Traveling through history /

MNHA Constanta (Romania)

Tropaeum Traiani. Constanta County, Romania

Tropaeum Traiani / Adamclisi. Constanta County, Romania

THE DANUBIAN TOURISTIC ROUTE

(Constanța county)

1) FOREWORD

Cultural tourism plays an important role in the knowledge, preservation and promotion of cultural and touristic heritage of each country. While tourism was considered a primarily economic activity, heritage (either local, national or universal) represents a richness that cannot be considered a classic consumer product. In this respect, it is important of preserving both values and cultural heritage, by a better promotion of the history, local and national values among tourists and by supporting the intercultural exchanges that contribute to the communities’ economic, social and cultural development.

That’s why it is important to highlight the importance of tourist routes, and for this purpose, we present in this document the Danube route of the fortresses, sites and tourist attractions in Dobrogea, especially since part of them is in the patrimony and management of the Museum of National History and Archeology (acronym MNHAC), and here we mean both exhibited heritage pieces, as well as the archaeological sites managed by the museum (the ancient cities of Adamclisi and Capidava).

On a regional level, Dobrudja (southeastern region set between the Danube and Black Sea), suitable for housing since ancient times, has a high touristic potential, marked by two basic components: natural (landscapes, favorable climatic conditions, therapeutic value) and anthropogenic (historical and archaeological artifacts, monuments and works of secular and religious art, museums and museum collections, ethnography and folklore elements, recent accomplishments). So, promoting the cultural tourism implies a valuable patrimony, or at least some outstanding sights, but well restored, conserved and enhanced in terms of tourism.

Two complementary factors worked in the favour of this achievement: the existence of the rich patrimony mentioned above and that the major museum sights (ancient fortresses and archaeological sites) are generally located in rural areas, around some small human communities. A cultural route means an increased tourists’ inflow, which is – in turn – followed by an economic revival of these rural villages, an income sources’ diversification of the respective communities (where revenues come mainly from agriculture) and, last but not least, the creation of new jobs. The approach is consistent with the tourism’s general trends, knowing that the activity is an important cog in the global economy, both in terms of international trade, and as an employment’s basic condition, being an increasingly complex phenomenon and bringing together people and resources, products and services, companies and their economic activity. Plus, in an accelerated way, tourism is an activity that identifies, differentiates and exploits the advantages of a geographic region; therefore, the public administration shows an increasing interest in the creative powers of cultural tourism as a source of economic value.

Objectives of archaeological interest must be integrated into larger structures, presented together with objectives of eco-tourism interest, thus being much better valued. Thus, the touristic-cultural richness of the Danube line will be better admired, known and understood.

We propose for this study the presentation of the touristic-cultural objectives that are located along the line of the Danube, administratively belonging to Constanța county. Where the organic connection with the Danube line requires it, even if the distances are relatively large, touristic-cultural objectives will also be presented that are not located in the immediate proximity of the Danube, but can be better understood by referring to the great river. We are mainly referring to Adamclisi, where special vestiges from the Roman era are located, Băneasa and Ion Corvin, all three of these areas being inextricably connected with the Danube line.

This one, Constanța County, is located in the south-eastern tip of Romania, bordering Tulcea County to the north, the Republic of Bulgaria (Dobrich and Silistra Oblasts) to the south, the Black Sea coast to the east, and the Danube River to the west. It has an area of 7.071 km².

Methodologically, the objectives will be presented starting from the current city in the Republic of Bulgaria, Silistra, organically linked to the historical evolution of Dobrogea, following the course of the Danube to the town of Gârliciu (where the ancient fortification Cius was identified).

2) ACCESS

Access to the area can be done in multiple ways. Starting from Călărași (South) or from Brăila and Măcin or further (North), you can reach the Danube, with the help of river boats.

The southwest of Dobrogea communicates with the rest of the county through the main road transport axis, DN3 (Ostrov – Constanța, 133 km), and the northern part, through DN2A (Giurgeni gate – Hârșova – Constanța, 95 km E60). The town of Cernavodă is located on the DN22C and the A2 also passes here, as well as the Bucharest-Constanța railway (226 km).

Also, the area communicates with the border region, and crossing into the Republic of Bulgaria can be done through the customs checkpoints at Ostrov or Lipnița.

