Pula, Sardinia
| Pula | |
|---|---|
| Comune | |
| Comune di Pula | |
|
The church of Sant'Efisio in Nora | |
.svg.png) | |
  Pula Location of Pula in Sardinia | |
| Coordinates: 39°1′N 9°0′E / 39.017°N 9.000°ECoordinates: 39°1′N 9°0′E / 39.017°N 9.000°E | |
| Country | Italy |
| Region | Sardinia |
| Province | Province of Cagliari (CA) |
| Frazioni | S. Margherita di Pula |
| Area | |
| • Total | 138.7 km2 (53.6 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 10 m (30 ft) |
| Population (Dec. 2004) | |
| • Total | 6,937 |
| • Density | 50/km2 (130/sq mi) |
| Demonym(s) | Pulesi |
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) |
| • Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) |
| Postal code | 09010 |
| Dialing code | 070 |
| Website | Official website |
Pula (Latin: Nora[1]) is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Cagliari in the Italian region of Sardinia, located about 25 kilometres (16 mi) southwest of Cagliari. As of December 31, 2004, it had a population of 6,937, and an area of 138.7 square kilometres (53.6 sq mi).[2]
Pula is a popular holiday resort, with many famous hotels and beaches. The ruins of the ancient city of Nora are among the most important archaeological sites of the island.
The Municipality of Pula contains the frazione (subdivision) Santa Margherita di Pula.
History
Pula is located near the ancient city of Nora. Nora was built by Phoenicians around the eighth century B.C. Pula may have arisen from pre-existing nuragic settlements, of which there are some testimonials, or according to the legend by the Iberians conducted in Sardinia by Norax.
During the following centuries, the city was ruled by the Punics, and then by the Romans. The latter raised it for a short time in the capital of the province of Corsica et Sardinia, and then gave that title to the nearby Caralis (modern Cagliari). After the end of the Roman Empire, like many other ancient Sardinian coastal cities, because of the Saracen raids, the city of Nora ceased to exist from about the eighth century AD.
During the Middle Ages, the area, then called Padulis de Nura (Nora Marsh), Pula was part of the Giudicato of Cagliari and by the Aragonese and Spanish, and it was entrusted to various feudal lords. From the eighteenth century, there was a revival of agriculture, mainly due to agricultural reclamation (initially promoted by religious groups, and then the state). Agricultural reclamation intensified the development of olive and fruit growing.
Main sites
City center
In Corso Vittorio Emanuele is located the Museum Patrons John, archaeological museum which houses relics from Nora. In the church of San Giovanni Battista (nineteenth century), in Piazza Giovanni XXIII, are of marble sarcophagi, one of which contains the remains of a duchess Cagliari. Not far away is the Piazza del Popolo. On the way to Nora meets the aristocratic Villa Santa Maria, designed by Gaetano Cima in the first half of the nineteenth century on the ruins of the ancient church of the same name.
Nora
In the Promontory of Capo di Pula there are the ruins of the ancient city of Nora. The remains were discovered accidentally when a violent storm brought to light one part of the funeral of Tophet. The outstanding discoveries followed one another, the most striking finding was certainly the theater, probably also for its good storage conditions. This work is currently being used for an interesting cultural event.
Not far away a single column indicates the Roman temple and adjacent to it the forum - the social and economic center of the city. Not far away is the temple dedicated to the goddess Tanit, a supposition advanced by the discovery of a stone pyramid, which would appear divinity. A very interesting building is undoubtedly the spa complex, whose ruins just give an idea of the impressiveness of the structure.
Other points of interest
Just before the site of Nora, stands the church of Sant'Efisio (twelfth century). It was built in the place where the saint was martyred. At the foot of the sanctuary lies the Guventeddu beach (from the Sardinian "Guventeddu", small convent).
A little further on is the lagoon of Nora, near which was recently founded the Center for Environmental Education, with the aquarium and a series of tanks with marine species most representative of the lagoon ecosystem . After the lagoon, still following the coast road, meet the beaches of Punta d' Agumu and Foxi 'e Sali, in correspondence of the only significant inputs.
Nearby is the large tourist village Santa Margherita di Pula, initially grew around the church dedicated to the Holy Martyr. The large pine forest has been planted in the postwar period, in conjunction with projects of agrarian transformation, and is currently controlled by the tourism sector. In the opposite coast there are the beaches of Cala d'Ostia, where stands the marina and a little further on, the beautiful Cala Verde. Most of the inputs to these beaches are located near tourist centers.
Population
Culture
Education
Pula is home to Polaris, the Science and Technology Park of Sardinia,[3] a system of advanced infrastructure and services for innovation, development, research and industrialization. With more than 60 companies and research centers, Polaris is one of the largest science parks in Italy and the first in the country for the number of biotech companies established.[4]
Pula is also a centre of education with the Alberghiera School and the Wiseword English School, a Trinity Centre for international qualifications.
See also
- Piscinamanna valley
References
- ↑ Richard Talbert, Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World, (ISBN 0-691-03169-X), Map 48.
- ↑ All demographics and other statistics: Italian statistical institute Istat.
- ↑ Il Parco tecnologico della Sardegna - Sardegna Ricerche
- ↑ Assobiotec-Ernst & Young report "Biotechnology in Italy 2010"
External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pula (Italy). |
|