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              Situated at the crossroads of several commercial routes, Constanta lies on the western coast of the Black Sea, 185 miles from the Bosphorus Strait. An ancient metropolis and Romania's largest sea port, Constanta traces its history some 2,500 years. Originally called Tomis, legend has it that Jason landed here with the Argonauts after finding the Golden Fleece.

              Founded by Greek colonists from Miletos in the 6th century BC, Tomis was conquered by the Romans in 71 BC and renamed Constantiana by Roman Emperor Constantine the Great in honor of his sister. The name was shortened to Constanta during the Ottoman era. During the 13th century, Italy, especially Genoese merchants, dominated the Black Sea and Constanta flourished, only to decline two centuries later under Turkish rule.

                Fine mansions and hotels were built in the 19th century when King Carol I decided to revive Constanta as a port and seaside resort. Constanta is the fourth largest port in Europe, ranked just after Rotterdam, Antwerp and Marseille.

                  The third largest city in Romania, Constanta is now an important cultural and economic centre, worth exploring for its archaeological treasures and the atmosphere of the old town centre. Its historical monuments, ancient ruins, grand Casino, museums and shops, and proximity to beach resorts make it the focal point of Black Sea coast tourism. Open-air restaurants, nightclubs and cabarets offer a wide variety of entertainment.

                 While in the area, you can visit traditional villages, vineyards, ancient monuments and the Danube Delta, a bird-lover's paradise.

Ovidiu's Square

(Piata Ovidiu)

Designed by the sculptor Ettore Ferrari in 1887, the statue dedicated to the Roman poet, Ovidius Publius Naso, gives name to this square. Emperor Augustus exiled Ovid to Tomis in 8 AD.

The Roman Mosaics

(Edificul Roman cu Mozaic)

A vast complex on three levels once linked the upper town to the harbor. Today, only about a third of the original edifice remains, including more than 9,150 sq ft of colorful mosaics. Built toward the end of the 4th century AD and developed over the centuries, it was the city's commercial centre until the 7th century. Archeological vestiges point to the existence of workshops, warehouses and shops in the area. Remains of the Roman public baths can still be seen nearby. Aqueducts brought water six miles to the town.

The Genoese Lighthouse

(Farul Genovez)

Soaring 26 feet, this lighthouse was built in 1860 by the Danubius and Black Sea Company to honor Genoese merchants who established a flourishing sea trade community here in the 13th century.

The Casino

(Cazinoul)

During the 1914 visit of the Russian Imperial Family, the casino was host to a royal gala. Despite diplomatic negotiations, Grand Duchess Olga refused the proposed marriage to Prince Carol of Romania and the Russians sailed away. The Grand Duchess was later killed by the Bolsheviks along with the rest of her family.

Completed between the two World Wars in art nouveau style according to the plans of the architects, Daniel Renard and Petre Antonescu, the Casino features sumptuous architecture and a wonderful view of the sea. The pedestrian area around the Casino is a sought-after destination for couples and families, especially at sunset.

The House with Lions

(Casa cu Lei)

Blending pre-Romantic and Genovese architectural styles, this late 19th century building features four columns adorned with imposing sculptured lions. During the 1930s, its elegant salons hosted the Constanta Masonic Lodge.

The Archaeology Park

(Parcul Arheologic)

The park houses columns and fragments of 3rd and 4th century buildings and a 6th century tower.

St. Peter & Paul Orthodox Cathedral

(Catedrala Sf. Apostol Petru si Pavel)

Constructed in Greco-Roman style between 1883 and 1885, the church was severely damaged during WWII and was restored in 1951. The interior murals display a neo-Byzantine style combined with Romanian elements best observed in the iconostasis and pews, chandeliers and candlesticks (bronze and brass alloy), all designed by Ion Mincu and completed in Paris.

The Great Mahmudiye Mosque

(Moscheea Mare Mahmoud II)

Built in 1910 by King Carol I, the mosque is the seat of the Mufti, the spiritual leader of the 55,000 Muslims (Turks and Tatars by origin) who live along the coast of the Dobrogea region. The building combines Byzantine and Romanian architectural elements, making it one of the most distinctive mosques in the area. The centerpiece of the interior is a large Persian carpet, a gift from Sultan Abdul Hamid. Woven at the Hereche Handicraft Centre in Turkey, it is one of the largest carpets in Europe, weighing 1,080 pounds. The main attraction of the mosque is the 164-ft minaret (tower) which offers a stunning view of the old downtown and harbor. Five times a day, the muezzin climbs 140 steps to the top of the minaret to call the faithful to prayer.

St. Mina Orthodox Church

(Biserica Ortodoxa Sf. Mina)

Built by master carpenters from the Maramures region in authentic Romanian style, this is the biggest wooden church in Romania, 85 ft long and 40 ft wide topped by a 140-ft tower.

Folk Art Museum

(Muzeul de Arta Populara)

The ethnographic museum, through its structures, shows the unity of the folk culture from Dobruja with the culture from the other Romanian regions. This unity is given by the fact that these regions share the same origins and by the fact that throughout the time they have kept in touch, by means of time and space, with Romanians from all the ethnographic regions of the country.

The museum's collections were built through patrimony acquisitions, made systematically, following a well-structured plan in terms of documentation, art and region. Currently these collections gather a patrimony of national heritage which has more than 16, 000 pieces.

