History of this Place
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Ribarska Koliba is translated as Fisherman's hut.
By the way, Fischerhütte is also original name because since...
The beginning the World War I in 1914, this place as a part of Pula was under Austrian rule. Further active development of this place has started from XX century, although initially...
From the end of the 19th century fishermen from Rovinj have built wooden houses, barracks, eaves that served as a refuge.
During the 1880s and 1890s, the citizens of Pula experienced great changes: a new theater was built, 2 hotels were opened, public bath, a new market, and a swimming pool.
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1896 - The first cinema was built (only 1 year after the screening of the Lumière brothers' first film - The Arrival of a Train)
By 1906, Pula already had two permanent cinemas; in 1911 it received a maternity ward and a hospital, and by 1913 several more hotels, restaurants, and cafes were opened.
The Gulf of Veruda, a then uninhabited naturally protected place, served as a refuge for fishermen's boats.
Under Austrian rule in early 1910s, some houses were built on Veruda and Stoja (two districts in Pula) and the city started actively expanding outside the old historical center.
As the city expanded, the Austrian army continued building strategic positions, eventually erecting a stone house and naming it in honor of the fishermen - Fischerhütte, which is also its first name.
Pula - Austrian port was booming back in 1915-1918 due to ongoing WWI. That was the previous place for local fishermen. So in that time they moved to Ribarska Koliba.
As Austrians were in power, the restaurant staff was German or Austrian nationality, who brought their culture with them. In that period they served mainly meat specialties, while the fish dishes at that time were considered as exotic food.
It was a gastronomically known place destined for an elite audience, at least for those who could afford it. Only officers and high-ranked soldiers with carriages were coming.
1918-1920-s - That was the time when the officers disappeared, and Pula had more and more factory workers, craftship and industrial enterprises workers arrived, and Ribarska Koliba lost it's status of elite place. The elite went to town, and the Fisherman's Hut belongs to the category of trattoria. At that time there were 3 restaurant categories - Top category (at that time - Cozio e Bonavia), Trattoria-style eating place which is less formal than a restaurant, and the Osteria - low priced place with single item menu and pretty simple food.
1918-1943 - Pula was under Italian rule when the name was changed due to strong Italianization - Capanna del pescatore - which is a translation of Fisherman's Hut. During all those years the main language spoken in Pula was Italian.
1943 Through the time of the war, the records of ''Arena di Pola'' state that Capanna was a famous gathering place, with excellent gastronomy where people had different celebrations, and students' proms...
1945-1947 - After the end of the war, the area was under Anglameric rule.
During 1940-s and 1950-s Mr. Lukež, president of the sommelier club, witnessed a massive stone table next to restaurant - that was a famous picnic area, a popular place to meet. It was worth visiting during the day because of the pine trees and at night because of the romantic atmosphere, thanks to the waves of the sea, stars and boats. Unfortunately, this table doesn't exist now and there are no pictures of it, although it's known that it was situated close the the Depadansa building - which is one of the hotel buildings now.
On August 9 th, 1955, there was the first visit of Yugoslavian President Josip Broz Tito to Ribarska Koliba.
In 1958 a meeting between Yugoslavian President Josip Broz Tito and Egyptian President Nasser was held in Ribarska Koliba. - However the beach is still undeveloped and suitable only for camping in a wild manner.
In 1958 a meeting between Yugoslavian President Josip Broz Tito and Egyptian President Nasser was held in Ribarska Koliba. - However the beach remained undeveloped and suitable only for camping in extreme conditions.
In 1958, an important reversal as Karlo Katičić became the director of the Riviera - Ribarska Koliba Hotel, which is part of the Riviera Hotels Group. Under his leadership, the goal became to take the hotel to the international level, and it is recognized as the first significant investment in Pula tourism.
In 1958-1960 Ribarska Koliba is undergoing a major renovation and the first accommodation facilities are being built and the interior of the restaurant is changing. At that time the Depadansa building was build on the place of the stone table.
1960 was the key year – Šime Fatović was the popular chef of the restaurant. Also, the road infrastructure that existed up to Veruda at the time, thanks to a well-maintained and well-known restaurant, extends to the restaurant even before the famous Verudela place and Marina Veruda even existed.
The first tourist resort Zlatne Stijene was built in 1961. That year five catering companies were opened: Riviera, Dalmatia, Adriatic, Zelenika and Vesna. Hotel The Riviera operating under the Catering School Center. What was being prepared for the summer 1963 is the birth of a large, all-inclusive modern tourist city that included Ribarska Koliba, Zlatne stijene and a modern campsite in Podstinje where Zlatne stijene are situated. Accommodation was provided for 1,250 people who had the opportunity to go to restaurants bars in the area and had a seating capacity of 4,000 guests.
During the active development of the Marina - more and more boats are coming.
In 1970 Ribarska Koliba and Riviera Hotel - only those places in Pula were designated for the practical work and as part of the students' practice. In that way, a hotel actually served to demonstrate, teach and administer the catering craft - mainly for waiters, chefs, and receptionists
In 2018 - 2019, Ribarska Koliba received major restoration to bring it back to its original grandeur, including the announcement of several upgrades. Expansion plans include a new international chef to reimagine the concept and execution of their menu as well as operations. As a native of Pula, he is bringing his talents working at Michelin - rated restaurants throughout Asia back to the area. Visitors can expect excellent service, exceptional dishes, and most importantly, great memories to treasure.
The restructuring is set to address both the setup of the on - season and off - seasons, with Ribar ska Koliba inviting the most respected and highly regarded restaurant guide representatives (Michelin, Gambero, Rossu, Gault Millau) associated with top tier, high cuisine restaurants. These developments and more ensure Ribarska Koliba remains an important historical place in the history of Pula
