Church of St. Stephen

The three-naved church of St. Stephen (S. Stefano) was located at the easternmost edge of the old town cluster. It was oriented in a regular manner, featuring three prominent semicircular apsides on the east. The naves were rhythmically divided with three marble pillars each. The lateral naves were shortened by the elongated lateral sanctuaries or sacristies that were probably separated with arches on pilasters.

Over time, the church was destroyed by subsequent constructions, and information for its dating is scarce. The fact that the church was dedicated to St. Stephen (an early Christian martyr), and the lesenes on the southern façade, could perhaps be used to date the church to the Early Christian or early medieval period. Alterations were made to the church structure, also allowing the possibility that it was completely rebuilt as a Romanesque building (end of 11^th – 12^th century).

The church of St. Stephen was indirectly mentioned in a description of the massacre of the Castropola family, one of Pula’s most prominent aristocratic families, which took place on Good Friday of 1271, although it might also have happened in May of 1331, when Venetian rule began in the city. The brotherhood of St. Stephen at Pula was recorded in the 15^th century, and the church itself was on the apostolic visitation list by 1580.

The church was preserved up to roof level as late as 1782 (1), a panoramic depiction showing it leaning dominantly on the city rampart, but having only a single apse on the backside. At the beginning of the 19^th century, the sanctuary with arches (2) stands out from the rest of the structure that caved in. There are still visible traces of wall frescoes in 1845, and that was also the year when the ground plan of the church was recorded (3).