The great ancient Pula theatre

---

This summer, Pula will welcome numerous international stars in its amphitheatre so it would be a good idea to say something about this beauty's history.

There used to be a large ancient theatre on Monte Zaro, outside the ancient Pula walls. The small Roman theatre could welcome up to 2000 and the big one up to 4000 visitors.
The only remainder of that theatre today is the stone block. The rest of it is built into a series of buildings in Pula and, among others, into the big military fort in the centre of the old part of Pula which was built by Antoine de Ville.

Only the old inscriptions witness the glory of the great ancient theatre.
In the book "Pula sa starih razglednica" (Pula from the old postcards), it is written that the theatre was one of the most grandiose structures in old Pula. Georg Pfistring, a travel writer, had seen it in the early 15th century and the ruins are visible on the 17th century drawings. It was called Palazzo Orlando or Orlando during the Middle Ages. The marble pillars in the Venetian Santa Maria della Salute church used to adorn the theatre's stage. From 1639 to 1632, the material from this location was used to build the Venetian forts on the central town hill.

---