3) NATURAL OBJECTIVES (sanctuaries, geological structures, karst complexes)

– Natural sanctuary „Esechioi forest”. It is located in the Oltina Plateau, south of Lake Bugeac. It covers an area of 27.7 ha and is a natural botanical and zoological reserve. Is characterized by the presence of about 850 plant taxa (species and subspecies) grouped in about 35 plant associations. The main forest species are represented by xerophilic oaks, such as Quercus virgiliana, Quercus cerris, Quercus, Quercus pubescens (all being subspecies of downy oak), to which Carpinus orientalis – hornbeam is added, and the grassy vegetation includes numerous southern, Balkan and Mediterranean elements.
– Bugeac Lake. It is located between the localities of Ostrov and Lipnița, being a natural sanctuary of mixed type, declared Special Avifaunistic Protection Area. Also called „Gârlița” Lake, it is the southernmost fluvial port in Romania. It has an area of 1,434 ha, a maximum depth of only 1.7 meters and presents steep banks that can reach the height of 30 meters, with the flat bottom having the form of a gulf-depression. The lake is connected to the Danube, there is a weir that regulates the water exchange. It constitutes a favorable wintering and passage site for waterfowl populations, most of which are particularly important from a conservation point of view, such as the curly pelican (Pelecanus crispus).
– Oltina Lake. Located in the southeast of Constanța county, on the administrative territories of Lipnița and Oltina communes. The lake is a protected area of national interest (mixed, avifaunistic and botanical nature reserve), with a water surface of about 1,900 ha, with a maximum depth of 1.5 meters. The shores of the lake have loess ravines that reach 20-25 meters high; on the edge of the water, in some places there is a belt of reeds. Within the „Oltina Lake Natura 2000” site, in addition to the homonymous lake, there are also Ceamurlia and Iortomac Lakes, located in the vicinity, south of Oltina Lake. These three lakes are found in the Canaraua Fetii valey, in its widened basins. Lake Iortomac has 209 ha and a maximum depth of 2 meters; it shows springs on the shore and at the bottom of the lake, waters that flow from the Sarmatian limestones. Lake Ceamurlia has about 100 hectares and is covered by reeds and rushes in proportion to 75%. At the contact with the Danube, there is a link between Oltina and the river; on this river there is a weir. Among the species of hydrophilic plants, present in the Oltina habitats, we can mention the plutica (Nymphoides peltata) and the aquatic fern (Marselea quadrifolia). In the surroundings of the water there are areas with xerophilic steppe vegetation, installed on loess slopes, where the sedge (Stipa capillata) grows. In the area of the canals that connect to the Danube, there are willow (Salix alba) and poplar (Populus alba) forests in which there is also liana (Periploca graeca). Lake Oltina was declared a nature reserve on an area of 2,290 hectares. The Oltina Lake Natura 2000 site has an area of 3,303 hectares, ranging in altitude between 1 and 136 meters with an altitudinal average of 14 meters, being part of the steppe biogeographical region. Rivers and lakes represent 71% of the site’s surface, swamps 17%, deciduous forests 4%, the remaining 8% being agricultural land.
– Dunăreni (Mârleanu) Lake. It is on the administrative territory of Aliman commune, Dunăreni village. Lake Dunăreni is a protected area of national interest, a natural reserve of mixed type, avifaunistic and botanical. The lake covers an area of 671 ha and has a watershed of 522 km². It is a meadow lake, formed as a result of the processes of erosion and deposition of fluvial sediments on a secondary valley. Its banks in the southeastern area are calcareous, characterized by the presence of an associated calciphile flora. On the right side of the lake there are fossiliferous deposits. Hydrophilic and marshy vegetation constitutes a favorable habitat for species of aquatic, migratory and sedentary birds, represented by large flocks. Most species of ornithofauna are protected, some even globally endangered species, such as the red-necked goose and the curly pelican. During the migration period, there are over 20,000 specimens of waterfowl here.
