Things to see and do Constanța

This remarkable museum will allow you to familiarize yourself with the history of the city and its region, from the Paleolithic to the present day. It occupies a building with an architecture of the purest neo-Romanian style, dating from 1921. You will discover exceptional remains, reflecting the archaeological wealth of Dobrogea: terracotta or bone objects, coloured glasses, jewellery, tools, weapons, bronze helmets, Greek and Roman statues... Among the valuable pieces is the Glycon (2nd century A.D.), a serpent deity carved in marble, which has become the emblem of the city. We can also mention the ceramics of the Neolithic civilizations of Hamangia and Gumelnița, notably the moving Thinker of Hamangia and the Seated Woman two terracotta statuettes discovered in the necropolis of Cernavodă.

Next to the museum is a gallery where a Roman mosaic dating from the 4th century AD is kept. Discovered during work in 1959, it is unique in Europe by its size (about 400 square metres preserved, out of the 2,000 of the original surface area). The harmony of its colours - dominated by red, white, green and beige - and the beauty of its plant and geometric patterns have not been altered by time. At the time, the mosaic occupied one of the terraces of a large commercial building, which served as a junction between the city and the port. From the gallery, you will enjoy a magnificent view of the port.

It's the landmark of Constanța. On the jetty by the Black Sea, this superb Art Nouveau building was designed by Swiss architect Daniel Renard and inaugurated in 1910. Its façade is adorned with a shell-shaped bay and its interiors are sumptuous. Confiscated by the Communists, the casino changed hands again and again after the revolution, until it fell into disrepair in the 2000s. After many ups and downs, a vast rehabilitation project was launched in 2020 and is due for completion in June 2024. You can already admire the restored façade.

In the center of the large pedestrian square that bears his name, you'll see the pensive statue of the Latin poet Publius Ovidius Naso. Born in 43 B.C., exiled in 9 A.D. by the Emperor Augustus, he died in Tomis in 17 or 18 A.D., leaving behind melancholy poems. His tomb has never been located. The statue, erected in 1887, was designed by the famous Italian sculptor Ettore Ferrari, who also created the statue of Abraham Lincoln in Washington. Surrounded by heterogeneous buildings, the square has been a gathering place since Antiquity.

Built between 1883 and 1895, it was the first church built in the city after the War of Independence of 1877. Its inauguration was delayed because of its interior paintings, which had to be corrected: the artist had given the features of local personalities to the religious figures! The brick building is Neo-Byzantine in style and is topped with copper domes that do not go unnoticed. In the park surrounding it, you can see the remains of the old town of Tomis.

Going up along the pleasant seaside promenade, you will see this lighthouse dating from the 14th century, renovated in 1860. It is also called the old lighthouse (farul vechi), as opposed to the new lighthouse (farul nou), which is very futuristic and which you may see on your way to the stations on the southern coast. Not far away, by the sea, is the statue of Mihai Eminescu, created by the sculptor Oscar Han in 1930. Further on, you will reach the marina of Tomis and, continuing along the sea, you will arrive at the grey sandy beach of the town.

It lies on the border between the old town and the modern city, at the foot of the Town Hall. This park is home to the remains of ancient Tomis, founded by settlers from the Greek city of Miletus in the ^6th century BC. Here you can see a tower rebuilt in the time of the Byzantine emperor Justinian, in the ^mid-6th century, and the last section of the Roman wall (on the Boulevard Ferdinand side), dating from the ^3rd century AD. The park's paths are lined with amphorae and column fragments.

Close to Piaţa Ovidiu, this elegant reinforced concrete mosque is the main Muslim place of worship in Romania. It was built in 1910 in Arab-Byzantine style, with elements of Romanian architecture. It was a gift from King Carol I to the Muslim community in the region. The interior houses the largest oriental carpet in Romania: with an area of 144 square metres, it is over two hundred years old and weighs almost 500 kg. You can climb the approximately 140 steps of the 47-metre high minaret: from there, the view of the city is superb.

It is divided into four historical sections: ancient, medieval, modern and contemporary. You'll see old amphorae, all kinds of weapons, medals, uniforms, navigational instruments, old maps... Not forgetting the hundred or so ship models from all eras: ancient merchant ships, Ottoman galleys, Moldavian warships, ^20th-century boats and submarines. The park offers a breathtaking view of the harbour.

The cave-monastery of Saint Andrew(peșterea Sfântul Andrei) lies 80 km west of Constanța, shortly after Adamclisi, in the village of Ion Corvin. Nestled in a forest of lime trees is a cave where, according to legend, the apostle Andrei took refuge. Arriving in the region around 60 A.D., he is said to have built a church here, where he and his followers celebrated the first Christian masses in what is now Romania. In the 1990s, a monastery was built next door.

This wine-growing region is the most famous in Dobrogea. It extends around the town of Basarabi. Located 20 km from Constanţa, the east-facing hillsides are particularly well-suited to vine-growing. This estate was extended in the 1950s, following a major planting campaign. A variety of grape varieties are grown here, producing wines that are often sweet and fruity, which, especially for red wines, may be a little disconcerting for French tourists. Guided tours are available, with tastings of course.

The road from Constanţa to Cernavodă, via Murfatlar, runs along the Black Sea Canal to the Danube. Also visible from the train that connects the capital to Constanţa, it was built in the 1950s and put into service in the 1980s. This 64.5 km long pharaonic project cost the lives of thousands of workers. Those who were called "volunteers" to carry out this "heroic project" for a "great Romania" were in reality peasants who refused collectivization, political opponents, Greek-Catholic priests.

Info and brochures about the city, its museums, the coast and the whole region.

The ruins of this ancient Roman city are divided into three sections: the museum, which houses archaeological remains (vases, funerary objects, etc.); the ruins of the city and its well-preserved surrounding walls; and the triumphal monument, erected in 109 A.D. to celebrate the victory won here by Emperor Trajan over the Dacians a few years earlier. The mausoleum visible today is a replica. The city was destroyed by the Goths in the ^3rd century.

It consists of two adjoining buildings, one 19th century neoclassical, the other dating from the 1980s. Works by great Romanian masters, mainly from the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th, are exhibited: Nicolae Grigorescu, Theodor Aman, Ioan Andreescu, Ștefan Luchian, Frederic Storck... The museum gives pride of place to paintings of marine inspiration, with many Dobrogean landscapes in particular. It also manages a section dedicated to the sculptor Ion Jalea, a native of the region (strada Arhiepiscopiei, 26).

This museum is housed in the former town hall, a neo-Romanesque building dating from 1896, with a very oriental feel. The interior is in the same vein. Here you'll see a variety of handicrafts from all regions of the country: wooden and glass icons, ceramics, pearl jewelry... The collection of folk costumes and textiles is particularly rich. There's also a craft store. On your way out, take a detour to contemplate the nearby Hunchiar mosque. This Moorish-style mosque dates back to 1868.

Near Lake Tăbăcăriei, to the north of the city, the complex includes a dolphinarium where you can see shows of small Black Sea dolphins, a planetarium, a microreserve featuring Dobrogea fauna and an exotic bird exhibition. There's also an aquarium right opposite the casino. Here you'll see the main specimens that inhabit Romania's coastal fresh waters (ponds, lakes, delta), as well as exotic fish such as moray eels and piranhas.