Forum Square and Communal Palace, Pula (must see)

Forum Square has served as Pula’s civic center since Roman times. Located in the western part of the old town, it was originally laid out in the 1st century BC as the colony’s principal gathering place. Government offices, markets, religious ceremonies, and public events were concentrated here. Although the ancient Forum was larger than the present square, the site has retained its civic role through the Roman, medieval, Venetian, and modern periods.

The principal monuments occupy the northern end of the square. When facing them from the open plaza, the Temple of Augustus stands on the left, while the Communal Palace-also known as Pula City Hall-stands immediately to its right. Roman temples once filled this side of the Forum: a central sanctuary honored Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva, while two smaller temples stood beside it. Only the Temple of Augustus remains complete. The neighboring City Hall occupies the site of the former Temple of Diana, whose surviving rear wall was incorporated into the palace.

The building continues to function as Pula’s City Hall today, housing the offices of the mayor and local administration. Its long history of alterations has created a mixture of Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque features rather than a single uniform design.

Romanesque and Gothic details survive on its eastern side, while Renaissance columns, Baroque windows, and sculptures of a telamon and a siren reflect later modifications. Beside it, the Corinthian portico of the Temple of Augustus creates a clear contrast between Roman religious architecture and the medieval seat of civic government-two buildings from different periods still sharing the same public square.