– Băneasa – Canaraua Fetii natural area. It is located in the south-western extremity of Constanța county. “Băneasa – Canaraua Fetei” is a protected area, Special Avifaunistic Protection Area, and covers an area of 6,096 ha and includes the Canaraua Fetii Forest Nature Reserve. The protected area (framed in the steppe geographical bioregion of the Dobrudjan Plateau) represents a natural area (deciduous forests, thermophilic forests, rivers, marshes, calciphilic steppes, grottoes, arable land and crops) that provides food, nesting and living conditions for several species of migratory, passage or sedentary birds.
– The mouflon sanctuary from Negureni. The sanctuary is located in the village of Negureni, near the town of Băneasa. It is the largest mouflon reserve in Romania, a natural enclosure where there are around 80 specimens of wild sheep. The mouflon is a species of wild sheep with an impressive set of horns that lives in the Caucasus, Corsica, Sardinia, Rhodes and Cyprus.
– Urluia Valey. The valley is typical of the relief in the south of Dobrogea, extensively anthropogenically modified, often strongly meandering, with well-developed tributary valleys, with rather steep or vertical (canara) and often high slopes, on which the rock appears massively and frequently today; with a flat bottom (ceair), used for crops or irrigation; the original valley floor is much or totally modified. Along the valley there are small caves (e.g. the “Casa Hoților” cave), gorges and other karst formations, the Decebal Gorge, the abandoned village Adâncata, the Adâncata Monastery, as well as the Aliman Fossiliferous Site. At the downstream end, two lakes are formed: Lake Vederoasa and Lake Şarpul, then they flow into the Danube, next to the Sacidava Fortress.
– Vederoasa Lake. Located southwest of the village of Rasova, in the north of the village of Vlahii, in the Aliman commune, it is part of the Aliman Lake Mixed Natural Reserve and covers an area of 517 ha. It is characterized by the existence of rising shore springs, originating in the limestone at the base of the cliff and feeding the lake’s waters underground. Over 80% of the lake’s surface is covered with reeds, which constitutes a favorable habitat for birds. Lake Vederoasa or Vederoasa Bog is a special avifaunistic protection area, constituting a resting and wintering place for numerous species of migratory waterfowl, especially species of ducks and geese, but also a nesting place for bird species, many of which are protected.
– Şarpul Lake. It is located in the town of Aliman, towards the confluence of the Urluia Valley with the Danube, south of the Vlahii – Aliman road. On the northern shore of the Șarpul Lake there are layers of limestone of various ages, with rich traces of fauna and with the surface mostly occupied by reeds.
– Aliman Fossiliferous Reserve. It is located on the southeastern territory of Aliman village. It is a monument of nature and a protected area of national interest (natural paleontological reserve), with a total area of 14.62 ha and stretches along Lake Șarpul for a length of about 500 m, from the first ravine of the territory, to at the spring on the edge of the lake.
– Aliman – Adamclisi Nature Sanctuary. It is located on the northwestern territory of Adamclisi village and the southeastern one of Aliman village. The area was declared a special avifaunistic protection area in 2007 and covers an area of 19.468 ha. The protected area (framed in the steppe geographical bioregion) represents a natural area (pastures, steppes, cultivated arable land, natural meadows, deciduous forests) that provides food, nesting and living conditions for several species of migratory birds (raptors), passage or sedentary (some protected by law).
– Bratca Forest. It is located on the bank of the Danube, being one of the few natural meadow forests where the brumarian oak and the downy oak meet, vestiges of the original forests of the Danube area, presenting a unique landscape in the country. The forest is a mixed reserve, with an area of 66.7 ha.
– The Danube Canaras Protected Natural Area. It is important both for its geomorphological, paleontological, botanical (15 habitats and 2 plant very important species) and landscape characteristics, as well as for its faunal elements (mammals – 1 species, herpetofauna – 4 species, invertebrates – 1 species). It has an area of 25.943 ha and is partly or totally overlapped with the Allah Bair Capidava special avifaunistic protection area, the Canaras from Hârşova special avifaunistic protection area, the Dunăre-Ostroave special avifaunistic protection area, the Neo-Jurassic reef at Topalu, Celea Mare – Valea lui Ene and Cetate Forest.
