Roman legacy

Following their conquest of Istria, the Ancient Romans started intensive urbanization throughout the peninsula, building roads as well as numerous monumental edifices.

Having won the vehement fight with the native tribe of Histri in the 2nd century BC, Romans started introducing a new organization. The urbanisation of Istria started with building roads, aqueducts and numerous magnificent edifices from private villas to public buildings such as amphitheatres, temples and theatres . 300 antiquity sites have been found throughout Istria.

The villa in the Verige Bay is the most important example of the Roman country-style architecture in Istria. The villa stretched for almost a kilometre. It included the spa, the library, the palestra...

The Roman country villa in the Verige Bay

Roman legacy

The Arena in Pula is the most important Roman monument in Istria and one of the best preserved amphitheatres in the world.

Arena

The Triumphal Arch of the Sergi in Pula is a superb architectural achievement of the Late Hellenistic Roman building. It was erected in the memory of the namesake family members.

The Triumphal Arch of the Sergi

Apart from the temple dedicated to the Capitoline triad on the Roman Forum in Pula, there are two other temples, of which only the Temple of Augustus is visible today.

Augustus Temple and the Forum in Pula

Present day Poreč, and Parentium in the past, has a regular, orthogonal street layout as did most ancient Roman towns. In case of Poreč, its layout has been preserved.

Roman street layout

The Small Roman Theatre from the 1st c. was erected on the slope underneath the Castle. It could hold between 4 and 5 thousand spectators.

Small Roman Theatre

A luxury maritime villa from the late 2nd century BC was erected in the Simon Bay. It had an aqueduct and the port. Its residential part is adorned by a two-coloured mosaic.

The Simon Bay

The villa in the Verige Bay is the most important example of the Roman country-style architecture in Istria. The villa stretched for almost a kilometre. It included the spa, the library, the palestra...

The Roman country villa in the Verige Bay

The mosaic of the punishment of Dirke was found near the Church of St. Mary Formosa. The magnificent mosaic is divided into two parts. The mythological topic of the punishment of Dirke is extremely rare.

The mosaic of the punishment of Dirke

Vižula near Medulin was inhabited from the Neolithic to the Middle Ages. The most significant is the Roman villa, elevated from the sea coast by terraces

Vižula

Pula was encircled by walls. There were about ten gates proving the entrance into the town, of which the Twin Gates or Porta Gemina are visible today, as well as a part of former walls.

The Twin Gate

Numerous remains of the Roman architecture were found on Lorun, ranging from the economic complex consisting of the ceramics workshop, the oil mill and the cistern to the residential part with the country villa.

Lorun

The Temple of Neptune was erected on the Poreč forum in the 1st century. It is thought to be the biggest in Istria, although only a portion of its walls and the foundations have been preserved.

The Temple of Neptune

Betiga was densely populated from the Antiquity period until the Early Middle Ages. During the Roman period, several country villas were erected as well as the Early Christian Church of St. Agnese.

Betiga

The Gate of Hercules are architecturally modest. They are located between two round medieval towers. It was named after the relief of the head of Hercules and his club.

The Gate of Hercules