Pola

Pola, the most important naval station of Austria-Hungary, is situated near the southern extremity of the peninsula of Istria, 105 miles by rail S. of Trieste. The harbour is thoroughly sheltered, deep, and spacious enough to accommodate the largest fleet. The town is protected by forts and batteries, and is overlooked by the citadel, by which it and the bay are commanded. The arsenal employs about 2400 men. There are also artillery and powder stores, docks, slips, &c. The cathedral dates from the 15th century. Pola is also a shipping port, exporting wood, fish, sand, and building stones, and importing provisions, coal, and bricks. Pop. (1851) 1100; (1891) 31,623, of whom 7700 belonged to the garrison. Founded traditionally by the Colchians who were sent in pursuit of Jason, Pola was destroyed by Augustus, but rebuilt at the request of his daughter Julia, on which account it was named Pietas Julia. At the beginning of the 3d century it had 30,000 inhabitants, and was a station of the Roman fleet. It was destroyed in 1267 by its Venetian masters, who had conquered it in 1148; and in 1379 the Genoese, after routing the Venetians in a sea-fight off the town, once more ravaged it. But it only passed from Venice in 1797 to Austria, who chose it as her chief naval harbour in 1848. It contains numerous interesting Roman remains, among them a well-preserved amphitheatre, 450 feet long and 360 broad. A temple and several ancient gates are also extant. See Allason's Antiquities of Pola (Lond. 1819), and Jackson's Dalmatia, the Quarnero, and Istria (1887).