In my desire to promote tourist attractions, I moved from Suceava, northern Moldova to Constanța, to the sea, the most beloved place in the summer season.
We all know about Constanța that it is the municipality of residence of the county with the same name, Dobrogea, Romania, formed by the component localities of Constanța (residence), Mamaia and Palazu Mare. It is one of the oldest certified cities in Romania. The first documentary attestation dates from 657 BC. when on the place of the present peninsula (and even under the waters of today, next to the Casino) a Greek colony called Tomis was formed.
Constanța is located in the southeastern part of Romania. It is located on the Black Sea coast, in a lagoon area to the east, hilly to the north and central part, and plain to the south and west. The city of Constanța has its own 6 km long beach. The northern part of the municipality, Mamaia, the most populated tourist resort on the Coast, is located on the shores of a lagoon, with a beach 7 km long, a beach that continues for another 6 km on the territory of Năvodari.
Points of atraccion
Museums
Museum of National History and Archeology
The Museum of National History and Archeology in Constanța was established in 1878 by the first prefect of the Romanian administration in Dobrogea: Remus Opreanu and the school inspector Ion Bănescu. It is one of the richest museums in the country. In it, are exhibited Neolithic pieces from Hamangia and Gumelnița cultures, agricultural tools from the slavery period, sarcophagi dated as belonging to the I - III centuries, Greco-Roman amphorae, statuettes representing Greek deities and works of art. The Glykon snake worked in white marble and the collection of coins engraved with Scythian kings are the most famous.
The museum building was built in 1879 and rebuilt by Vasile Pârvan in 1911, being now a historical monument.
Museum of Folk Art
The Museum of Folk Art is a county museum in Constanța, located in B-dul Tomis no. 32. In 1975, the folk art collection was established within the Constanța Art Museum, and in 1980 it acquired the status of a section. Since 1985, there has been an orientation of acquisitions towards other ethnographic areas in the country. The museum building is declared a historical monument
Since 1990 it has been an institution with legal personality. The basic exhibition includes all genres of folk art distributed by ethnographic areas, the museum having a national character. The museum building dates from 1893 and is an architectural monument. It was originally the town hall, then the post office. It was restored in 1973, 1978, 1989. Collections of folk art from all regions of the country include: ceramics, icons on wood and glass, metal, folk costume, barks, fabrics, textiles, ornaments. Objects for household use of ceramics, wood, metal are characterized by a great typological richness. The interior fabrics - towels, tablecloths, sheets, bed linen, bark, wall coverings, pillowcases (cotton, borangic and wool) - are of great ornamental richness. The 4 m long towels are an integral part of the old peasant interiors. Floral, vegetal, zoomorphic, anthropomorphic motifs, alternating with stripes of different widths create specific ornamental compositions. Woolen fabrics for decoration or household use have an ornamental composition based on alternating stripes, with chosen geometric motifs, evenly and continuously distributed.
Historic buildings and areas
Constanța Casino
Constanța Casino is an old casino, located in Constanța, Romania. It was designated by the Romanian Ministry of Culture and National Heritage as a historical monument. The casino is located on the seafront of Constanța at Elisabeta Boulevard no. 2, along the Black Sea, in the historic Peninsula district of the city. The casino was built three times separately, the first structure being built of wood in 1880. It was designed to be a club and a community center for elite and upper class socialists eager to spend. Once considered the Monte Carlo of Romania and a symbol of the city of Constanța, the latest and most modern version was built in Art Nouveau style, being the most important Art Nouveau building in the country, designed and built according to Daniel Renard's plans and inaugurated in August. 1910. The most modern version of the casino has been in operation for 38 years, with interruptions due to the two world wars, attacked and bombed by Bulgarian and German troops in the First World War, devastated in the Second World War and, at one point, like a makeshift war hospital. In 1948 it was taken over by the communist government becoming the House of Culture (House of Culture of Trade Unions) for the party until 1960 when it was handed over to the National Tourism Office (ONT). The last major repairs took place in 1986–1988, and the building was abandoned until 2019 and is currently under renovation again.
Statue of Queen Elizabeth
Elisabeta of Romania, literary pseudonym Carmen Sylva (lat. “The song of the forest”), full name Elisabeth Pauline Ottilie Luise zu Wied, b. December 29, 1843, Neuwied, Germany - d. February 18, 1916, Curtea de Argeș, Kingdom of Romania) was the queen of Romania during the reign of her husband, Carol I of Romania. Patron of the arts, founder of charitable institutions, poet, essayist and writer.
