PULA

Pula (tal. Pola) je grad u Hrvatskoj, najveći grad Istarske županije. Leži na jugozapadnom području istarskog poluotoka u dobro zaštićenom zaljevu. Talijanski naziv za Pulu je Pola, a dolazi od starog rimskog imena Provincia Iulia Pola Polentia Herculanea.

Poznata je, kao i ostatak regije, po svojoj blagoj klimi, mirnome moru i netaknutoj prirodi. Grad ima dugu tradiciju vinarstva, ribarstva, brodogradnje i turizma, a ujedno je i tranzitna luka. Pula je administrativni centar Istre još od rimskoga doba.

Danas u užem gradskom području živi oko 67.000 stanovnika, no područje koje mu dnevno gravitira, a spletom okolnosti nije i administrativno uključeno u sastav Grada, iako, zapravo, čini njegov sastavni dio, broji više od 100.000 stanovnika. Svrstava ga to, nakon Zagreba, Splita, Rijeke i Osijeka na peto mjesto po broju stanovnika među hrvatskim gradovima.

Gradska naselja
Gradu Pula pripadaju 2 naselja (stanje 2006), to su: Pula – Pola i Štinjan.

Povijest
Najranija povijest Pule počinje u 5. stoljeću pr. Kr. kada je zabilježena najranija stalna naseobina. Grad su osnovali ilirsko pleme Histra, najstarije stanovništvo koje je prebivalo u Istri.

U 1 stoljeću nove ere podignuta je značajna rimska naseobina (Colonia Pietas Iulia Pola). Nakon pada Zapadnog Rimskog Carstva, gradom su vladali Ostrogoti, Bizantinci, Franci i Mlečani. U 7. stoljeću zabilježen je prvi dolazak Slavena na ova područja. Daljnja povijest grada nastavila je odražavati njegovoj položaj i značenje, posebice onaj u regiji, u krojenju granica među europskim silama.

Talijanski pjesnik Dante Alighieri spominje Pulu u svojoj Božanskoj komediji: come a Pola, presso del Carnaro ch'Italia chiude e i suoi termini bagna (... i ko što su [grobne rake] kod Pule, blizu žala, gdje Kvarner među Italije pere, ...; Pakao IX, 113-114). Iako je u Danteovo vrijeme političko ujedinjenje Italije bilo pusti san, ovaj citat je važan jer se u njemu po prvi put pojavilo pitanje istočne granice, a podržavao je i kasnije opravdanje talijanskih težnji na regiju.

Pula i Istra su došle pod austrijsku vlast 1848., te su postale dijelom Austro-Ugarskog Carstva pripojene "Küstenlandu". Tijekom toga razdoblja velika prirodna pulska luka postala je mjesto austrijske glavne pomorske baze i glavno središte brodogradnje. Otok Mali Lošinj južno od Pule postao je ljetna odmorišna rezidencija austrijske kraljevske obitelji Habsburg.

Nakon propasti Austro-Ugarske 1918., Pula je uz cijelu Istru postala dijelom Italije čija je vlast trajala do kraja Drugog svjetskog rata. Nekoliko godina nakon rata Pulom su upravljali Ujedinjeni narodi zajedno s američkim vojnim snagama. U to vrijeme Istra je bila podijeljena na okupacijske zone sve do ujedinjenja s ostatkom Hrvatske u granicama Socijalističke Federativne Republike Jugoslavije (SFRJ).

Gotovo svi građani talijanskog podrijetla koji su činili 90% stanovništva napustili su grad kada je potpao pod Jugoslaviju. Posljedica tome bilo je mijenjanje službenog naziva u Pulu. Od propasti SFRJ, Pula i Istra postali su dijelovi moderne Hrvatske.

Znamenitosti

ArenaGrad je najpoznatiji po svojim sačuvanim antičkim rimskim građevinama od kojih je najpoznatiji amfiteatar iz prvog stoljeća, šesti po veličini u svijetu, a popularno zvan Arena. Jedan je od najbolje sačuvanih amfiteatara iz antike te se još danas koristi tijekom ljetnih filmskih festivala i raznih kulturnih priredbi. Druge dvije značajne i dobro očuvane građevine jesu trijumfalni luk, Slavoluk Sergijevaca i Augustov hram iz 1. stoljeća kojega je dao sagraditi rimski car August. Još se uvijek može šetati kroz staru gradsku četvrt s uskim ulicama išaranima sa srednjovjekovnim i renesansnim zgradama, a popločene antičkim rimskim pločama.

