An Architectural Affirmation – Pula: The Arena (Traveling The Croatian Coastline #18)

Every city needs a symbolic centerpiece. A memorable monument that can be held up as an icon. One of those must-sees that becomes synonymous with the city. In Zadar it is the Sea Organ, in Dubrovnik the City Walls, in Rijeka the Corso and in Spilt Diocletian’s Palace. All these architectural wonders and atmospheric places are well worth taking a trip to visit, but Pula has an attraction that comes first in class, and pardon the poetry, first in past. No one who has ever spent more than a few minutes in Pula can avoid viewing its Roman amphitheater (also known as the Arena).

The Arena commands Pula’s city center. It dwarfs every other attraction in a city full of them. Upon arrival in the city my senses were attuned to a first sighting of this magnificent monstrosity that had come to us from ancient Rome. I did not have to wait long since the Arena was at the midpoint of our journey between the bus station and guest house. The Arena was impossible to miss. It had a magnetic attraction, an overpowering presence that speaks across the ages. I knew that on the other side of the Arena’s arcaded masses of stone, great and terrible events took place. I also knew that only a world historical empire had the manpower and money to build such an architectural affirmation of in a provincial outpost. The power and pride of Pula resided within the Arena.

Inside The Arena - A Haven Of Hostility

By the early evening on that first day in Pula I was again standing outside the Arena, studying it for a second time. Just looking at the towering edifice, energized by the thought of a visit to it the next morning was enough to keep me enthralled. When that visit became a reality, I found the amphitheater just as impressive from the inside as it was from the outside. The scale of the place was beyond anything I had seen in ancient Roman structures save the Pont Du Gard in southern France. It seemed fitting that the Arena took 95 years before to complete. When the work finished in 68 AD it could seat up to 22,000 people when at capacity. All those Romans would have been baying for blood. The blood of Christians, of prisoners, of gladiators, of wild beasts. It must have been a terrifyingly awesome experience.

The Arena still gets plenty of use and not just as an historic site. The city of Pula manages it to maximum effect. On the day I visited the amphitheater, a huge movie screen was still standing from the night before. The Pula Film Festival had just wrapped up with its final showings. The Arena dwarfed the screen. It was built to hold much bigger spectacles. During Croatia’s historic run in the 2018 World Cup, the final match was shown on a big screen in the Arena. These events add life, a component more museums and historic sites could utilize to greater effect. So much of history is done in silence and confined to sterility. It is the exact opposite of what made these places historic. Most historic places I have visited were lacking in life. Parts of the Arena still suffer from this problem as I learned when I stepped inside.?

Cinematic moment - An inside view of the Arena

Staying Alive - The Pursuit of Glory

Visitors are invited to enter the Arena’s bowels to view professionally produced, mildly engaging exhibits. The problem is that these exhibits are static. The Amphitheater’s lowest level is cold, quiet, and reverential. Two thousand years ago it would have been the opposite. Imagine the fear, the pursuit of glory, the saying of final prayers before combat began. Or the trepidation with which a gladiator or Christian approached their entry into the Arena. There would have been countless dreadful moments. Unfortunately, the essential element of human emotion was now missing from the Arena. In a place that was built to intensify drama, there was very little of it to be found inside.

I was surprised to discover that the site had never been given UNESCO/World Heritage Site status. There was good reason for that. The city was unwilling to curb the amphitheater’s modern functions. Tourism is big business in Croatia. Pula’s city authorities know that the Arena is their city’s biggest draw. People will pay for the experience of standing inside and watching a spectacle. The ability to stand shoulder to shoulder with others in a large crowd approximates the amphitheater’s ancient past. This is as close to the Roman world as a modern spectator can ever hope to get. I tried to imagine what the Romans might have thought of staging modern events in one of their greatest works. I suspect they would be proud of how Pula has transformed the space. It is being used with little damage to the existing structure or historical integrity. Today’s dramatic acts no longer include the bloodlust that marked Roman endeavors, but people will still pay to see a peaceful program. This has led to contemporary efforts that have kept the Arena alive.

Still standing - Triple tiered arcades at the Arena in Pula

An Illuminating Moment - At The Gates of Dawn

On my last day in the city, I went out for an early morning walk. As I made my way towards the Arena, a woman suddenly appeared from a side street. She looked to be in her twenties. Her eyes had a weary look in them, her hair was disheveled nor was she wearing any makeup. It was obvious that she had given little thought to her appearance before stepping outside on this warm, summer morning. Either she was returning from a late night of partying or had just rolled straight out of bed? I figured it was the latter. Despite her sleepy eyed appearance, she walked quickly and with purpose. Once in front of the Arena, she stopped and began snapping photos of the Arena. Its stone arcades were beginning to glow as light from the rising sun illuminated them. This was a spectacular sight, one that has been occurring for thousands of years in Pula. It was also a humbling sight, one that I hope keeps repeating itself for many more millenniums to come.