Hill
There is a hill in the middle of the old town, surrounded by the streets of Castropola and Cararina. Once upon a time there was an Illyrian settlement on it, in Roman times - Capitoline Hill, and during the early Christian period there was a church here. The medieval rulers of Pula built a fortress on the hill (castle), enlarged and rebuilt during the reign of the Venetians.
historical Museum – The Historical Museum of Istria is located in the fortress (History Museum of Istria; castle, the. Garden climb 6, tel./fax 052/211566; pn.-nd. 8.00-20.00, winter 9.00-17.00); from ul. Castropola leads to it along ul. Garden climb. The facility exhibited, among others. shipyard documents, ship models and photos. Watching the old fortifications, it is worth looking at the extensive one, although it must be admitted not very thrilling, the panorama of Pula.
Archeological museum – There's a second one on the hillside, very interesting Archaeological Museum of Istria (Archaeological Museum of Istria; the. Carrara 3, tel.052/218603; pn.-sb. 9.00-20.00, off season Mon-Fri. 9.00-14.30, sb. i nd. after prior notification by phone), occupying the building of the former German-speaking gymnasium. The museum collects relics related to the earliest history of the peninsula – from the earliest times, through the Roman period up to the Middle Ages. Behind the museum are the remains of a small Roman theater from the 2nd century AD. with fragments of the audience and proscenium.
Historic gates – The Archaeological Museum is entered through the Double Gate (Double doors), built at the turn of the 2nd and 3rd centuries. In Roman times, the road led through it to the amphitheater. Near, between the remains of two round medieval towers stands the Gate of Hercules (Hercules' door), much older than the previous one - from the middle of the 1st century. p.n.e. A small building made of raw stone is decorated with the image of Hercules.
Amphitheater
This monumental building was erected by the Romans in the first century. neither., during the reign of Emperor Vespasian, outside the then city. Gladiator fights were organized in the amphitheater, also with wild animals, at the beginning of Christianity, believers of the new faith died here; the audience could accommodate over 20 thousand. viewers. W V w. it was intended for commercial purposes. After the annexation of Pula to the Venetian Republic, many buildings were plundered, by transporting their fragments to Venice, but the amphitheater happily avoided dismantling – only a few stone slabs flowed across the sea.
The building has an oval shape (100 on 130 m) and is the sixth largest surviving Roman amphitheater. Two storeys of arcades and a storey with rectangular openings form an openwork high wall 33 m, inside which the arena was built, benches for the public, rooms for staff and gladiators and animal cages. The stairs for the public are hidden in four towers.
The historic amphitheater turns into a stage for opera performances in summer, concerts, film screenings and other cultural events.
During the tour, you can see an exhibition about the cultivation of olives and vines in Istria in ancient times (amphitheater; the. Flavivian, tel.052/219028; 8.00-21.00, winter 9.00-17.00).
To the east of the city, the Medulin Lagoon cuts into the coast of Istria. Its surroundings are a popular summer recreation area. Medulin is here, and on a long peninsula separated from the mainland by a lagoon – Oppressive. Buses from Pula go to both. At the end of the peninsula, after Premantura there is Cape Kamenjak – the southernmost point of Istria.
The lagoon area is approx. 80 km of beaches, and the coast is full of small coves and peninsulas. There are tiny islands on the shore.
Tourist agencies operating in Pula offer trips to various regions of Istria and Croatia, e.g.. to the nearby National Park Brijuni or the Plitvice Lakes. You can also go to Venice, Punishment, Postojna cave or a boat trip.
There are several cycling routes around Pula. Please ask for the Istra Bike map at the tour desk. Southern lstra, containing descriptions of eight nearby bicycle routes.
The closest surroundings of the city help to get to know the route no 8 (ok. 37 km), starting near the amphitheater. It leads to the tourist district of Stoji (next to the campsite They stand), then it leads along the seashore to the tourist resort of Zlate Stijene (near the Hotel Splendid). At the Veruda marina, the route turns east, making a loop along the eastern outskirts of Pula. Another part of the route, to the village of Loborika, runs along an asphalt road towards Labin and Rijeka. Turn left in Loborice, on a gravel road to Galiżana. This is where you go (towards Pula) along the road through the village of Kantier to Stancije Rebar (to the E751 road). Then take the gravel road to Stancija Barbo, on to Stinjan (village at the entrance to the bay, where Pula is located) and to Veli Vrh, the western suburbs of Pula. We need to go back to the amphitheater, unfortunately, drive through the city.
From mid-June to mid-September, Opera Festival performances take place every few days in the amphitheater. At the beginning of July, theater groups participating in the International Theater Festival come to Pula, and in the second half of July, the International Festival of Croatian and European Film takes place. The International Young Theater Festival, which begins in the first half of July, lasts until September. At the beginning of September there is a city festival – fiesta of st. Thomas. In July and August you can come to the Forum or the castle, to listen to one of the music concerts (classic, jazz and other genres). The International Music Festival takes place in November.