Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Pula

Pula is a bigger town about 45 minutes by bus from Rovinj. It was actually a major agricultural center during the Roman Empire, when it was called Pola. They still have some ruins there, including a very well preserved amphitheatre.





We wandered around there for a while and took a whole lot of pictures.





The amphitheatre was used for gladiator fights during Roman times. They actually dug an underground staging area into the rock under the amphitheatre where the gladiators would wait before battle.


There was also an archeological museum in town. We didn't go in, but it had an ancient Roman theatre behind it, too. This one wasn't quite so well-preserved, but we walked around a bit anyway.



There was also a Venetian citadel at the top of the main hill in town. It was built around 1600, when the town was apparently a strategic location.





In the main square, they have the town hall (below, right, built in 1296) next to the Temple of Augustus.



And, there was also the Triumphal Arch of Sergius leading into the old part of town.



As I write this, it's our last day in Rovinj. I'm planning to find an Internet cafe to post all of this stuff today. Tomorrow morning, we take a ferry (at 7 AM, ugh) to Venice, where we'll stay for 2 days before going to Tuscany.

5 comments:

Unknown said...

Just don't bother trying to make me angry with beautiful shots from Venice of the water through buildings, etc. It will work. I will cry. [There are you HAPPY now?]

Unknown said...

Hey, that looks kind of like Arles.

Anonymous said...

Oh this is just great, now even other people's /comments/ are making me bitter!

Anonymous said...

Wait, your trip is still going on? Don't you have to start work or something?

Cookie Everman said...

Ohhh, you are in Venezia right now, aren't you? If you get this in time, go to Le Bistrot de Venise for dinner. It's expensive, but SO worth it. Try the squid with risotto cooked in squid ink. Makes me hungry just thinking about it.