A 3D video reconstruction of the Roman amphitheatre in Pula was created by the Dutch 3D rendering studio Lumion in collaboration with two Croatian animators, Stipan Ujdur and Ivan Popić from Opuzen.
The amphitheatre in Pula, also known as the Arena, is considered to be a priceless part of Croatian cultural heritage and the main tourist attraction in the city. Apart from being the largest and the best preserved ancient monument on Croatian soil, it's also the sixth largest surviving Roman amphitheatre in the world and the only one that was originally built with four side towers. The Arena in its current state is the only surviving edifice of its kind that still has three classical architectural orders preserved on its exterior surface.
The amphitheatre was built between 27 BC and 68 AD, in the age when Pula used to be a regional centre of Roman rule. It's believed the construction works started as early as during the reign of Augustus, while the age of the Flavian dynasty has seen the Arena finished. It was built outside the city walls, facing the sea. Once a venue for gladiator fights, the edifice could accommodate up to 23.000 spectators.
Nowadays the main space of the Arena is used as a venue for concerts, theatre productions and film screenings, as well as a filming location; the underground passages were turned into an exhibition space about viticulture and olive growing in Istria during the Roman rule. The Arena is visited by 300.000 people annually.
The animation shows what the amphitheatre used to look like in ancient times, giving you a tour around the edifice and through the underground passages. Take a look at the video below:
