Pula

PULA
(Pola, Pulj)
Coastal Defences
of The Former Imperial Naval Base

During the ancient Roman period Pula (Pola) was an important regional centre and it's arena still keeps fascinating Pula's visitors. With the fall of Rome it become somewhat forgotten until the Austro-Hungarian empire chose it as the main base for it's war fleet.
Austria had no navy until the Napoleonic wars. After their conclusion Austria took over the control of the territory of the former Republic of Venice and also inherited it's navy and arsenal in Pula. But Venetians were strong supporters of the movement for the unification of Italy and after several uprisings Austrians decided to look for a more secure location. To assure impartial decision the emperor engaged Danish admiral Hans Birch Dahlerup and entrusted him the formation of the imperial navy. In period 1849 - 1850 dmiral Dahlerup headed the commission that choose Pula as the most appropriate site for the war port with the shipyard and arsenal.
The new port was protected by a circle of tower fortresses, a concept that was clearly inspired by the fortress of Linz. However, the development of the artillery soon rendered these fortresses obsolete and in 1880's an outer ring of the so-called batteries was built. They were called batteries because guns were not placed in casemates but atop the fortress, protected by iron shields.

Pula (Pulj) je bila v casu anticnega mesta mocno regijsko sredisce in njena arena se danes ocara obiskovalce. Potem pa je postala nekoliko pozabljena, dokler je Avstro-Ogrsko cesarstvo ni izbralo za svoje glavno vojasko pristanisce.
Avstrija do napoleonskih vojn ni bila pomorska drzava. Ob njihovem zakljucku pa je prevzela ozemlje beneske republike, z njim pa tudi njeno mornarico in arzenal v Benetkah. Ker pa so bili benecani naklonjeni gibanju za zdruzeno Italijo, so se po vrsti uporov Avstrijci odlocili poiskati varnejski kraj. Da bi se izognil pristranski odlocitvi, je cesar organizacijo mornarice v letih 1849 in 1850 zaupal tujemu pomorscaku. To je bil danski admiral Hans Birch Dahlerup, ki je na celu posebne komisije za vojno luko z ladjedelnico in arzenalom izbral Pulj.
ZaĽËitili so jo z obrocem stolpnih trdnjav, ki jim je bila ociten navdih trdnjava Linz. A zaradi razvoja topnistva so te trdnjave kmalu postale zastarele in v osemdesetih letih devetnajstega stoletja so zgradili zunanji obroc tako imenovanih baterij. Tako so jih poimenovali, ker topovi niso bili namesceni v kazematah, ampak na vrhu trdnjavskega poslopja. Praviloma so bili zato zasciteni z jeklenimi ohisji.

Fort Bourguignon

Fort Paradiso

Forts were in use until the end of the First World War. After the war Italians occupied Pula and dismantled all of the armament that was by now already well out of date. They built a large base for hydroplanes. As a navy port Pula gained it's importance again after the Second World War when it became one of the three major bases of the JLA (Yugoslav People's Army) navy. The army kept control of most of the forts as well.
Today Pula is a part of the republic of Croatia. Croatian army is using only a small portion of former military installations. Majority of the local population seem to have no particular interest in these buildings, using them mainly as dumping sites and quarries. So most of the Pula's splendid fortification heritage may not survive much longer despite the efforts of some small groups of enthusiasts that are using some forts as an improvised set for various activities.

Trdnjave so sluzile do konca prve svetovne vojne. Po njej so Pulo zasedli Italijani, ki so vecino tedaj ze zastarele oborozitve pretopili. Italijani so v Puli zgradili veliko bazo za hidroplane, kot vojasko pristanisce pa je spet pridobila na pomenu po drugi svetovni vojni, kot eno izmed treh pristanisc mornarice JLA. Ta je obdrzala nadzor tudi nad velikim stevilom utrdb.
Danes je Pula del republike Hrvaske in hrvaska vojska je obdrzala le majhen del nekdanje vojaske infrastrukture. Videti je, da vecina tamkajsnjega prebivalstva nima posebnega interesa za te trdnjave in jih uporablja predvsem kot odpad in kamnolom. tako je zelo stvarna nevarnost, da bo ta imenitna vojaskozgodovinska arhitekturna zapuscina propadla kljub trudu pescice zanesenjakov, ki nekatere utrdbe upoirabljajo kot improvizirano prizorisce za razlicne dejavnosti.

Fort San Michele

Fort Monvidal

Fort San Giorgio

On 12th and 13th of July 2003 we visited some of the forts of the inner and outer ring, guided by Mr. Zlatko Devedzic, the head of the Pula section of NUF (National Union for Fortifications) and cartaker of Fort Bourguignon.
For a symbolic fee he is willing to guide any group interested in these forts.

12. in 13. Julija smo pod vodstvom Zlatka Devedzica, predstavnika puljske sekcije NUF (Nacionalna udruga za fortifikacije) in upravnika trdnjave Bourguignonobiskali nekatere izmed trdnjav notranjega in ziunanjega obroca.
Za simbolicno odkodnino je pripravljen voditi vse, ki jih trdnjave zanimajo.

Fort Grosso overlooking the port of Pula.
Trdnjava Grosso s puljskim pristaniscem v ozadju.

Baterry Grosso.
Baterija Grosso.

Baterry Ovina.
Baterija Ovina.

Fort Turtian.
Trdnjava Turtian.

Baterry Valmaggiore.
Baterija Valmaggiore.

The main Austrian military telegraph and
telephone exchange for the Adriatic sea.
Glavna avstrijska vojaska telefonska in
telegrafska postaja na Jadranskem morju.

The overview of fortifications in Alpe-Adria regions.

Visit also ARS CARTAE pictorial maps gallery
of Alpe-Adria regions (Slovenia, NE Italy, Croatia...)

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