Pula Arena

Pula was a Roman colony, and its amphitheatre was developed in stages. A first structure is thought to date from the time of Augustus; it was enlarged under Emperor Vespasian, and completed around AD 81. Built from local limestone on a slope near the coast, it could hold about 20,000 to 25,000 spectators for gladiator fights and animal hunts. Four towers set into the outer wall held wooden staircases to the upper levels and helped brace the structure.

In the Middle Ages the Arena was used for knights' tournaments and fairs. In 1583 the Venetian Senate considered dismantling it and rebuilding it in Venice; the plan was rejected, and a memorial stone on one of the towers honours the senator Gabriele Emo, who opposed it. Since the 20th century the Arena has hosted the Pula Film Festival, opera, concerts and sports events.

For people in Pula, the Arena is not a museum piece but part of everyday city life, visible from the harbour and the main roads into town. It is the stage for the city's best-known cultural events, above all the long-running Pula Film Festival, and summer evenings often see crowds heading there for concerts. Its survival is a point of local pride.