After the queen's death, the sailors' unions decided to erect a life-size statue in front of the Mamaia Casino, facing the sea. The bronze statue is today in a basement of the History Museum in Constanța and is waiting to be put back in its place. The statue was again placed on the pedestal in 2013, on the Casino seafront - Elisabeta Blvd., with the restoration of the old peninsular area and the seafront.
Greek Church
The Greek Church of Constanța (Metamorphosis), dedicated to the "Change of Face", was built between 1863 and 1865 by the contribution of the Greek colony in the city, which received the approval of Sultan Abdul Azis. The church does not have towers, due to the restrictions imposed by the Ottoman authorities that ruled the territory of Dobrogea at that time, the obligatory condition imposed for construction being that its towers should not exceed in height the minaret of the mosque in Constanța.
The building was designed by Greek architect Janis Teodoride and was made of white brick and marble brought from Greece. Until 1900, all the services occasioned by the various important events of the city were held at the Greek Church. This is because it was the first church built in the city, the Romanian one being inaugurated only in 1895. In 1954, the church was declared a historical monument and included in the national heritage. At the moment, the “Change in the Face” church has the status of a mixed Romanian-Greek parish, the services being held both in Romanian and in Greek.
Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul
Catedrala ortodoxă „Sfinții Apostoli Petru și Pavel“ este un lăcaș de cult ortodox din Constanța, situat în zona peninsulară a orașului, mai jos de Piața Ovidiu, în fața clădirii Arhiepiscopiei Tomisului. Edificiul domină prin arhitectura sa monumentală întreg spațiul falezei sudice a orașului. Piatra de temelie a fost pusa la 4 septembrie1883, in timpul mitropolitului Iosif Gheorghian. Sfințirea bisericii s-a făcut la 22 mai1895. Planurile de construcție aparțin renumitului arhitect Alexandru Orăscu, iar arhitectul diriginte al lucrărilor a fost Carol Benesch. Antreprenorul lucrărilor a fost Henri Guaracino. În parcul ce înconjoară catedrala se află un complex arheologic în care sunt identificate elemente ale vechiului oraș Tomis.
Genoese lighthouse
The "Genovez" lighthouse is a historical monument located in the historic center of Constanța, behind the statuary group that has in its center the bust of Mihai Eminescu, sculpted by Oscar Han. It is located near the Constanța Casino building.
Parallelipiped construction from the base up to 3.50 m and octagonal in the rest, the lighthouse has a height of about 8 meters. At the base is the pedestal composed of 2 steps, over which rises the parallelepiped body and then the octagonal prism finished at the top with a cornice with brackets that support the metal housing of the headlight lamp that also forms the roof. The space inside is cylindrical, with a spiral stone staircase.
The Genoese lighthouse bears this name as a sign of respect for the Genoese who are considered "masters of the seas".
Places for relaxation and fun
The dolphinarium
The bust of Mihai Eminescu
The bust of Mihai Eminescu from Constanța, cast in bronze, located near the Genoese Lighthouse, on a travertine pedestal, 3 m high, was made in 1930 by the sculptor Oscar Han and unveiled in August 1934 on the seafront of the casino, near the sea.
Ovidiu Square and the Statue of Ovidiu
Ovidiu Square in Constanța was founded in 1878. Until 1947 it was called Independence Square. It has always been the central area of the city. In the interwar period the square looked different, the buildings were different, only one thing has remained unchanged until today: the sea. Also here is the statue of Ovidiu.
The statue of the Latin poet Ovidiu was executed by the Italian sculptor Ettore Ferrie in 1887. The monument is located in the historic center of Constanța. An identical replica has been found since 1925 in Sulmona, his hometown in Italy.
The statue is located on the peninsula, in Ovidiu Square, in front of the former building of Constanța City Hall, today of the National Museum of History and Archeology, near the port of Tomis.
