Pula Arena

The Pula Arena is located in Pula, in Croatia. Constructed between 27 BC and 68 AD, it is among the six largest surviving Roman arenas in the world and the only remaining Roman amphitheatre to have 4 side towers and with all three Roman architectural orders entirely preserved. The amphitheatre is 132 m long and 105 m wide, and has a capacity of 23,000 spectators. Because the structure is built on a slope, only one part of the exterior wall is 3-storeyed while the other has 2 stories. Each of the 4 towers had 2 cisterns filled with perfumed water that fed a fountain or could be sprinkled on the spectators. The amphitheatre had provisions to be covered with large sails to protect the spectators from sun or rain.

The Pula Arena mainly held gladiator fights and remained in use until the 5th century, when Emperor Honorius prohibited gladiatorial combats. But it wasn’t until 681 that combat between convicts, particularly those sentenced to death, and wild animals was forbidden. By that time, the local population had already started to plunder the amphitheatre carrying away stones for local buildings. This was stopped by the patriarchate of Aquileia in the 13th century. In the Middle Ages, the interior of the Arena was used for grazing, occasional tournaments by the Knights of Malta and medieval fairs. In 1932, the amphitheatre was adapted for modern theatre, military ceremonies and public meetings. Today, with a capacity of 5,000, it holds musical concerts and film festivals and even held two professional hockey games.