Pula
Croatia, Istria, Pula
The most famous and important monument, the starting and ending point of every tour of the city Pula - the Arena - the building where the gladiator fights. It was built in the first century AD during the reign of Emperor Vespasian, at the same time with the greatest and most famous building of its kind - Coliseum in Rome. Arena is located outside the old city walls because of its size and geographical benefits, and to the city itself leads us to the road justified during Emperor Vespasian, after whom it was named - Via Flavia, which today is one of the city's major thoroughfares.
The other two significant and well-preserved ancient Roman structures are the triumphal arch, the Arch of the Sergi from the 1st century and the Temple of Rome and Augustus, also from the 1st century, which was built in the forum during the reign of the Roman Emperor Augustus. As a result of its rich political history, Pula is a city with a cultural mix 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, and often German and English. In Pula there are two museums at this moment - the Archaeological Museum and Historical Museum of Istria. Other museum exhibitions can be found in the amphitheater, Temple of Augustus and Nesactium.
The natural beauty of Pula's surrounding areas and the turquoise blue Adriatic Sea made the city an internationally popular summer vacation destination. Nearby jewel are the national park Brijuni, which were visited by many world leaders when it was a summer residence of the elderly statesman Josip Broz. Roman villas and temples still lie buried among farm fields and along the coast of several surrounding fishing and farming villages. Coastal waters offer beaches, fishing, diving to the wreck of ancient Roman galleys and warships from the First World War, cruise to the pristine coves and islands, large and small. Pula's most famous beaches are Gortan Cove on Lungomare, Ambrela and Havajsko at Verudela, Sandy Bay and Valkane.
