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Pola is the largest city in Istria County, Croatia, best known for its many surviving ancient Roman buildings, the most famous of which is its 1st-century amphitheater (Arena), which is among the six largest surviving Roman arenas in the world.
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CROATIA 14 Pola
Greek tradition attributed the foundation of Polai to the Colchians, mentioned in the context of the story of Jason and Medea, who had stolen the Golden Fleece. The Colchians, who had chased Jason into the northern Adriatic, were unable to catch him and ended up settling in a place they called Polai, signifying "city of refuge" In historic times Pola first appears as a Roman town. It is said to have been destroyed by Augustus on account of its adherence to the party of Brutus and Cassius, and it was re-founded by him under the name "Pietas Julia" as a monument of his reverence for the first Caesar, a colony of his soldiers being settled here on land taken from the older inhabitants
Saint Anthony Church Bell Tower Of Saint Anthony Church
The Arena, the 6th largest surviving Roman amphitheatre. Towering over the nearby buildings this huge structure was barely saved from destruction several times during its life, mostly by various Venetians with plans to take it to Venice stone by stone as demonstration of the might of the Venetian empire
Many stones were taken to build houses and other structures around Pula, but fortunately this practice was stopped before the whole structure was destroyed
Senator Gabriele Emo successfully opposed the destruction of the amphitheatre and, as a sign of gratitude, the citizens of Pola placed a celebratory inscription and his coat of arms on one of the towers. By mere coincidence in that same period the Colosseo was close to being pulled down by Pope Sixtus V who wanted to open a new street across it. The project was eventually abandoned
S. Maria in Canneto, built by St. Maximian, the archbishop of Ravenna under whom so many buildings were erected in that city during the reign of Justinian. S. Maria in Canneto was consecrated in 546
Porta Gemina (Twin Gate) was a decorative entrance to Pola. It was most likely built in the 2nd century AD, when the wall enclosure had the mere purpose of marking the legal boundary of the town. The Venetians, in order to strengthen the defences of the town, closed Porta Gemina
The size and position of the Hercules Gate indicate that it was built together with the walls in the first century BC
Hercules Gate - circular tower next to the gate After destruction of Western Roman Empire, Istrian peninsula was devastated by Ostrogoths. Slavs came in Istria during migration period in 7th century but mostly lived on countryside. At that time Pula was still inhabited mostly by Italians
Small Roman Theater: in addition to the Amphitheater, Pula had two other theaters during the Roman period.
The Sergii Gate (Golden gate) The “Golden Gate” was erected between the years 29 and 27 BC by the Sergi family, in honor of three members of the family who held important positions in Pula at that time. Today numerous cultural performances, theatrical and musical, are held on the square next to the Arch. The adjacent street is a shopping area
The Sergii Gate (Golden gate) This triumphal arch leaned against the city gate Porta Aurea thus called because of its richly ornamented arch or gilded elements
Pola is the largest city in Istria County, situated at the southern tip of the Istria peninsula, with a population of 57,460 The Forum is the main square in the center of the city. The square is built on the place of the ancient Roman forum
On the square there is city hall that was built in 10th century (parts of an old temple were used for the building as it can be seen on the rear side of the hall)
The Temple of Augustus, situated in the Forum, dedicated to goddess Roma and Emperor Augustus. It was constructed between the year 2 BC and AD 14 when the Emperor died
The function of the Temple changed through the years: with the ending of the pagan ancient era its original pagan function ceased and the temple was afterwards used as a church, granary, and in the beginning of the 19th century it was a museum for stone monuments. In 1944 it was hit by a bomb and completely destroyed. It was reconstructed between the years 1945 and 1947 and nowadays it houses a collection of ancient stone and bronze sculptures
The Irish writer James Joyce lived in Pola with his wife Nora in 1904. He taught languages to Austro-Hungarian naval officers at the local Berlitz school. The Joyces lived in Pola for only one year before moving north to Trieste
Landlords in Pula changed quite frequently in middle ages from republic of Venice to Genoa to Illyrian Provinces to Austria–Hungary and many others. Pula was a principal port of the Austro-Hungarian navy during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Between 1918 and 1947, the town was part of Italy and since the end of the Second World War it has been part of Croatia
The naval church of Our Lady of the sea, built from 1891 to 1898, is located on the hill of St. Polycarp.
The main portal is of neo-Romanesque characteristics, with jutting gable supported by columns tied symbolically in a mariners' knot, the so-called Samson's knot and resting on semi-recumbent lions
The naval church of Our Lady of the sea is located on the hill of St. Polycarp
A mosaic of Madonna with Angels decorates the lunette of the portal
Maximilian Daublebsky von Sterneck initiated its construction - as the garrison Catholic Church of the Austro-Hungarian Navy in then Pola.
The belfry stands separate from the church and the top of it is accented with a bronze figure of an angel
Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Within the city, along the main street that from Flavia Street leads to the Forum, stands the Cathedral of Pula. It was built at the site where Christians gathered already in the time of their persecution (until the 4th century). With the ages it grew larger and assumed its present-day shape in the 5th century