– Cernavodă Fossiliferous Geological Reserve. It is located in the immediate vicinity of the „Carol I” Bridge (also known as the „Cernavodă Bridge”). It is a protected area of national interest, a paleontological nature reserve, and covers an area of 3 ha. In its perimeter there is an outcrop made of calcareous conglomerates, with an important content of fossiliferous fauna (corals, gastropods, bivalve shells, brachiopods) attributed to the Lower Cretaceous geological period.
– The Movila Banului fossiliferous area. It is located on the right bank of the Danube, in the northeastern part of the village of Seimeni. Monument of nature, it is a paleontological nature reserve, being the oldest fossiliferous point from the Miocene period discovered in Dobrogea. It covers an area of 4 ha. It represents an important area from a paleontological point of view, due to its wealth of extremely well-preserved fossils (ammonites, bivalves, gastropods, brachiopods and echinoderms). The scientific importance is given by the fact that it was possible to argue paleontologically that southern Dobrogea was covered by the great Lower Miocene Sea.
– The Neo-Jurassic reef from Topalu. The reef is located southwest of Tichilesti village and north of Topalu commune, being a mixed geological and paleontological reserve and has an area of 20.74 ha. It represents the clearest section of coralline formations of the Upper Jurassic in Romania. This coralline complex is made up of a succession of lithologically differentiated limestones. The structure of the massive coralline limestones here is similar to that of the reefs developed in the Alps, on the edge of the Hercynian epicontinental platform. Of great scientific interest are the structures of algal origin – stromatolites – whose frequency, variety and size are so far unique in Europe.
– Celea Mare – Valea lui Ene Nature Sanctuary. The sanctuary is located at the northern border of Ghindărești commune, being a mixed botanical and zoological area, with an area of 54.1 ha. Here you can still find plant species that were once part of the forest that covered the Central Dobrogea plateau.
– Seimenii Mari fossiliferous area. The area is located on the administrative territory of the Seimeni commune, 9 km from Cernavodă, on the bank of the Danube river. It is a natural monument that was declared a protected area of national interest in 2000 and covers 0.50 ha. It represents an important area from a paleontological point of view, where a rich fossil fauna is found, including about 60 species.
– Canaras from Hârșova. The natural area is located on the western territory of the city of Hârșova (downstream of the port), on the right bank of the Danube river. Monument of nature, it is a protected area of national interest, being a geological and geomorphological nature reserve. It covers an area of 3.53 ha. The scenic beauty of the Natural Area, overlapping the Natura 2000 site – Canaras from Hârșova, is given by the canaras (rocks made of reddish limestone attributed to the geological period of the Jurassic, in the substrates of which deposits of fossil remains of sponges and corals have been identified) on the right bank of the Danube river, which gives the area a special landscape aspect. The protected area hosts and provides feeding conditions for several species of migratory and passage birds.
– Sulphurous thermal baths Puturoasa – Hârșova. The sulphurous thermal baths are located on the banks of the Danube river, 2 km north from the town of Hârșova. The sulphurous mesothermal water deposit has been known for at least two centuries, on maps from the end of the 19th century, a valley with the name “Puturosul” was recorded. The deposit was prospected in the 1960s-1970s. Several drillings were made here, at different depths. According to laboratory analyses, out of 60 samples, the mineral concentration is special, varying between 1385 and 4150 gr salts/liter. The analyzes carried out by the National Institute of Recovery, Physical Medicine and Balneology carried out between 1990 and 2017 highlight the special quality of the mineral waters from Hârșova in the treatment of gastrointestinal, rheumatic, gynecological ailments, etc. The waters have a pleasant temperature (45⁰-52⁰ C), with locals entering the water even in winter.

