_____________________________PULA - Situated near the base of the Istrian peninsula, the population of Pula is just over 62,000, making it the largest city in Istria. One of the most famous sights in the whole of Croatia is the Roman amphitheatre in Pula, which has been well preserved. However, it is likely that Pula originated even before the Roman Empirical era with local findings showing the history of Pula to go back for over 3,000 years.
As well as being under Venetian rule, Pula also played an important role in the Habsburg Empire, being proclaimed the chief port of the Empire in 1853 with a large German and Italian population, under the dominance of Austria. In 1915 it was occupied by Italy and the rights of the Croats went unrecognised. It was only after World War Two, in 1947, that it became a part of (Croatian) Yugoslavia.
The main sight to be seen, of course, is the amphitheatre. Built during the first century AD, the three-storey amphitheatre is the sixth largest in the world. In the summer, it hosts the Pula Opera Festival, but is also used for other events during the year. Other sights include the Triumphal Arch of the Sergii, Temple of Augustus, the Cathedral, and the Franciscan Order Church and Monastery.
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