Kultura
Kao rezultat svoje bogate političke povijesti, Pula je grad s kulturnom mješavinom ljudi i jezika s Mediterana i srednje Europe, iz antike i suvremenosti. Pulska arhitektura odražava te povijesne slojeve. Stanovnici su obično vični stranim jezicima, posebice talijanskom, a često i njemačkom i engleskom. 1904. i 1905. irski pisac James Joyce živio je, radio i pisao u Puli. U isto vrijeme na Brijunskim otocima je radio liječnik i mikrobiolog Robert Koch.

Muzeji

Arheološki muzej Istre
Povijesni muzej Istre
Amfiteatar
Augustov hram
Nezakcij
u planu: Muzej moderne i suvremene umjetnosti Istre; Muzej tiskarstva; Pomorski muzej
Knjižnice

Sveučilišna knjižnica u Puli
Gradska knjižnica i čitaonica Pula: Središnja knjižnica, Knjižnica Veruda, Knjižnica Vodnjan, Knjižnica Žminj, Dječja knjižnica
Kazališta

Istarsko narodno kazalište - Gradsko kazalište Pula
MILK - Malo istarsko lutkarsko kazalište
Kazalište Dr. Inat
Kina

Kino Zagreb
Kinoteka INK
Ljetno kino Kaštel
Kulturno umjetnička društva

OKUD-Istra
KUD Matko Brajša Rašan
KUD Uljanik
KUD Lino Mariani
Rock, pop i zabavna glazba

Atomsko sklonište
KUD Idijoti
Nola
Klubovi

Klub Uljanik
Aruba club
Monte Serpente
Pietas Iulia
Metamedia
Monteparadiso
Imperial
Zen
E&D
Rock Caffe
Cabahia
Podroom
Actors Studio
Peti element

Turizam
Prirodna ljepota pulske okolice i tirkizno plavoga Jadranskoga mora učinili su grad međunarodno popularnim ljetnim odmorišnim odredištem. Obližnji biser je nacionalni park Brijuni kojeg su posjetili mnogi svjetski vođe dok je još bio ljetna rezidencija vremešnog državnika Josipa Broza. Rimske vile i hramovi još uvijek leže zakopani među obradivim poljima i duž obale nekoliko okolnih ribarskih i poljodjelskih naselja. Obalne vode nude plaže, ribarenje, ronjenje do olupina antičkih rimskih galija i ratnih brodova iz Prvog svjetskog rata, te plovidba u netaknute špilje i velike i male otoke.

Pula je završna točka biciklističke rute EuroVelo 9 koja ide od Gdanjska na Baltičkome moru kroz Poljsku, Češku, Austriju, Sloveniju i Hrvatsku.

Na obližnjim morskim obalama mogu se vidjeti otisci dinosaura od kojih su zasigurno važni pronalasci napravljeni na neotkrivenom mjestu pored Bala.

Promet
Pula ima međunarodnu Zračnu luku Pula koja ponovno postaje jako prometno središte. Prije 1990. godine pulska je zračna luka imala više od 700.000 putnika godišnje. Obližnje međunarodne zračne luke jesu Trst, Rijeka, Ljubljana i Zagreb.

Željeznički promet je danas u Puli slabo razvijen, izuzev županijskog željezničkog prijevoza kojim se u Pulu i obrnuto iz velikog dijela Istre svakodnevno vozi priličan broj putnika (Pula-Lupoglav). Razlog tomu je činjenica da Pula nije izravno povezana s ostatkom hrvatskog sustava željeznica, već se u druge dijelove Hrvatske mora putovati preko Slovenije. Planirana gradnja željezničkog tunela kroz Učku trebala bi doskočiti i tom problemu.

Istočnim krakom Istarskog ipsilona spojena je na mrežu hrvatskih autocesta, a zapadnim krakom iste poluautoceste izravno je spojena sa slovenskim autocestama, dakle, čitavim sustavom autocesta EU. U tijeku je širenje Istarskog ipsilona u puni profil autoceste.

Javni gradski prijevoz održava Pulapromet, svakim danom od 05:00 do 23:00 sata, na 11 gradskih i 12 prigradskih linija.

U prošlosti je u Puli vozio električni tramvaj, koji je ukinut 1934. godine.

