Kaštel

Kastel - Most important information

The Kastel tower is located on a hill in the center of Pula and was built by the Venetians in 1630. Due to its unique position, the fortress has always served as the first defense belt of the entire city. Today, the Kastel tower is a natural attraction of Pula, and within it is the Historical Museum of Istria. In addition, the Kastel tower offers a perfect view of Pula and all its beauties.

History of Kastel
It is believed that the Kastel tower was built between 1630 and 1633 and was commissioned by the Venetian authorities. It was built according to the designs of the French military architect Antoine De Ville to protect the city and the entire port. Namely, since Pula still had considerable maritime and commercial importance as a city, it was necessary to build a fortification of this type. However, it is believed that there was a fort in that place before. Research has proven that it is a historical building that traces its roots back to pre-Roman times.

The importance of Kastel
Due to its unique defensive and historical role, today, the Kastel tower is one of the main attractions of the entire city. Its shape and purpose still delight all tourists, while it stands proudly above the town and still protects it.

Great attention was paid to the construction of the Kastel: the most prominent professionals of the time participated in the construction of the Kastel. It is interesting to note that the stone used was directly from the large Roman theater. It belongs to the French style, and the four pentagonal towers significantly contributed to preserving the city's security.
The tower houses the Historical Museum of Istria: The Historical Museum of Istria today contains over 75,000 cultural, historical, ethnographic, and military items. It is also known for organizing various cultural and social events during the summer and for holding numerous concerts, plays, and film screenings.

How to get to Kastel?
The Kastel tower is located almost on the seashore, and its surroundings include numerous restaurants, cultural and social monuments, and various attractions. It is easy to reach on foot, by public transport, or by car. If you decide to come in your vehicle, the nearest public parking lot is only 500 meters from the tower.

By bus: The connection of the entire city with the Kastel tower is perfect so that you can reach the building by bus lines 2a, 2c, 4, 4a, 8, 8a, 9, 25b, 25c, 25e, 27, 28 and many others. The distance to the nearest stations is less than 500 meters, which makes it much easier to get there.
On foot: It is possible to reach the tower from any direction in the city, and if you are starting from the Old Town of Pula, you will need about 10 minutes of walking through Gradinski uspon street.