The Amphitheatre in Pula, or the Pula Arena is the largest and best preserved monument of ancient architecture in Croatia. It is the sixth largest amphitheater in the world among the Roman amphitheater. It stands alongside the Colosseum in Rome, the Arena in Verona and amphitheater in Pompeii and Nimes.
Appearance of the Arena
The Amphitheater has four floors and faces the sea. The external wall is made of local limestone, and stones were brought from quarries near Pula. The building is very geometric and elliptical. In the center of the arena was the battleground, and on the exterior facade were four towers. Each of the towers had two water tanks and spraying equipment for spraying scented water over the audience. What stands out in the Arena and distinguishes it from the others, are carriers that were used for covering the amphitheater which protected visitors from sun and rain.
History of Arena
It is believed that construction began in the time of Emperor Augustus, who reigned 27 years B.C. Gladiatorial combat and hunting animals were staged there. Admission wasn’t charged, but the seating was strictly monitored of the social hierarchy by the richness. The arena also maintained numerous trials to killers, bandits and rebels. Trials have looked so that the unarmed or lightly armed prisoners were brought before the beast. We can easily conclude what was the outcome of the fight.
Arena Today
Amphitheater attracted the attention of various travel writers, architects and artists for centuries. It is similarly today – Arena is a first class tourist attraction. Since year 1954, Film Festival in Pula is maintained there. Arena is also the ideal place for concerts of world famous names. There were performances by Luciano Pavarotti, Jamiroquai, Eros Ramazzotti, Leonard Cohen, Elton John, Sting, … In year 2003 there was set an art installation Kravata oko Arene. It was the longest tie in the world, it entered the Guinness Book of Records, and nice pictures of a wrapped Arena circulated the globe.