Obrazovanje
Osnovne Škole:

Osnovna škola Veli Vrh
Osnovna škola Šijana
Osnovna škola Centar
Osnovna škola Tone Peruška
Osnovna škola Kaštanjer
Osnovna škola Monte Zaro
Osnovna škola Veruda
Osnovna škola Vidikovac
Osnovna škola Giuseppine Martinuzzi
Osnovna škola Stoja
Privatna osnovna škola Jurja Dobrile
Osnovna glazbena škola Ivana Matetića Ronjgova
Škola za odgoj i obrazovanje Pula
Srednje škole:

Gimnazija Pula
Privatna gimnazija Jurja Dobrile
Gimnazija i srednja škola Dante Alighieri
Strukovna škola Pula
Industrijsko - obrtnička škola Pula
Tehnička škola Pula
Medicinska škola Pula
Ekonomska škola Pula
Škola primjenjenih umjetnosti i dizajna Pula
Škola za turizam, ugostiteljstvo i trgovinu Pula
Srednja glazbena škola Ivana Matetića Ronjgova
Škola za odgoj i obrazovanje Pula
Visoka učilišta:

Sveučilište u Puli
Filozofski fakultet u Puli
Fakultet ekonomije i turizma dr. Mijo Mirković, Pula
Visoka učiteljska škola u Puli
Visoka tehnička škola u Puli - Politehnički studij
Viša trenerska škola u Puli

Sport
U gradu djeluju:

nogometni klubovi "NK Istra","NK Istra 1961" (igra u 2.HNL),"NK Pula ICI","NK Veli Vrh"
boćarski klubovi "Olimpija" i "Uljanik"...
Hrvački klub "Istarski borac"
vaterpolski klubovi "UPAS Jadrograd","Pula"
Veslački klub Istra
košarkaški klubovi "Istra" i "Stoja"
Odbojkaški klub Pula OTP banka
jedriličarski klubovi Uljanik i Vega
atletski klub Istra
Rukometni klub "Arena"
stolnoteniski klubovi Istra i Arena
Boksački klub Pula
Plivački klubovi "Pula" i "Arena"
Udruga za promicanje amaterskog sporta (UPAS)
Košarkaški klub "Pula 1981"

Gradski kvartovi i naselja
Arena, Busoler, Centar, Dolinka, Fižela, Gregovica, Ilirija (ind.zona), Kaštanjer, Kaštel, Monte Ghiro (centralno groblje), Monte Magno, Monte Zaro, Monte Šerpo, Monvidal, Padulj, Pješčana Uvala, Punta, Stoja, Sisplac (Streljana), Šijana, Šikići, Šišansko Naselje, Škatari, Štinjan, Šurida, Tivoli, Valdebek, Valelunga, Valkane, Valsaline, Valmade, Valvidal, Veli Vrh, Vergarola, Veruda, Veruda Porat, Verudela, Vidikovac, Zelenika

Obližnji gradovi i naselja
Bale/Valle
Brijuni/Brioni
Fažana/Fasana
Galižana/Gallesano
Ližnjan/Lisignano
Medulin/Medolino
Pomer/Pomero
Premantura/Promontore
Šišan/Sissano
Valtura/Altura
Vodnjan/Dignano
Valbandon
Vinkuran

Poznate osobe
Mate Balota / Mijo Mirković - hrvatski književnik i znanstvenik
Alida Valli - poznata glumica, među ostalim odigrala glavnu ž. ulogu u filmu Treći čovjek, rođena je u Puli
Miroslav Bertoša - hrvatski povjesničar
Boris Biletić - hrvatski književnik
Antoine De Ville - francuski arhitekt
Sergio Endrigo - talijanski kantautor, rođen 1933. godine u Puli
fra Jakov iz Pule - arhitekt i graditelj
Vinko Jelovac - hrvatski košarkaš i trener
James Joyce - irski pisac, predavao engleski u Puli
Krisp - sin rimskog cara Konstantina Velikog, ubijen 326. u Puli
Filippa Lacea Illirica - pjesnikinja
Matko Laginja - hrvatski političar i književnik
Luigi Mioni - fotograf
Antun Motika - hrvatski slikar, rođen 1902. godine u Puli
Daniel Načinović - hrvatski književnik
Tamara Obrovac - pjevačica i skladateljica
Johann Palisa - austrijski astronom, vodio Mornaričku zvjezdarnicu u Puli
Herman Potočnik Noordung - slovenski inženjer za raketnu tehnologiju i pionir astronautike, rođen 1892. godine u Puli
Georg von Trapp - austrijski pomorski junak, prema njegovom životu snimljen film Moje pjesme, moji snovi
Miklós Horthy - admiral, posljednji zapovjednik austro-ugarske flote, mađarski regent, živio u Puli između 1901 i 1918.
Egidije Bulešić - kandidat za sveca, časni sluga Božji, humanitarni djelatnik, mornar, brodski tehnički crtač.
Maximilian Njegovan - admiral, zapovjednik austro-ugarske ratne mornarice i šef Odjela mornarice Ministarstva rata 1917.-1918.
Slavko Zlatić - hrvatski skladatelj i muzikolog
Dragan Velikić - književnik, odrastao je u Puli, koja je mjesto radnje u većini njegovih romana

