Pula is the largest town on the Istrian County, as well as its educational, cultural, and economic center. It is the site on which historical epochs are intertwined and civilisations meet – unique Pula, a city of prehistory, antiquity and modernity.
(picture to the left: photo: E.Strenja) - see Pula Monuments)

The region of Pula with its 200 km of coastline is an extraordinarily interesting and attractive resource for nautical tourists. They are attracted by the natural marinas, which are all protected from strong winds and well-situated with respect to the neighbouring Italy and its open coast. Pula city map
















The city's forum, with its antique temples and the Communal Palace – the Gothic facade of wich dates from 1296 – is the administrative seat of Pula's Mayor. [opširnije]

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. [opširnije]

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 population that lived in Istria. Significant Roman settlement (Colonia Pietas Iulia Pola) began in the first century BC. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the city was ruled by Ostrogoths, Franks, and the Venetians, as each succeeded the other in ruling the region. The first arrival of the Slavs in the environs of the town dates to the 7th century, anyway they never settled the city, that always kept it's 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. [opširnije]

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. [opširnije]

The city lies on and beneath seven hills (Kaštel, Zaro, Arena, Sv. Martin, Opatija sv. Mihovila, Mondipola, and Pra Grande), 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 Kozad, 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. [opširnije]