Pola, the chief naval station of Austria-Hungary, near the south end of the peninsula of Istria, 105 miles by rail S. of Trieste, with a sheltered, deep, and spacious harbour. The town is protected by forts and batteries, and is overlooked by the citadel. The arsenal employs 2400 men. The cathedral dates from the 15th century. Pola is also a shipping port, exporting wood, fish, sand, and building stones, and importing provisions, coal, and bricks. Pop. (1851) 1100; (1900) 45,205. Pola was destroyed by Augustus, but rebuilt at the request of his daughter Julia, and hence was named Pietas Julia. About 200 a.d. it had 30,000 inhabitants, and was a station of the Roman fleet. It was destroyed in 1267 by the Venetians, who had conquered it in 1148; and in 1379 the Genoese, after routing the Venetians in a sea-fight off the town, once more ravaged it. But it only passed from Venice in 1797 to Austria, who made it her chief naval harbour in 1848. It contains many Roman remains, among them a well-preserved amphitheatre, 450 feet long and 360 broad.