|
|
Pula, located on southern tip of the Istrian peninsula, is something in between a busy working port, an industrial centre and an active Istrian Riviera town. Pula was once an Austro-Hungarian Empire major naval base.
The Romans captured Pula or "Pola" in Italian in 178 BC and They built the most amazing Pula amphitheater, the remains of which are still used as summer stage for various opera and pop performances, as well as for well-known Pula Film Festival, that is hosted there since 1953. The amphitheater, built at the end of first century BC, is the sixth largest amphitheater in the world, with capacity of 22, 000 people.
For tourists, Pula offers various options. There are good hotels and apartments around the city as well as in the outskirts of the city. There are good tourists facilities on the 100-km-long beach on the Istrian peninsula coastline. Just outside of the city centre, there are good swimming spots at Verudela, Stoja and Lungo. |
Pula is steeped in history. It was destroyed by Augustus, but was rebuilt by him and named Pietas Julia. In 1148, Pula was taken by the Venice Republic in and 200 years later overtaken and destroyed by Genovese. The Venetians continued to rule Pula until the Treaty of Campo Formio (1797) when Pula was transferred to Austro-Hungarian Empire. The city was surrender to Italy after World War I. Since the World War II, Pula belongs to Croatia, then one of the Yugoslav republics.
Temple of Augustus: The temple is located on the northwest side of the forum. It is made up of a larger closed cellar and a smaller vestibule open towards the square and flanked with four columns with Corinthian capitals on the front side and with one column on each lateral. Longitudinal walls of the cellar end with fluted semi-columns in the vestibule.
Archeological Museum: The museum was started when Marshal Marmont started collecting stone monuments in the Temple of Augustus in 1802. However, what gave rise to the foundation of the Pula Municipal Museum in 1902 was the discovery of stone, ceramic and metal objects in Nesactium.
Also visit the nature park at Ucka (pronounced ' uchka'). The highest peak on Ucka is Vojak that is 1400 m high. Rainfall in high in this area and therefore is abundant vegetation and animal life. While the coastal slopes of Ucka are covered in Mediterranean vegetation, other parts have oak and chestnut forests. Ucka's summit is worth to climb for the panoramic view of the Gulf of Kvarner bay. On the western side you can see the whole of Istra peninsula and if you are lucky Alps can be seen from the northern side.
|