Gradovi pobratimi/prijatelji/partneri/suradnici
Povelje o bratimljenju:

Graz (od 1972., suradnja od 1961.)
Trier (od 1971.)
Imola (od 1972.)
Verona (od 1982.)
Kranj
Čabar (od 1974.)
Varaždin (od 1979.)
Hekinan (od 2007.)
Ostali oblici suradnje:

Segedin (Pismo namjere o suradnji iz 2003.)
Veles (Nacrt sporazuma o prijateljstvu i kulturnoj suradnji iz 2002.)
Novorossijsk (Protokol o suradnji i bratimljenju iz 1997.)
Jake prijateljske veze i stalni kontakti se održavaju i sa ovim gradovima:

Beč
više gradova iz Štajerske
Pečuh
Brno
Villefranche-de-Rouergue (mjesto hrvatskog ustanka, suradnja od 2005.)

 

PULA

Pula (Italian Pola (the city has an official Croatian-Italian bilingualism [1]); Istriot Pula, Slovenian Pulj) is the largest city in Istria, situated at the southern tip of the peninsula, with a population of 62,080 (2006).

Like the rest of the region, it is known for its mild climate, tame sea, and unspoiled nature. The city has a long tradition of winemaking, fishing, shipbuilding, and tourism. Pula has also been Istria's administrative center since ancient Roman times.

Population
Pula is the largest city in Istria county, with a metropolitan area of 90,000 people. The city itself has 62,080 residents (2005), while the metropolitan area includes Barban (2,802 residents), Fažana (3,050 residents), Ližnjan (2,945 residents), Marčana (3,903 residents), Medulin (6,004 residents), Svetvinčenat (2,218 residents) and Vodnjan (5,651 residents).

Its population density is 1,093.27 residents/km², ranking Pula fifth in Croatia.

Its birth rate is 1.795 per cent and its mortality rate is 1.014 per cent (in 2001 466 people were born and 594 deceased), with a natural population decrease of -0.219 per cent and vital index of 78.45.

The majority of its citizens are Croats representing 71.65% of the population (2001 census). Ethnic minorities and their composition is as follows: 3,415 Serbs (5.83 per cent), 2,824 Italians (4.82 per cent), 980 Bosnians (1.67 per cent), 731 Slovenians (1.25 per cent) and the rest belong to other minor ethnic communities.[2]

Geography
The city lies on and beneath seven hills (Monte Zaro, Monte Serpente, Monte Ghiro, Monte Magno, Monte Paradiso, Monte Rizzi and Monte Vidal), on the inner part of a wide gulf and a naturally well-protected port (depth up to 38 m) open to the northwest with two entrances: from the sea and through Fažana channel.

Today, Pula's geographical area amounts to 5,165 ha, 4,150 ha on land and 1,015 ha at sea, bounded from the north by islands Sv. Jerolim and Kozada, city areas Štinjan, Veli Vrh and Šijanic forest; from the east area Monteserpo, Valmade, Busoler and Valdebek; from the south with the old gas works, commercial port Veruda and island Veruda; and from the west Verudela, Lungomare and Musil.

Like the rest of the region it is known for its mild climate, tame sea, and unspoiled nature with an average insolation of 2,316 hours per year or 6.3 hours a day, with an average air temperature of 13.2°C (6.1°C in February to 26.4°C in July and August) and sea oscillation from 7°C to 26°C.

History

Pre-history

The Arena (colosseum) in PulaHuman remains, dating back to 1 million years B.C., have been found in the cave of Sandalj near Pula [3]. Pottery from the Neolithic period (6000-2000 B.C.), indicating human settlement, have been found around Pula.

