Pula's Roman Theatre

Pula's Roman Theatre was one of the entertainment buildings of the Roman colony of Pula, which stood on the southwest edge of the Istria peninsula and grew into an important port. Alongside the famous amphitheatre, the town had two theatres, and the surviving remains of the smaller one lie on the slope of the hill below the Kaštel, the 17th-century Venetian fortress, also called Pula Castle, that crowns the Old Town. It is a modest ruin, and it is most rewarding as a piece of a larger story about how Pula looked in antiquity.

A Roman theatre of this kind was built on a hillside, so that curved rows of seats could be laid directly on the slope, facing a stage building at the bottom. It was used for plays, music and public performances, and was a different kind of space from the arena, which was designed for gladiatorial shows. In Pula the theatres were gradually dismantled after antiquity, when their stone was reused in later buildings, and what is visible now is only part of the original outline. The setting on the slope still makes the shape of the structure easy to imagine.

Treat the visit as a short archaeological stop rather than a day's destination. It fits naturally into a walk through the Old Town that also takes in the Arch of Sergii, the Forum, the Temple of Augustus and the Twin Gates (Dvojna Vrata), all within a few minutes of each other. The Pula Arena is the town's headline sight, and the Roman Theatre is the quieter counterpart that helps explain how a provincial Roman city organised public life.

Practical details can change, so check locally whether the remains are open to enter or best seen from the surrounding paths. In either case, the climb toward the fortress above rewards you with views over the rooftops and the harbour. Wear sturdy shoes, as the ground is uneven and stony.

The site suits history enthusiasts, architecture students and travellers who like to see the less crowded parts of a famous city. If you are short of time, the Arena and the Temple of Augustus will give the main picture of Roman Pula, while the theatre adds depth for those who want more.