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Pula is a beautiful seaside town in Croatia, located in the south of the Istrian peninsula. The city is characterized by a long tradition of fishing, winemaking, shipbuilding, transit ports and tourism. It has been the administrative center of Istria since Roman times. It is the largest town in Istria County, known for its calm sea, beautiful nature and mild climate. Pula Arena is the most famous and important monument in Pula.
The mighty amphitheater was the scene of famous gladiatorial fights. The arena was built in the 1st century during the reign of Emperor Vespasian. It was built at the same time as the most famous building of its kind, the Colosseum in Rome. Pula Arena was built in an elliptical shape, the shorter axis is 100 meters long, the main axis is 130 meters long. In the middle of the arena is a level space that was a battlefield, spectators, however, stood in the gallery or sat on the stone steps. Arena was built of local limestone and could accommodate about 20,000 spectators. During the Middle Ages, knights' tournaments and fairs took place there. Today, the arena in Pula is the venue for many summer events - opera season, concerts, film festival, equestrian festival and can accommodate about 5.000 spectators. The permanent exhibition Olive Growing and Viticulture of Ancient Istria is on display in the underground spaces. These spaces were once intended for gladiators. Due to its geographical location and size, the arena is located outside the city walls. The road leading to the city was paved in the time of Emperor Vespasian, and is one of the main roads.
Other cultural and historical monuments are the Temple of Augustus, the Arc de Triomphe - the Golden Gate, the Iron and Glass Market, the Town Hall, the mosaic of the Punishment of the Race, the double gates and city walls, the Forum, the Gate of Hercules, the Church and Monastery of St. Francis, the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Orthodox Church of St. Nikola, Kastel Castle, Archaeological Museum of Istria, naval cemetery, small Roman theater, House of the Armed Forces and more. In addition to monuments, Pula has many galleries, theater - Istrian National Theater, cinema, libraries, Aquarium Pula and more.