The building of the market, Pula, Visitor Guide & Things to Do Nearby

The Pula Central Market is a late Austro-Hungarian market hall in Pula, Croatia, opened in 1903 and built largely of iron and glass. It was designed to keep food fresh and the trading hygienic in a hot port city, and it is still a working market where locals shop today.

The story behind it

Pula was the main base of the Austro-Hungarian navy at the turn of the 20th century, and the city was growing fast. Street trading and open stalls were a problem for hygiene, especially in the heat of the Istrian summer. The answer was a purpose-built covered market, opened in November 1903.

The hall followed the engineering fashion of the age, with a slender iron frame and large glass surfaces. Tall ceilings and plenty of glass let in daylight and fresh air, which helped keep meat, fish and dairy cool before refrigeration was common. The building shows how the empire brought modern European industrial design to its Adriatic port, a very different style from the Roman and Venetian monuments elsewhere in the old town.

What to look for

• The exposed iron skeleton of the hall, which is the clearest sign of its industrial-age design.
• The large glass surfaces and high ceiling, built to bring in light and keep air moving through the building.
• The stalls themselves, where local produce, fish, meat and Istrian specialities show that the hall still does the job it was made for.
• The contrast between this 1903 hall and the Roman and medieval streets close by, which shows how many eras Pula has layered on top of each other.

Tips for your visit

• Go in the morning, when the market is at its liveliest and the produce is freshest. Check current opening hours before you set out.
• Allow 20 to 40 minutes for a wander through the hall, longer if you want to taste or buy something.
• Entering the building is normally free, as it is a public market, so you can look around without a ticket.
• It sits close to the old town, so it combines easily with a walk to the Roman sights nearby.

See it on a quest

The market is one stop on Pula: Shadows of the Empire, a self-guided walk that fits well with the imperial history behind this building. You reach the hall on foot as part of a longer route through the area, the app tells you about the place as you arrive, and you solve a puzzle based on what is in front of you. It is a paid quest, and one ticket covers the whole group. You can start whenever suits you, with no guide and no group to join.