CITY OF WISHES...
The City of Pula is a magnificent and
monumental town, where the past have 3000 YEARS.
Pula - a city garlanded with
legends handed down through eternity, from a past which knows no beginning and which leads
we know not where, and yet, we are still able to decipher certain segments of its ancient
existence.
Its daily routine as a modern, commercial, cultural and tourist center.
How the past
beginning ?
...The Argonauts,Iason and Medea
established in the bay on the North Adriatic,the "City of Fugitives" (on the
Greek language, but in his language the name was Polai.
The Illyrian Pula - then but a "spring of living water" - merely vegetated in
the shadow of Nesactium, the nearby dominant political, administrative, military and
religious center.
The arrival of the Roman legions in 177 BC, which imposed a new rule that resulted in
intensive colonization and the creation of both a commercial center and military
encampment, by 40 BC had elevated the city to the status of a colony.
With Augustus it become the divine town, "pleasure of the rich, happiness to the
middle class"...
At the same time numerous trades were developing: the stone trade for buildings in Pula
and surroundings, agriculture, viticulture, olive-growing, fishing and pottery.
During the period of the Eastern Roman Empire (AD 539-570)Pula became what can only be
described as a construction site, witnessing the rise of many new buildings, as well as
extensions and adoption's the existing ones.
From the second half of the 6th century the Slaves began their invasion of the Istrian
peninsula, and after dreadful fights the population and trade were diminished.
From the mid-twelfth century,Pula swore an oath of allegiance to the Queen of the Seas,
accepting the status of a vassal state, paying tributes, building and fitting out gallons,
participating in wars, pursuing and capturing "sea-pirates plying the waters between
Medulin and Rovinj" and handing them over to the Venetian authorities.
Over a period lasting more than fifty years the town was subjected to brutal attacks by
the Genoese (1332,1354,1379).In 1412 it was overrun by the Croato-Hungarian kings cavalry,
in 1506 saw an invasion by Hapsburg troops.They ruled until the end of the 18th century
(1797). In those past centuries, Pula became a typical medieval town, in Romanesque-Gothic
style. Actually, the city palace is Romanesque-Gothic- Renaissance, built on the remains
of a Roman temple of the goddess Diana, which speaks most eloquently of the passage of
time and changing influences.Many famous artists of their time visited Pula and left
traces of Pula in their work, to name the most famous: Michelangelo and DanteThe Sergii Triumphal Arch,The Temple of
Augustus ali The Amphitheater Over the years Pula was
gradually devastated. 
Coupled with epidemics of plague and malaria, from a
developed city, Pula was a place with 600 souls at the time of the Venetian fall. In 1799
the Venetian part of the Istrian peninsula was handed over to Austria (which already had
the rest of Istria). But Austria started a war with Napoleon, and 6 years later, in 1805
Istria became part of Napoleon's province of Illiricum. They say Napoleon liked his army
to march in shade, so many trees were planted alongside streets. Unfortunately, Napoleon
was gone by 1813, after 8 years, before the tree crowns could develop, and Istria became
part of Austria again.
Over the years Pula was gradually devastated, but owing to its good geographical
position and importance of the harbour in the trade routes, Pula could not disappear. The
town was saved by the organized colonization of Croatian and Slav people. Austria decided
in 1853, to establish Pula as its main naval port of the Hapsburg monarchy.. This period
saw the transformation of a small city with fading antique splendor to an industrial port
with a newly formed and growing working blue collar class.
The rate of population growth was considerable: in 1842 Pula had 1,126 inhabitants, by
1857 that number had increased seven-fold, and by the end of the century the population
had risen to 40,000.
At the end of 1918,until when it had been the main naval port of a great monarchy, Pula degenerated into a insignificant appendix of the Kingdom of Italy. The Second World War was to draw Pula into dramatic maelstrom:the town suffered bombardment and destruction, although the defeated forces were ultimately subjected to harsh reprisals.
After the war, further result was a repeat of one of those long-term periods of "historic stagnation", a process which has endured up until the dramatic days of our most recent history and the present days.
The area of Pula is magnificent, with country stone houses, buildings of modern
architecture, and the view to the culture of the mankind.
In nowadays during the summer,Pula has twice as much inhabitants as it has usually. Along
the 190 km of beautiful coast and very abounding natural harbours, in hotels, camps and
private accommodation reside more than 50 thousand tourists. Therefore Pula cannot be
avoided.
The climate is Mediterranean, with a high percentage of sunny days in the year. The
average temperature in January is of 7° C, in July of 23° C. The annual average sea
temperature is of 16,6° C, and it reaches the 24° C in Summer. It rains especially
during the six coldest months and the average annual humidity is of 72%.
