Cerkev je znak v prostoru.
Kot urbani element je cerkev s svojim najpogosteje svobodnim volumnom, izraženim z vertikalnostjo, oziroma s celotnim bogastvom prizora skozi stoletja in še danes bistveno označevala prostor, v katerem stoji. Po drugi strani pa je s stališča vernika na simbolni ravni to pomembno mesto zbiranja in kontemplacije.
Cerkev je torej znak v prostoru in času, s čimer postaja znak v
našem spominu.
Cerkev svetega Nikolaja popotnika se nahaja na vrhu polotoka nad Peščenim zalivom v Pulju.
Svobodni volumen, stoječ na vrhu, dominira s svojo vizuro, ne glede
na to, iz katere smeri se cerkvi približujemo. Še preden je zagledamo samo naselje Peščenega zaliva, je prvi znak in slika v spominu belina cerkve sv. Nikolaja v zelenem okvirju, ki ga obkroža.
Poslopje je zgrajeno v delu mesteca, za katerega je značilna precej gosta pozidava z različnimi družinskimi objekti, razširjenimi za turistične potrebe. V tem
kontekstu je prostor brez izražene identitete in lastne prepoznavnosti. Označitev prostora je urbana vloga cerkve v tem ambientu.
(...)

A church is a sign in space
A church, as an urban element, by its usually free standing body, expressive verticality and rich scenery has emphatically characterised the space where
it stands throughout centuries and it continues to do so nowadays. On the other hand, from the believers’ point of view on a symbolic level it is an important place of congregation and contemplation.
Hence, the church is a sign in space and time whereby it becomes a sign in our memory.
The church of St. Nicholas the Traveller is placed atop a peninsula overlooking Pješčana uvala (Sandy Bay) in Pula. The freestanding volume located on high dominates the view from
all directions. Before actually seeing Pješčana uvala, the first sign and image to remember is the whiteness of St. Nicholas’ church framed by the surrounding greenery.
The building was built in the
part of the city characterised
by relatively densely built one-family houses, which has recently expanded with the construction of tourist apartments. In that sense, the area has no obvious identity or its own recognisability. The urban role of the church in this ambience is to designate the space.
(...)