The city's earliest recorded permanent habitation dates back to the 10th century BC. It was founded by the Illyrian tribe of the Histri, an ancient people that lived in Istria.

The town was known to early Greek voyagers, since its founding was attributed to the Colchis. It was mentioned in the mythological story of Jason and Medea, who had stolen the golden fleece. The Colchis, who had chased Jason into the northern Adriatic, were unable to catch him and ended up settling in the region where the Illyric tribe lived. They called the place Polai, signifying "city of refuge". Greek pottery and a part of a statue of Apollo have been found, attesting to the presence of the Greek culture.

Ancient period
The Istrian peninsula was conquered by the Romans in 177 B.C., starting a period of Romanization. The town was elevated to colonial rank between 46-45 B.C. . During that time the town grew and had at its zenith a population of about 30,000 It became a significant Roman port with a large surrounding area under its jurisdiction. During the civil war of 42 B.C. of the triumvirate of Octavian, Mark Antony and Lepidus against Caesar's assassins Brutus and Cassius, the town took the side of Cassius, since the town had been founded by Cassius Longinus, brother of Cassius. After Octavian's victory, the town was demolished. It was soon rebuilt at the request of Octavian's daughter Iulia and was then called Colonia Pietas Iulia Pola Pollentia Herculanea'. Great classical constructions were built of which a few remain. The Romans also supplied the city with a water supply and sewage systems. They fortified the city with a wall with ten gates. A few of these gates still remain : the triumphal Arch of the Sergii, the Gate of Hercules (in which the names of the founders of the city are engraved) and the Twin Gates. During the reign of emperor Septimius Severus the name of the town was changed into "Res Publica Polensis"

In 425 A.D. the town became the center of a bishopric, attested by the remains of foundations of a few religious buildings.

Middle Ages
After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the city and region were destroyed by the Ostrogoths. Their rule ended about 60 years later, when Pula came under the rule of the Exarchate of Ravenna (540-751). During this period Pula prospered and became the major port of the Byzantine fleet. The cathedral and the Mary of Formosa church date from this period.

The first arrival of the Slavs in the environs of the town dates to the 7th century, but they never really settled the city, which always kept its Italian soul. The history of the city continued to reflect its location and significance, like that of the region, in the redrawing of borders between European powers.

From 788 on Pula was ruled by the Frankish kingdom under Charlemagne. Pula became the seat of the elective counts of Istria until 1077. The town was taken in 1148 by the Venetians and in 1150 Pula swore allegiance to the Republic of Venice, thus becoming a Venetian possession. For centuries thereafter, the city's fate and fortunes were tied to those of Venetian power. It was conquered by the Pisans in 1192 but soon reconquered by the Venetians.

In 1238 Pope Gregory IX formed an alliance between Genoa and Venice against the Empire, and consequently against Pisa too. As Pula had sided with the Pisans, the city was sacked by the Venetians in 1243. It was destroyed again in 1267 and again in 1397 when the Genoese defeated the Venetians in a naval battle.

Pula then slowly went into decline. This decay was accelerated by the infighting of local families : the ancient Roman Sergi family and the Ionotasi (1258-1271) and the clash between Venice and Genoa for the control of the city and its harbour (late 13th - 14 th century).

Pula is quoted by the Italian poet Dante Alighieri, who had visited Pula, in the Divine Comedy: "come a Pola, presso del Carnaro ch'Italia chiude e i suoi termini bagna" or "as Pula, along the Quarnero, that marks the end of Italy and bathes its boundaries". The "Istarski Razvod" (1325), dates from this same period. This is a crucial Croatian manuscript written in Latin, German, and Croatian, using the oldest Croatian alphabet called Glagolitic alphabet.

Venetian, Napoleonic and early Habsburg rule
Venetians took over Pula in 1331 and would rule the city until 1797. During the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries, Pula was attacked and occupied by the Genoese, a Croatian-Hungarian army and the Habsburgs; several outlying medieval settlements and towns were destroyed. In addition to war, the plague, malaria and typhoid ravaged the city. By the 1750s there were only 300 inhabitants left in the city.

With the collapse of the Venetian Republic in 1797, when Venice was beaten by the army of Napoleon, the city became part of the Habsburg Monarchy. It was invaded in 1805 after the French had beaten the Austrians. It was included in the French Empire's puppet Kingdom of Italy, then placed directly under the French Empire's Illyrian Provinces.

