Rome in the Footsteps of an XVIIIth Century Traveller

You may wish to read an introduction to this section or two pages on Roman Pola or see its churches first.

(left) Town Hall; (right) grotesque statue at its right corner

After the year 1000, similar to what occurred in many other Italian towns, the citizens of Pola established local councils to implement some form of self-government (Comune di Pola). In the XIIIth century Pola was a possession of the Patriarchs of Aquileia who favoured the Castropoli, a local family pretending to descend from the Roman Sergii, who were appointed to the most important positions of the Comune di Pola. A Town Hall was built inside an ancient Temple to Diana, the remnants of which are still visible at the back of it.

Town Hall - northern side: (left) inscription bearing the name of Pietro Contarini, Venetian "Conte" (governor) in 1525-1528 and relief portraying Bartolomeo dei Vitrei, "Podestà" (ruler) in 1296; (right) relief portraying a mermaid on the back of the building

In 1331 Pola became a direct possession of Venice. The Town Hall became the residence of the Venetian governors who ruled the town until 1797. In 1379, during the War of Chioggia, the Genoese sacked Pola and set fire to many of its buildings, including the Town Hall. Its northern (medieval) and western (Roman) sides were not damaged, but its front had to be rebuilt.

Town Hall: (left) northern side entrance; (right) Venetian loggia (its Winged Lion can be seen in the image used as background for this page)

In 1651, at a time when Pola was very impoverished and its population very low, the front and the roof of the Town Hall collapsed. They were rebuilt in 1696-1698. Finally during the XIXth century Austrian authorities redesigned the building, but retained its Venetian loggia, similar to what they had done at Spalato.

Fortress: (left) a bastion seen from the moat; (right) view towards the sea and the bell tower of the Cathedral

The Castropoli owed their name to Castrum Pola, a small castle they had on the hill at the centre of the town. In 1632 the Venetians built a large fortress on the site of the medieval castle. The purpose of the new fortification was not to protect the town from the Ottomans, but rather from the Spaniards (who at the time ruled over the Duchy of Milan and the Kingdom of Naples). In the frame of the Thirty Years' War, Venice supported France against Spain in a conflict related to Mantua (1627-1631). In 1630 the Spanish fleet requested permission to enter the northern Adriatic Sea to accompany Maria Anna, daughter of King Philip III, to Trieste for her marriage to Ferdinand, son of Emperor Ferdinand II. The Venetian Senate denied the permission, but sent a fleet to escort Maria Anna from Ancona to Trieste. An open war was avoided, but relations between Venice and Spain were poor for some years.

Fortress: (left) side of the Venetian gate; (right) Venetian gate

The fortress was built by Antoine de Ville, a French military architect, with stones taken from ancient theatres. It was a rather large complex, but its garrison was very small, because relations with Spain improved after 1645, when Venice was involved in a long war with the Ottomans who landed on Crete. In general the Venetians built far more fortresses than they could actually man (you may wish to see a section on the Venetian fortresses in Greece).

Fortress: coats of arms of Venetian governors and Winged Lions and in the lower right corner coats of arms of the Kingdom of Italy (to which Pola belonged in 1918-1945) and of the City of Pola when it was part of Yugoslavia (1945-1992)

In 1859 Pola was revitalised by the Austrian decision to develop its harbour to make it the main base of the Imperial Navy. A series of modern fortifications and other facilities were built along the coast of its bay and on some islets. The fortress at the top of the hill was only slightly modified. Today it houses a small historical museum where one can see the symbols of Fascism (a bundle of rods that are tied around an axe) and Communism (a five-pointed red star).

(left and right-above) House on the main street and enlargement showing three busts; (right-below) Palazzo De Martini

During the Austrian administration many buildings were modernized. One of them incorporates a previous decoration showing three of the four cardinal virtues. At the centre the woman holding a column represents Strength; she is flanked by Justice (who has lost both her sword and her balance scale) and Prudence who holds a mirror. You may wish to see a page on the Iconography of Virtues.

Balconies

Small balconies are a typical feature of Venetian architecture which can be seen also at nearby Rovigno.

Steep streets similar to those of Trieste

Return to Roman Pola or to the Churches of Medieval and Venetian Pola or move to:
Introductory page
Roman Aquileia - Main Monuments
Roman Aquileia - Tombs and Mosaics
Medieval Aquileia
Early Christian Aquileia
Roman Brescia: Capitolium and Forum
Roman Brescia: Other Monuments
Longobard Brescia
Chioggia: Living on the Lagoon
Chioggia: Churches
Chioggia: Other Monuments
Roman and Medieval Cividale del Friuli
Venetian Cividale del Friuli
Grado
Palmanova
Roman and Byzantine Parenzo (Porec)
Medieval and Venetian Parenzo (Porec)
Peschiera del Garda
Pomposa
Roman Ravenna
Ostrogothic Ravenna
Byzantine Ravenna: S. Apollinare in Classe
Byzantine Ravenna: S. Vitale
Byzantine Ravenna: Other Monuments
Medieval Ravenna
Venetian and Papal Ravenna: Walls and Gates
Venetian and Papal Ravenna: Churches
Venetian and Papal Ravenna: Other Monuments
Rovigno (Rovinj)
Sirmione
Roman and Medieval Trieste
Modern Trieste
Roman Verona
Roman Verona: Theatre and Arena
Roman Verona in the Museums
Medieval Verona
Medieval Verona: San Zeno
Venetian Gates of Verona