3 Best Sights in Pula, Istria

The central scene of this large and lovely 3rd-century mosaic—which otherwise features geometric patterns, animals, and plants aplenty—is of the punishment of Dirce, who, according to Greek legend, lies under the enraged bull to whose horns she is about to be fastened. Once part of a Roman house, the mosaic was unearthed after World War II bombings.

The mosaic can be viewed for free by looking down through a grate beside an uninspiring apartment building a stone's throw from the Chapel of St. Mary of Formosa.

Built originally in the 4th century, the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Pula's star ecclesiastical attraction—more often called simply St. Mary's Cathedral—was transformed in the second half of the 5th century into a three-nave basilica. Extensive reconstruction began in the 16th century, with the adjacent bell tower constructed in the late 17th century from stones taken from the Arena. Note that the Roman-era mosaic on the floor of the central nave bears a 5th-century donor's inscription.

Built by the Sergi family between 29 and 27 BC as a monument to three relatives who were great warriors, this striking monument features elaborate reliefs that even inspired Michelangelo to draw the arch during a 16th-century visit to Pula. The surrounding city gate and walls were removed in the 19th century to allow the city's expansion beyond the Old Town. Locals call it Zlatna vrata, or Golden Gate.