Austro-Hungarian and Fascist rule
In 1813, Pula and Istria were restored to the Austrian Empire (later the Austro-Hungarian Empire), and became part of the Austrian Littoral crown land. During this period Pula regained prosperity. From 1859 Pula's large natural harbor became Austria's main naval base and a major shipbuilding center. The city transformed from a small city with a a fading antique splendor into an industrial town The island of Lošinj (Lussino) to the south of Pula became the summer vacation resort of Austria's Habsburg royal family.

Following the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918, Pula and the whole of Istria were given to Italy under the Peace Treaty. That period was marked by economic and political unrest. Under the fascist government of Benito Mussolini, non-Italians, especially Slavic residents, faced huge political and cultural repression and many fled the city and Istria altogether. Italian rule lasted until its capitulation during World War II, in September 1943. The Nazi German army went in to fill the vacuum left by retreating Italian soldiers. During the German military rule Pula saw its worst period so far: arrests, deportations and executions of people suspected to help the partisan's guerrilla struggle. Also, Allied strategic bombings repeatedly destroyed whole parts of the city.

Post-WWII and modern era
For several years after 1945, Pula was administered by the United Nations. Istria was partitioned into occupation zones until the region became officially united with the rest of Croatia within the Communist Yugoslavia on September 15 1947.

When the city was ceded to Yugoslavia, its population was largely made up of ethnic Italians — up to 90 per cent by some accounts, but with the signing of the peace treaty in 1947, most of those who had not already fled after 1945 left. Between December 1946 and September 1947, the city was abandoned by most of its Italian residents (istrian exodus). Between 1947 and 1953, the Italian cultural heritage (inscriptions, symbols, etc.) was almost completely removed from the Pula monuments.

On August 18, 1946 it was the site of the Vergarolla explosion.

In 1946, C. Schiffer noticed the Pula County has 87,787 inhabitants (54,074 (64%) Italians, 27,102 (32%) Croats, 771 Slovenes). The Italian component in the town of Pola reaches 90% of population. In 1931 Pula had 41,439 residents, and in 1948 there were only 19,595 residents.

Subsequently, the city's Croatian name of Pula became official. Since the collapse of Yugoslavia in 1992, Pula and Istria have become part of the modern Republic of Croatia.

Sights

Temple of Roma and AugustusThe city is best known for its many surviving ancient Roman buildings, the most famous of which is its first century amphitheatre, sixth largest in the world and locally known as the Arena. This is one of the best preserved amphitheatres from antiquity and is still in use today during summer film festivals. During the World War II Italian fascist administration, there were attempts to disassemble the arena and move it to mainland Italy, which were quickly abandoned due to the costs involved.

Two other notable and well-preserved ancient Roman structures are the 1st century AD triumphal arch, the Arch of the Sergii and the co-eval temple of Rome and Augustus, built in the 1st century AD built on the forum during the reign of the Roman emperor Augustus.

The Twin Gates (Porta Gemina) is one of the few remaining gates after the city walls were pulled down at the beginning of the 19th century. It dates from the mid-2nd century, replacing an earlier gate. It consists of two arches, columns, a plain architrave and a decorated frieze. Close by are a few remains of the old city wall.

The Gate of Hercules dates from the first century. At the top of the single arch one can see the bearded head of Hercules, carved in high-relief, and his club on the adjoining voussoir. A damaged inscription, close to the club, contains the names of Lucius Calpurnius Piso and Gaius Cassius Longinus who were entrusted by the Roman senate to found a colony at the site of Pula. Thus it can be deducted that Pula was founded between 47 and 44 BC.

The Augustan Forum' was constructed in the first century BC, close to the sea. In Roman times it was surrounded by temples of Jupiter, Juno and Minerva. This Roman commercial and administrative centre of the city remained the main square of classical and medieval Pula. It still is the main administrative and legislative centre of the city. The temple of Roma and Augustus is still preserved today. A part of the back wall of the temple of Juno was integrated into the Communal Palace in the 13th century.

Two Roman theatres have withstood the ravages of time : the smaller one (diam. circa 50 m; 2nd c. AD) near the centre, the larger one (diam. circa 100 m; 1st c. AD) on the southern edge of the city.

The city's old quarter of narrow streets, lined with Medieval and Renaissance buildings, are still surfaced with ancient Roman paving stones.

