Pula War Port – Fort Verudela

A vacation often brings new impressions, especially when you travel to destinations that are new to you. This year, my trip took me to Pula in Istria, now Croatia. I knew that Austria-Hungary had a navy until its demise after World War I, but I always thought the main war port was Trieste. Now I had the opportunity to learn that the war port was actually Pula from 1862 and until 1918.

For travelers interested in military history, there are many places to visit here. One of these places is the Aquarium of Pula, located in what was once one of the most important coastal defenses, Fort Verudela. Here you will find both water pools with sea creatures, a sanctuary for sea turtles and a rather extensive exhibition on the military history of the port.

^{Bastion protecting the entrance of the fort on the land side.}

After Venice seceded from Austria-Hungary as a result of the Italian War of Independence of 1848, Pula was developed as a new Austro-Hungarian military port from 1856 onwards at the instigation of the naval commander Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian.

Fort Verudela was developed as a coastal fortification from 1881 to 1886, being one of the 55 fortifications protecting the harbor. The main armament consisted of two large-caliber naval guns, which were operated in the shelter in an armored dome.

Until the end of the 1940s it was used for military purposes, successively by Italy, Germany and Yugoslavia. By that time it had lost both its purpose as a fortress and its guns. After 2002 it was restored and now houses the Pula Aquarium and an exibition on the Pula War Port.

^{The restored armored dome of Fort Verudela.}

^{Overlooking the entrance to the western bay from the roof of Fort Verudela.}

^{An open casemate on the roof of Fort Verudela.}

^{Fortress moat from the 19th century to protect the fort against attacks on land.}

An interesting page about the Zentralkriegshafen (central war port) of Pola shows photos from before the First World War.