What materials were used to construct the bell tower?

The detached baroque bell tower was built using stone taken from the ancient Roman arena.

What surviving ancient mosaic is visible inside?

The church preserves a fragment of early Christian floor mosaic inscribed with the names of the donors Damianus and Laurentia.

What is the cathedral's official ecclesiastical status?

It serves as a co-cathedral for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Poreč and Pula alongside the Euphrasian Basilica.

Where are the saint relics discovered at the site currently preserved?

A reliquary box found inside an excavated sarcophagus was relocated and is preserved at the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna.

What evidence of early medieval modification can be seen on the exterior?

The southern exterior wall displays the clear outline of an ancient entrance from the time of bishop Handegis that was later sealed with masonry.

Pula · Croatia

Pula Cathedral: what's nearby, how to get there and when to go · 2026

Residents along the bay navigate steep stone climbs and harbour dampness in exchange for direct access to the waterfront and quiet streets once ferry passengers disperse.

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About the place

Ancient stone foundations beneath the cathedral trace Christian worship directly back to imperial Roman thermae and early basilicas along the bay.

The complex stands at the foot of the fortress hill along the harbour, functioning as a co-cathedral alongside the basilica in Poreč. Archaeological layers underneath reveal imperial bathhouses and an early Christian hall that expanded into an aisled basilica with a flat rear wall. Surviving floor mosaic fragments still record the names of Roman donors who funded the early flooring as part of their marital vows.

Read on

Builders constructed the freestanding bell tower by repurposing masonry blocks taken directly from the ancient amphitheatre. Repeated military raids and wartime bombardments prompted successive restorations, creating a layered exterior that pairs classical facade stonework with early medieval wall outlines. Beneath the main altar, stone sarcophagi historically preserved relics of early martyrs and the Hungarian king Solomon.

Associations

Pula Arena stoneworkThe freestanding bell tower incorporates recycled stone blocks from the amphitheatre.
Damianus and Laurentia mosaicPreserved floor tesserae record an ancient couple dedication linked to wedding vows.
Diocletian persecution siteUnderlying Roman bathhouse ruins served as concealed assembly spaces for believers.
Harbour humidity and blast damageWar bombings and seaside damp require ongoing conservation of ancient masonry.

Facts

The cathedral shares official diocesan seat status with the Euphrasian Basilica in Poreč.
Masons built the freestanding bell tower using stone quarried from the Roman amphitheatre.
Excavations beneath the altar revealed burial sarcophagi holding relics of Hungarian King Solomon.
A surviving section of ancient floor mosaic bears an inscription commemorating a marital vow.

Updated September 21, 2026Source: Wikipedia

Pula Cathedral: what's nearby, how to get there and when to go · 2026

What is around4

Ancient stone foundations beneath the cathedral trace Christian worship directly back to imperial Roman thermae and early basilicas along the bay.

Getting there and staying

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