Carol Mosque
The Great Mosque of Constanța, also known as the Carol Mosque, is a Muslim place of worship in Constanța, an architectural monument, built between 1910 and 1913. The construction was started in 1910, on the initiative of King Carol I, as a tribute to the Muslim community in the city of Constanța. The works were completed in 1913. The inauguration took place on May 31, 1913 in the presence of the royal family and representatives of the Muslim cult in Romania. Initially it was called the Carol I Mosque, later it was renamed the Mahmoud II Mosque. However, today, Muslim believers call it "Kral camisi" or "King's Mosque".
The mosque has a beautiful interior mural. Inside it houses a famous oriental rug, received as a donation from Turkey. It comes from the island of Ada Kaleh and is over 200 years old.
Strada Vântului
Strada Vântului from Constanţa is one of the narrowest streets in the country. It is only two meters wide, can be embraced by a tourist and stretches only 100 meters away.
Once upon a time, Strada Vântului was seen as a symbolic border between the houses of two ethnic groups: Greeks and Armenians. Here we find many buildings declared historical monuments
Church of St. Archangels Michael and Gabriel
The initiative to build one of the most famous churches in Constanța, the Church of the "Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel" ("Holy Angels" or "Military Chapel" near the Hospital), was taken in 1932 by the leadership of the then Garrison Army in Constanța. The initiative of the army elders was enthusiastically received by both the Army Episcopate, the Bishopric of Constanța, and the local authorities.
The Royal Footbridge
As a small parenthesis, I will also write about a tourist attraction that should have been visited, but it was covered in sand.
The Royal Footbridge was a unique construction in the resort of Mamaia, which deteriorated year after year, being abandoned by the authorities immediately after the Revolution.
The construction dates from 1935 and was later forgotten by the authorities. The architectural jewel, inaugurated by King Carol a century ago, will be covered with sand to be preserved. Here is the only seafood bar in Europe. It seems that those who are widening the beaches were stumbling on the catwalk.
Tăbăcăriei Park and Saint Mina Church
Tăbăcăriei Park covers an area of approx. 100 ha around Lake Tăbăcăriei in Constanța, being one of the most beautiful parks in Dobrogea and among the largest in the country. The park includes three inland lakes, on the banks of which rich vegetation grows, covering a large part of the park. The lakes include islands, peninsulas and isthmuses that give the area a romantic look. A special charm is given by the multitude of bridges and bridges that facilitate access over water areas.
Saint Mina Church is a special location, being an oasis of peace in Constanța. The place of worship is located in Tăbăcăriei Park, on the shore of the lake of the same name, away from the noise of the city. The beautiful church was built between 1995 and 1997 according to the plans of the architect Nicolae Goga.
Mamaia Resort
Mamaia is a component locality of Constanța municipality in Constanța county, Dobrogea, Romania. It is located in the north of the city and is a summer tourist resort of the Romanian coast.
Immediately after the end of the First World War, the resort develops and begins its arrangement, with the construction of the summer residence of the royal family, in the current Castle Club. In 1935 the Casino was built and in 1934 the first hotel appeared.
Mamaia's main attractions are the Holiday Village, the Aqua Magic amusement park and the gondola. Radio Vacanța is the radio station of the resort, which broadcasts every year from May to October, starting with 1966 in five languages (Romanian, English, French, German and Russian) in all resorts on the Romanian Black Sea coast. Every year, during the summer, the Mamaia Light Music Festival takes place in this resort.
Tomis Port
Tomis Port is the tourist and fishing port of Constanța, located in the historic center of the city.
The port was built in 1958 in the former Gulf of Dolphins. The port basin was built by closing the bay with two dams: the northern one, Y-shaped, with an initial length of 400 m, was extended in 2007 with another portion of 200 m; the eastern one starts from the seafront of the Casino, on a length of 500 m. Three of its four sides (the eastern, southern and western ones) were provided with quays. The depths are only 0.50 m in the south-western part of the basin and 3 m in the north-eastern area. In the years 2008-2010, a series of investments were made to allow the increase of annual traffic and tourist attendance.
Siutghiol Lake
Siutghiol Lake is a lake located in Constanța County, in Mamaia resort. It is a natural lake, lagoon type, formed on Jurassic and Cretaceous limestones. The lake has a water volume of 88.7 million m3, an area of 1900 ha. It has a length of 7.5 km and a width of 2.5 km, the maximum depth of the lake being 17 m.
Other sights to visit
City Hall Park
Artesian fountain from Constanța train station
The seafront
Yacht Gateway - the holiday village
Modern beach
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