National History & Archeology Museum

(Muzeul de Istorie Nationala si Arheologie)

An impressive collection of artifacts from Greek, Roman, and Daco-Roman civilizations is on display illustrating the history of Dobrogea from the Stone Age to modern days. Greek and Roman objects can be found on the main floor. Two statues, one of the "Glykon - The Fantastic Snake," dating from the 3rd century BC, and the other of "Goddess Fortuna and Pontos," god of the Black Sea, are considered protectors of the city and port and are the highlights of the collection.

Romanian Navy Museum

(Muzeul Marinei Romane)

Organized chronologically in four sections, the museum features charts, moldings, ancient and modern boat models, navigation instruments, documents and photographs. You can find a dug-out canoe made from a single tree trunk, a navigation case from the 16th century, a mid-17th century celestial globe made in Venice and models of Greek triremes. The open-air exhibition, displaying life-size anchors, propellers, engines, surface and anti-aircraft gun mounts, offers a wonderful panorama of the Constanta harbor.

Aquarium

(Acvariul)

Opened in 1958, the Constanta Aquarium houses representatives of 60 species of fish from the Black Sea and the Danube Delta, as well as from the seaside lake. The most significant is the collection of sturgeons, one of the largest in the world.

Dolphinarium

(Delfinariul)

The Dolphinarium is among the most visited tourist attractions in Constanta both in summer and in the off-season. Along The Planetarium and The Astronomical Observatory and the Microreserve, the Dolphinarium is a beautiful and exciting part of the Natural Sciences Museum Complex of  Constanta. The dolphin stars are Peipei, Chen Cheng and Ni-Ni (one male and two females). Finned stars perform glamorous tricks every day after a well-established program, snatching smiles and wild applause from the present spectators.

 

Mamaia

A favorite weekend get-away for locals, Mamaia is one of the most sought-after resorts on the Black Sea coast. A narrow stretch of fine-sand beach between the Black Sea and Lake Siutghiol ("Lake of Milk" in Turkish), Mamaia boasts numerous hotels, a casino, sporting facilities (water sports, biking, tennis, beach games), and hip nightclubs and restaurants located within 100 feet of the sea. You can spend the mornings cooling down at the beach or at the Aqua Magic Park, located at the very entrance of the resort, and the afternoons taking in the view of the Black Sea by riding the Telegondola (Cable Car). Between Mamaia and Constanta, you can stroll through Satul de Vacanta amusement park, featuring rides, a bowling alley, an open-air bazaar and several restaurants. At times crowded, the park is a local come-together with a charm of its own. The Summer Theatre of Mamaia is the venue for the annual Romanian Pop Music Festival and various other shows.

Mangalia

Built on the site where the city of Callatis stood 2,400 years ago and where ancient stone tombs, statues of gods and other artifacts have been found, Mangalia provides treatments for afflictions related to the kidneys, digestive and nervous systems, skin and liver. Its name comes from the Byzantine word Pangalia, meaning "the most beautiful," and it developed as a spa resort after the Second World War.

While in Mangalia, you can visit the Callatis Archeological Museum, the ruins of the Callatis Fortress (7th century BC), the Syrian Basilica and the 16th century Esmahan Sultan Mosque, the oldest mosque in Romania.

Histria Fortress & Lake Sinoe

(Cetatea Histria & Lacul Sinoe)
Heading north from Constanta towards Tulcea, you'll pass through Istria. Four miles east of the village, on the shores of Lake Sinoe, is the ruined Greek-Roman city of Histria. Histria Fortress, the Pompeii of Romania, was the oldest Greek settlement in Romania. Founded in the 7th Century BC by Greeks from Miletos, the richest city in Ionia (Asia Minor), this trading post soon became the main Greek port on the Black Sea. The city thrived for fourteen centuries, prospering under Roman and Byzantine occupation until invading forces wiped it off the map in the 7th century AD.

The lost city features remains of Aphrodite's Temple, the Temple of Zeus, Roman baths and other public buildings from the Roman-Byzantine period. The nearby museum (Open: Tue. - Sun 9:00am - 8:00pm; Closed Mon.) houses a collection of coins, ceramic items and other vestiges of the great civilizations that thrived on the Black Sea coast, or Pontus Euxin's, at it was called in ancient times.

Near Histria Fortress, you can visit one of the most beautiful lagoons in the country, Lake Sinoe, an extension of Lake Razim. The lake makes for an excellent bird watching site; 267 species have been recorded. The area is a stretch of marshy land and reedbeds between the freshwater Lake Nuntasi and the brackish lagoon of Lake Sinoe (the last one was open to the sea until 1960). Lake Razim is popular for bird-watching, especially in November when thousands of Red-Breasted Geese arrive from the Arctic.

Enisala

Former Roman, then Byzantine and Genoese fortress, Enisala is today a village stretching between lakes Babadag and Razim. Here you can visit a traditional fisherman's house converted into a museum displaying colorful tapestries and folk art.

Tulcea & the Danube Delta

(UNESCO Heritage Site)

Visit Tulcea, one of the oldest cities in Romania, and continue with an exploration of the Danube Delta, one of Europe's leading wildlife sanctuaries. The Delta is a 2,200-square-mile wildlife reserve designated by UNESCO as a 'Reservation of the Biosphere'. Its tree-fringed lakes, reed islands, marshes and oak forests are home to more than 3,400 animal species, along with over a thousand varieties of plant life. The Delta's waters teem with some 160 species of fresh- and salt-water fish. Bird-watchers will be especially enthralled here, with opportunities to spot more than 300 species of migratory and permanent birds including eagles, egrets, vultures, geese, cranes, ibises, cormorants, swans and pelicans.

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