected between the years 29 and 27 BC by the Sergi family, in honor of three members of the family who held important positions in Pula at that time…
Triumphal Arch of the Sergi – Golden Gate Info
Called Twin Gates because of the two arches through which you enter the inner yard, they were built between the 2nd and 3rd centuries and today they guide to the Archeological Museum and the Castle…
Twin Gates and City Walls Info
The Naval cemetery, dating from 1866, is the site where 150,000 soldiers from the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy (until 1918) were buried. It is located in the direction of Stoja…
Naval cemetery Info
On the north-eastern slopes of the central hill of the city, below the Castle are the remains of a Roman theatre: in addition to the Amphitheatre, Pula had two other theatres during the Roman period…
Small Roman Theater Info
From the upper circular street one of the perpendicular paths leads to the top of the central hill of the city where a star-shaped castle with four bastions was built in 1630…
Castle Info
At the time when Pula was a free municipality, a palace was erected in the Forum – the seat of the municipal self-government. During the Venetian rule it was the seat of the duke and provveditore…
Communal Palace Info
Navy casino intended for entertainment of the Austrian officers and their families was built in 1872 and designed by Vienna architect L. Baumann while the representative palace was expanded only 40 years later…
Croatian Defenders House Info
After the bombing of World War II remains of Roman houses with mosaics were found under the block of houses around the Chapel of St. Maria Formosa…
Floor mosaic ‘The Punishment of Dirce’ Info
From the Naval hospital and Naval cemetery to numerous barracks of the Hydrographic Institute, Marine Casino, military and civil buildings, residential buildings for officers and civil servants, as well as residential buildings for workers and lower grade clerks…
Austrian architecture Info
Cultural sight Amphitheatre (Arena) (Pula, Istria)
Popularly called the Arena of Pula, it was bulit in the 1st century AD during the reign of Emperor Vespasian and it became the ancient monument in the center of Pula. 3000 years ago it hosted the popular gladiator fights which took place in the central flat area called the arena…Amphitheatre (Arena) Info
Cultural sight Forum (Pula, Istria)
Situated in the western part of Pula, Forum is the main square. During the Roman time it was the nucleous of the city and its religious, administrative, legislative and commercial center. On the northern part of the Forum stood two twin temples and a central one dedicated to Jupiter…Forum Info
Cultural sight Gate of Hercules (Pula, Istria)
This Roman-era gate was once an entry into the city of Pula. On the very top of the arch, it’s possible to detect the remains of a relief. Though unrecognizable to the untrained eye, the relief is of Hercules – to the left of his head he raises his club…Gate of Hercules Info
Cultural sight Triumphal Arch of the Sergi – Golden Gate (Pula, Istria)
The former city gate «Porta Aurea» was erected between the years 29 and 27 BC by the Sergi family, in honor of three members of the family who held important positions in Pula at that time…Triumphal Arch of the Sergi – Golden Gate Info
Cultural sight Twin Gates and City Walls (Pula, Istria)
Called Twin Gates because of the two arches through which you enter the inner yard, they were built between the 2nd and 3rd centuries and today they guide to the Archeological Museum and the Castle…Twin Gates and City Walls Info
Cultural sight Naval cemetery (Pula, Istria)
The Naval cemetery, dating from 1866, is the site where 150,000 soldiers from the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy (until 1918) were buried. It is located in the direction of Stoja…Naval cemetery Info
Cultural sight Small Roman Theater (Pula, Istria)
On the north-eastern slopes of the central hill of the city, below the Castle are the remains of a Roman theatre: in addition to the Amphitheatre, Pula had two other theatres during the Roman period…Small Roman Theater Info
Cultural sight Castle (Pula, Istria)
From the upper circular street one of the perpendicular paths leads to the top of the central hill of the city where a star-shaped castle with four bastions was built in 1630…Castle Info
Cultural sight Communal Palace (Pula, Istria)
At the time when Pula was a free municipality, a palace was erected in the Forum – the seat of the municipal self-government. During the Venetian rule it was the seat of the duke and provveditore…Communal Palace Info
Cultural sight Croatian Defenders House (Pula, Istria)
Navy casino intended for entertainment of the Austrian officers and their families was built in 1872 and designed by Vienna architect L. Baumann while the representative palace was expanded only 40 years later…Croatian Defenders House Info
Cultural sight Floor mosaic ‘The Punishment of Dirce’ (Pula, Istria)
After the bombing of World War II remains of Roman houses with mosaics were found under the block of houses around the Chapel of St. Maria Formosa…Floor mosaic ‘The Punishment of Dirce’ Info
Cultural sight Austrian architecture (Pula, Istria)
From the Naval hospital and Naval cemetery to numerous barracks of the Hydrographic Institute, Marine Casino, military and civil buildings, residential buildings for officers and civil servants, as well as residential buildings for workers and lower grade clerks…Austrian architecture Info