The Byzantine chapel of St. Mary Formosa was built in the 6th century (before 546) in the form of a Greek cross, resembling the churches in Ravenna. It was built by deacon Maximian, who became later Archbishop of Ravenna. It was, together with another chapel, part of a Benedictine abbey that was demolished in the 16th century. The floors and the walls are decorated with 6th-century mosaics. The decoration bears some resemblance to the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia at Ravenna. The wall over the door contains a Byzantine carved stone panel. The 15th-century wall paintings may be restorations of Early Christian paintings. When the Venetians raided Pula in 1605, they removed many treasures from this chapel to Venice, including the four columns of oriental alabaster that stand behind the high altar of St Mark's Basilica.

Church of St. FrancisThe church of St. Francis dates from the end of the 13th century. It was built in 1314 in late Romanesque style with Gothic additions such as the rose window. The church consists of a single nave with three apses. An unusual feature of this church is the double pulpit, with one part projecting into the street. A 15th-century wooden polyptych from an Emilian artist adorns the altar. The west portal is decorated with shell motifs and a rose window. The adjoining monastery dates from the 14th century. The cloisters display some antique Roman artifacts.

The Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary was built in the 6 th century, when Pula became the seat of a bishopry, over the remains over the original site where the Christians used to gather and pray in Roman times. It was enlarged in the 10th century. After its destruction by Genoese and venetian raids, it was almost completely rebuilt in the 15th century. It got its present form when a late Renaissance façade was added in the early 16th century. The church still retains several Romanesque and Byzantine characters, such as some parts of the walls (dating from the 4th century), a few of the original column capitals and the upper windows of the nave. In the altar area and in the room to the south one can still see frangments of 5th to 6th-century floor mosaics with memorial inscriptions from worshippers who paid for the mosaics. The windows of the aisles underwent reconstruction in Gothic style after a fire in 1242. The belfry in front the church was built between 1671 and 1707 with stones form the amphitheatre. There also used to stand a baptistery from the 5th century in front of the church, but it was demolished in 1885.

The Orthodox Church of St. Nicholas with its Ravenna-style polygonal apse, originally dates from the 6th century, but was partially rebuilt in the 10th century. In 1583 it was assigned to the Orthodox community of Pula, mainly immigrants from Cyprus and Nauplion. The church owns several icons from the 15th and the 16th century and an iconostasis from the Greek artists Tomios Batos from the 18th century.

The star-shaped castle with four bastions is situated on top of the central hill of the old city. It was built, over the remains of the Roman capitolium, by the Venetians in the 14th century, following the plans of the French military architect Antoine de Ville. Since 1961 it now houses the Historical Museum of Istria. Close by, on the northeastern slopes, one can see the remains of a 2nd-century theatre.

A Roman relief at the Archaeological Museum of IstriaThe Archaeological Museum of Istria is situated in the park on a lower level than the Roman theatre and close to the Twin Gates. Its collection was started by Marshall Marmont in August 1802 when he collected the stone monuments from the temple of Roma and Augustus. The present-day museum was opened in 1949. It displays treasures from Pula and surroundings from prehistory until the Middle Ages.

Culture
As a result of its rich political history, Pula is a city with a cultural mixture of people and languages from the Mediterranean and Central Europe, ancient and contemporary. Pula's architecture reflects these layers of history. Residents are commonly fluent in foreign languages, especially Italian, often also German and English. From October 30, 1904 to March 1905 Irish writer James Joyce taught English at the Berlitz School; his students were mainly Austro-Hungarian naval officers who were stationed at the Naval Shipyard. While he was in Pula he organized the local printing of his broadsheet The Holy Office, which satirized both William Butler Yeats and George Russell.

Alida Valli, Italian actress, was born in Pula.
Physician Robert Koch worked on the nearby Brijuni islands.
Herman Potočnik (pseudonym Hermann Noordung) a rocket engineer and pioneer of cosmonautics (astronautics) was also born in Pula.
Georg Ritter von Trapp - Austrian naval hero and head of the famous singing family immortalized in the musical The Sound of Music lived in Pula.
Hede von Trapp, Austrian painter
Among the "polesi" (Italian natives of the city) is Sergio Endrigo, one of the most famous Italian singer-songwriters.
Wolf von Aichelburg, Rumanian-German writer
Franz Karl Ginzkey, Austrian officer, poet and writer
Karl Albrecht von Habsburg-Lothringen, Austrian and Polish officer and landowner
Johann Palisa, discoverer of ca.30 asteroids
Antonio Smareglia (1854-1929), Italian composer
Stiven Rivic, Croatian footballer of the German club Energie Cottbus
Alojz Gradnik, Slovenian poet, worked in Pula as a judge

Economy

The shipyard Uljanik in PulaMajor industries include shipbuilding, processing industry, tourism, traffic, food industies, construction industries and other non-metal industries.

