St Francis' Monastery & Church

Pula


Built in 1285, Pula's Franciscan monastery has an extraordinary 15th-century gilded altarpiece behind the altar of its cavernous church – but that's not its only, or even its oldest, treasure. Set into the floor of a Gothic chamber accessed via the Romanesque cloister is a Roman mosaic featuring a hippocampus (fish-tailed horse) and a swastika.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Pula attractions

1. Roman Floor Mosaic

0.09 MILES

One of the intriguing things about Pula is the way that Roman relics pop up in the most unlikely of places. This remarkably well-preserved 3rd-century…

2. Temple of Augustus

0.09 MILES

Fronted by a high porch supported by six Corinthian columns, this small but perfectly proportioned temple was built sometime between 2 BC and AD 14. It…

3. Istria Historical & Maritime Museum

0.1 MILES

Since ancient times the 34m hill at the centre of Pula's old town has been fortified. The current star-shaped fortress was built by the Venetians in the…

5. Arch of the Sergii

0.19 MILES

Also known as the Golden Gate (Zlatna vrata), this majestic arch was erected around 27 BC to commemorate three brothers from the Sergius family who fought…

6. Zerostrasse

0.21 MILES

This underground system of tunnels was built before and during WWI to shelter the city's population and serve as storage for ammunition. Now you can walk…

8. Lighting Giants

0.27 MILES

Don't miss Pula's star evening attraction, an amazing lighting display at the city's 19th-century Uljanik shipyard, one of the world's oldest working…

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      "country": "Croatia",
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