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Pula, the largest city on the Istrian Peninsula in Croatia, is a major tourist destination. The most iconic landmark is the Amphitheater built by the Romans under the reign of Emperor Vespasian during the first century AD.
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Originally constructed on the outskirts of town, it now finds a place among more contemporary buildings and parks.
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The Amphitheater has been given the nickname of the Arena because of the sand covering the floor of the structure.
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According to Wikipedia, the Pula Amphitheater is the only one in the world that has all four side towers intact.
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Considering the age of the Amphitheater, it is amazing that the walls are still standing in “relatively good” condition.
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As visitors walk around and through the infrastructure, they can easily imagine long-gone attendees sitting on stone benches.
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Among the artifacts in the subterranean gallery is a wall of aged jugs.
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Built between 1929 and 1931, St. Anthony’s Church stands in sharp contrast to the Arena and would probably be considered an “architectural infant” within that comparative framework.
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Although the Amphitheater is ancient, the ability to seat 5,000 attendees enables it to serve as a venue for current film festivals, sporting events and concerts.
Another ancient structure in Pula, built between 29-27 BC, is the Roman Triumphal Arch of the Sergii which leads to Pula’s Old Town. The arch, originally constructed as a city gate, was built to commemorate the three Sergii brothers who were participants in the naval Battle of Actium.
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Old Town has a main street lined with many merchants. Closer to the center, there is a picturesque side street with a number of restaurants.
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The town center originally served as a meeting place and is currently used to host public events.
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The Temple of Augustus is pictured on the left of Forum Square. The town hall, partially shown on the right, stands where the Temple of Diana stood during medieval times.
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A number of Old Town buildings show signs of retrofitting to accommodate more modern lifestyles.
Perhaps a lesser known arch is the Porta Gemina (Twin Gates), a city gate built by the Romans between the 2nd and 3rd century as part of they city wall which had ten portals of entry.
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Next stop – Our tour of Croatia nears the end in the stunning fishing port of Rovinj!
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Rovinj
See Previous Posts in this series:
Dubrovnik, Croatia – Pearl of the Adriatic
Old Town Dubrovnik – Above it all
Old Town Dubrovnik – The Low Down
Dubrovnik from the Adriatic and Mt. Srd
Montenegro & The Walled City of Kotor
Mostar – Bosnia and Herzegovina
Coastal City of Split, Croatia
Zagreb – Capital City of Croatia
Ljubljana – Capital of Slovenia
Slovenia – Cookies, Castle, Caves and Cuisine