A visit to Pula's 1st-century Arena (or Pula Amphitheater, to give it its correct term), the best preserved ancient monument in Croatia, is generally a highlight of any tourist's visit to Istria. Once used for gladiator fights, audiences still flock here to marvel at its architectural ingenuity and to rock out at summer concerts and outdoor festivals.
Why Visit?
- There are only six surviving Roman arenas in the world that can compare to the size of Pula Arena: Indeed, the only way to fully appreciate its massiveness is by standing in its midst. Located northeast of the old town and built entirely from local limestone, it was constructed between A.D. 27 and 68, during the reign of Emperor Vespasian, around the same time as Rome's Colosseum. Luckily for visitors, the crowds and the lines here are nowhere near as large.
From Knights' Tournaments to Film Festivals
- With seating for around 20,000 spectators, Pula Arena was built for a large audience. A fabric awning would have shielded them from the hot sun; the places where this would have been secured are still plainly visible to visitors. Once the gladiators had died out, the arena was used in medieval times for knights' tournaments and fairs. Today, it has been restored to seat a capacity of 5,000 and is used for festivals and concerts: International names who played the arena in recent years include Tom Jones, Elton John and Michel Telo. Pula Film Festival is a highlight of the local events calendar and held at Pula Arena every July, with the festival's 60th anniversary in 2014. The Arena has also recently been used as an extremely authentic setting (no CGI post-editing needed here!) for the historical TV soap drama "The Borgias."
Pula's Other Attractions
- While here, check out the underground chambers once used by gladiators -- now used by the Archaeological Museum of Istria for a permanent exhibit on wine and olive oil production in the region, including reconstructed Roman olive and grape pressing equipment. Pula's other notable Roman sights include the Arch of Sergius (popularly known as the Golden Gate) and the Temple of Augustus. Stroll through the art nouveau market or the newly opened underground tunnels charting Pula's role as a base for the Austro-Hungarian Navy. Anyone wishing to stay close to Pula Arena will find an excellent range of accommodations, not only in Pula but also in Medulin, a small resort a couple of miles south of old Pula around the beaches. Visitors can also savor authentic Istrian food while here: Known to be one of the most varied regional cuisines in Croatia, Istrian cooking makes use of wild asparagus, truffles and plenty of fresh fish.
Practical Information
- Due to its size, Pula Arena is not located inside the old city walls. It is situated instead on Via Flavia, a city ring road. Open all year long, times change seasonally: At the time of writing, the arena's open hours in July and August are from 8 a.m. to midnight; in April from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; in May, June and September from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and from October to March from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets at time of writing cost 40 Croatian kuna for adults (about $7 U.S.) and 25 kuna ($4.50 U.S.) for children, and audio guides are available. It's also possible to purchase a combined ticket at the amphitheater for 50/25 kuna ($9/4.50 U.S.) that offers entry to all of Pula's historical sights.
