Its a 35 min drive from Rovinj through the stony, olive tree laden countryside to the town of Pula. A small place with a super high concentration of Roman antiquities.
The main attraction is undoubtedly the Pula Arena, a beautifully preserved Roman amphitheater on the waterfront right on the edge of town. It is truly stunning, you basically drive up and park in its shadow.
Rosie and the Operator arrived early, too early, one hour early. Rosie was working from their summer opening hours, they had just changed to their winter openings. Never mind said The Operator we will go for a walk around the outside of it and you can take pics.
We leisurely circled the arena taking pics through the tall arches and of the stone work, trying to get the best angle in the morning light and the artiest shots Rosie could muster.
After that we didn’t really need to go in. Rosie felt guilty, there was plenty to see from the outside looking in and Rosie smugly got all the money shots she needed. Lets face it, same views from the inside looking out….and no bus tour hordes to compete with…yes, they were just pulling up. We completed our leisurely full circle of the arena and walked past the doors as they opened at 0900.
Disclaimer – Rosie does appreciate that entrance fees help to maintain and preserve these beautiful structures and monuments for future generations to appreciate and marvel over. Rosie is not a disgruntled tourist complaining about how much things cost to visit, (cue hoards of moaning pommie accents) Rosie feels most fees are reasonable and is happy to pay them…..not today though…..apologies if the Pula Arena collapses due to Rosie and The Operator not paying for pictures.
Cant imagine that happening though…this arena has been standing for over 2000 years having been built in the 1st Century AD! It is the sixth largest Roman amphitheater in the world and during its heyday was on the Roman gladiatorial games circuit and seated 20,000 people. Beneath the fighting ring were subterranean chambers for exotic animals to be held in and elevators for them to pop up into the ring and surprise gladiators.
In the 5th century the new Roman Emperorer Honorius banned gladiatorial games and the arena was abandoned. Over the centuries it was neglected; declining and disintegrating over time until the 19th century when it was resurrected and appreciated as the antiquity it is. Now Rosie feels really guilty about not paying an entry fee. Today the arena is a stage for cultural events and the annual Pula Film Festival.
The arena sits on the edge of the old town and it was a short walk to the town square where we sat and had a coffee whilst we checked out the information on the other sights in the town given to us by the town tourist office.
We didnt have to go far, across the square sits the temple of Augustus, the oldest building in Croatia! Built in 27 BC, Serious! Can you believe it! This temple was dedicated to and built during the reign of Romes first Emperor, Augustus.
Up close it is magnificently pitted with age, look closely at the fascia and you can just make out the faded dedication inscription carved millennium ago. It translates in English…To Roma and Caesar Augustus, the son of a deity, the father of the homeland.
This is a tiny compact wee temple it kind of stands taller than it is wide giving it a brooding overbearing look with the shadowy portico. Up the steps we went to the hugely high door, the portico, bizarrely actually has mysterious black curtains hanging from the ceiling. We peeped inside the partially opened door and the room was relatively small, it has an art exhibition inside, look closely at the people sitting here.
This amazing temple over time has been transformed into many different uses depending on who was ruling the town or country at the time. It has been used the longest as a place of worship, and as a church had many different denominations, it has also been used as a grain store.
The Operator noticed a huge rust coloured ship looming behind this temple, this ship was actually getting built here in the docks along with a couple of others.
Rosie had read about an amazing Roman floor mosaic that had been uncovered in this town. Tripadvisor reviews were saying it was super hard to find and really random in how you accessed it. Some said you had to go through a sports shoe shop and out their back door as a helpful tip. Sounds like a challenge Rosie and The Operator like.
First up it is listed on the town tourist information map, so we know the basic vicinity and street. Look said Rosie, there is the sports shop we must have to go through out the back door that everyone was talking about. How about we just go through this door said The Operator. In front of us was a door with the sign Roman Mosaic and ENTRANCE …leading down its own wee corridor to I assume….the mosaic. What are people like! Rosie was deflated the adventure just turned into a non event.
Hold on Rosie, we haven’t got there yet. Down the alley we went which wound behind some shops, we stepped out into an enclosed backyard type area behind the buildings and there housed under a carport with jail bars in the front of it for protection, in a pit below ground level is an amazingly preserved Roman floor mosaic.
Called The Punishment of Dirce it was discovered two meters underground during the clearing up of bombing rubble after WW2. It is so beautifully preserved and woefully displayed due to its unfortunate location in modern Pula. A moldy stain runs down the wall on the far side of the mosaic as water from the rooftops leaks down and pools on this ancient floor…..
The Old Town of Pula is compact and easily walked, a beautiful avenue of trees takes you into the modern shopping area, the area was buzzing and the day was fine and warm.
To get to it you must pass through the Triumphanal Arch of The Sergeii. Back in the day, you guessed it, around 27BC the three brothers Sergeii returned home to Pula after fighting for Rome in the Emperors campaigns.
The town built an arch in their honour and here it still stands today…over two thousand years after they rode through it on horseback, the pride of the town. Imagine how many people have walked through that arch since then…it gives Rosie chills touching the beautifully aged stone. Just mind blowing!
Looping back to our car park by the arena we pass through a home show market in full swing under the shadow of the amphitheater, its just amazes me that ordinary life has carried on through the millennia and this structure has borne silent witness to all events since….OK a bit dramatic Rosie, but wow, just wow.
That is Pula done and dusted after a mornings wanderings, on the way home to Rovinj we are calling into the even smaller town of Bale, recommended to us as a pretty little ‘must stop if passing’ by a waiter in Rovinj.