Major companies located in Pula:

Uljanik (shipbuilding)
Tehnomont (shipbuilding)
Istra cement d.o.o. (cement production)
Brionka d.d. (food industry)
Schott Boral d.d. (glass production)
Bina Istra d.d. (construction industry)
Istragradnja d.d. (construction industry)
Cesta d.o.o. (construction industry)
Arenaturist d.d. (tourism)
Uniline d.o.o (tourism)

Sport
Football-NK Istra 1961 (second Croatian league) and NK Istra (third Croatian league)

Volleyball-OK OTP Banka Pula (first Croatian league)

Handball-RK Arena

Basketball-KK Stoja and KK Istra

Swimming-SK Arena

Judo-JK Istarski borac and JK PulaFit

Rowing-VK Istra

Tourism
The natural beauty of Pula's surrounding countryside and turquoise water of the Adriatic have made the city an internationally popular summer vacation destination. The pearl nearby is Brijuni national park visited by numerous world leaders since it was the summer residence of Josip Broz Tito. Roman villas and temples still lie buried among farm fields and along the shoreline of the dozens of surrounding fishing and farming villages. The coastal waters offer beaches, fishing, wreck dives to ancient Roman galleys and World War I warships, cliff diving, and sailing to unspoiled coves and islands large and small.

Pula is the end point of the EuroVelo 9 cycle route that runs from Gdansk on the Baltic Sea through Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, Slovenia and Croatia.

It is possible to track dinosaur footprints on the nearby sea shores; certain more important finds have been made at an undisclosed location near Bale.

Transport
Pula had an electric tramway system in the early 20th century. It was built in 1904 as a part of Pula's economic crescendo during the Austro-Hungarian rule. After WWI, during the Fascist rule, the need for tram transportation declined and it was finally dismantled in 1934.

Pula Airport is located south-east of Pula, and serves both domestic and international destinations. Similarly to nearby Rijeka Airport, it is not a major international destination. However, this is likely to change as low-cost airline, Ryanair has started scheduled flights to Pula since November 2006. Nearby international airports include Trieste in Italy, Zagreb, Croatia's capital and Ljubljana, Slovenia's capital. There are direct flights into Pula airport from London and Dublin during whole year and several other large airports in Western Europe during summer.

A train service operates north from Pula through to Slovenia, however the line remains disconnected from the rest of the Croatian Railways network. Plans to tunnel the 'missing link' between this line and from Rijeka have existed for many years, and despite work commencing on this project previously, has never seen completion.

Buses serve Pula from a wide range of local, domestic and international locations and operate from the large bus terminal on the edge of the city centre. Public bus operation is ran by Pulapromet.

Passenger ferries also operate from the port area to nearby islands, and also to Venice in Italy.

Nearby towns and villages

View from Veruda commercial marine port.Bale/Valle
Banjole/Bagnole
Barban/Barbanna
Brijuni/Brioni
Fažana/Fasana
Galižana/Gallesano
Ližnjan/Lisignano
Medulin/Medolino
Pomer/Pomero
Premantura/Promontore
Šišan/Sissano
Štinjan/Stignano
Valtura/Altura
Vodnjan/Dignano
Vinkuran/Vinkuran

Twin towns and partner towns
Twin towns:

Graz (since 1972, partnership established in 1961)
Trier (since 1971)
Imola (since 1972)
Verona (since 1982)
Kranj
Čabar (since 1974)
Varaždin (since 1979)
Hekinan (since 2007)
Other forms of partnership:

Szeged (A request for partnership in 2003.)
Veles (Document of friendship and cultural cooperation in 2002)
Novorossijsk (Protocol of partnership and town twinning in 1997)
Strong friendly relationships and continuous contacts are maintained with these towns:

Vienna
several towns from Styria region
Pécs
Brno
Villefranche-de-Rouergue (location of Croatian rebellion, partnership since 2005)

wikipedia.org