Roman Remains in Pula
Pula is the largest city in Istria County, in Croatia. Located at the tip of the Istrian Peninsula, it is an important touristic center with a strong tradition of winemaking, fishing and shipbuilding, with tame sea and unspoiled nature. Settlements around Pula date back to the neolithic period, and hill top fortifications have existed since the Bronze Age. The city has been a colony of the Roman Empire, impressive architectural evidence thereof remaining today.
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Among the many surviving Roman structures, Pula prides on its magnificent 1st century amphiteatre, or the Arena, a structure comparable to the Colosseum in Rome. Among the sic largest surviving Roman arenas in the world, the Pula arena is the only remaining Roman amphitheatre with 4 side towers and displaying all 3 Roman architectural orders entirely preserved, the simple Greek round Doric, the scroll shaped Ionic and the vegetal Corinthic. The perfect eliptical structure has a limestone exterior wall, 3 stories facing the sea and 2 stories on the opposite side, since it was built on a slope. The stories are perforated by a vast number of rectangular and round arch openings. Each of the towers housed two cisterns filled with perfumed water, which fed a fountain and would be sprinkled on the spectators. Large sails would cover the arena to protect the spectators from rain or direct sunlight. The structure serves as an outstanding example for the study of ancient building techniques, from its support systems to the ancient tribunes, exit ways and underground passages. The amphitheatre, set against the background of the sea and harbor, would host gladiator fights in Roman Times, Knight Tournaments in the Middla Ages and today hosts film festivals.
Also remarkable is the 1st century triumphal arch, the Arch of the Sergii, originally a city gate. It bears the name of the Sergii as a symbol of their victory at Actium, a frieze with cupids, garlands and bucrania, supported by Corinthian capital columns and winged victories and a horse drawn war chariot. The decoration is mainly of late Hellenistic origin, with major oriental influences.
The well-preserved temple of Augustus, was built sometime between the 2nd century BC and the 14th century AD, on a podium with a tetrastyle gallery porch of Corinthian columns, supporting a richly decorated frieze. The temple serves as a lapidarium for displaying Roman sculptures.
Other Ancient Roman sites are the mid-2nd century Twin Gates, an archway of columns, architrave and frieze, the 1st century Gate of Hercules, bearing a high relief of the legendary hero's bearded head, the temple of Roma and Augustus, adjacent to the 13th century Renaissance and Baroque Communal Palace, two Roman theaters.
Roman paving stones cover the city's old quarter of narrow streets, lined with picturesque Medieval and Renaissance buildings.