4) RELIGIOUS OBJECTIVES / ECUMENICAL TOURISM.

Churches and monasteries belong to the Orthodox cult, where it is not specified otherwise. The Muslim places of worship are from the 19th century, even if rebuilt on older religious buildings.

Ostrov: „Dervent” Monastery, where the Healing Spring is also located; „Ostrov” Hermitage;
Esechioi: „Sfântul Haralambie” Church and “Sfântul Nicolae” Church;
Izvoarele: Wooden monument Church „Sfântul Mare Mucenic Dimitrie”;
Satu Nou: Wooden monument Church „Înălțarea Domnului”;
Oltina: The Hermitage of Nuns „Buna Vestire” Strunga; Wooden monument Church „Sfinții Arhangheli Mihail și Gavriil” (Strunga); „Înălțarea Domnului” Church;
Băneasa: „Sfântul Cuvios Gherman” Hermitage;
Ion Corvin: „Sfântul Apostol Andrei” Monastery and the Cave;
Dunăreni: „Sfântul Dumitru” Church;
Adamclisi: „Sfântul Apostol Filip” Monastery;
Rasova: „Sfântul Nicolae” Church;
Cochirleni: Biserica „Sfântul Dimitrie Izvorâtorul de Mir” Church;
Cernavodă: „Sfinții Împărați Constantin și Elena” Church; „Nașterea Sfântului Ioan Botezătorul” Roman-Catholic Church; The wooden Orthodox Church „Sfântul Apostol Andrei”; The mosque of Muslim worship „Mehmet Efendi” (19th century);
Seimeni: „Înălţarea Domnului” Church;
Topalu/Capidava: „Sfinții Epictet și Astion” Monastery from Capidava;
Tichilești/Ghindărești: Old Rite orthodox church „Înălţarea Domnului” and the Old Rite chapel; „Sfântul Gheorghe” Church (historical monument);
Hârșova: „Sfinții Constantin și Elena” Church; „Prodromița” Monastery; Sultan Mahmud’s Mosque (19th century).

5) CULTURAL-HISTORICAL OBJECTIVES (monuments, memorial houses, museums)

Ostrov

Museum collection of the “Dervent” Orthodox Monastery

Adamclisi

Archaeological Museum „Tropaeum Traiani”. The building was inaugurated in 1977 and contains archaeological remains discovered as a result of archaeological research and accidental discoveries in the Tropaeum Traiani fortress, at the monument (the original pieces) and in the immediate or more distant vicinity. There are ceramic collections, collections-pieces of architecture, collections-decorations, etc. Metopes, lower and upper frieze, pilasters, crenellations and parapet blocks of the scalloped attic, the colossal statue of the trophy, the inscription and the frieze with arms, remains of the walls of the cenotaph altar, fragments of the plinth of the trophy statue on which the face is carved are also exhibited. jellyfish and cnemides, a scale support, a scale from the conical roof. There are 48 original metopes (out of the 54 that once existed) in an order consistent with the unfolding of the events in the winter of 101-102 AC, but also a rich epigraphic material (as evidenced by the inscription on the base of the statue regarding the mention in the year 116 of the inhabitants Traianenses Tropaienses), the dedicatory inscription coming from the triumphal monument, funerary stelae (reused over time as construction materials) among which the one of L. Fufidius Lucianus whose position in the city administration betrays the declaration to him in 170 A.C. as a municipium or others that recall the presence of veterans from Legio V Macedonica or mentions of merchants from Syria, Palestine, Greece, etc.), bas-reliefs (with representations of a tropaeum, of Thanatos), fragments of aqueducts, capitals with impost, other architectural fragments, Roman ceramics for common or luxury use, tools, ornaments (gem rings, brooches, appliques, bells), keys, etc. Noteworthy is a small trophy that reproduces on a much-reduced scale the colossal statue/trophy that was discovered at the eastern entrance of the citadel, a real emblem of the city in the first half of the 4th century BC.

Cernavodă a) Museum of History and Archeology „Axiopolis”. The general profile of the museum is archaeological, with an emphasis on prehistoric and Daco-Roman culture. Prehistoric cultures from the period 5500-2500 BC are presented. Here is exhibited the replica of the Thinker and the Sitting Woman, masterpieces of Neolithic sculpture, discovered in Cernavodă in a tomb in the burial necropolis on Sofia Hill.

Artifacts found in settlements and necropolises belonging to the cultures Hamangia, Gumelnița, Cernavodă I, III și II are also on display. These are mainly ceramics, weapons, bone and stone tools, ornaments and cult objects from the 5th and 4th centuries BC.

Artifacts from the Hellenistic and Roman eras have an important weight, and from the 6th century BC belong the latest evidence of the existence of Christianity here, the hypogeum tomb at Axiopolis. The tomb is covered with a limestone cancelli stone (1) and retains a beautiful mural painting with crosses and acanthus leaves (2).

(1)

(2)

An important part of the exhibition is dedicated to the work of the engineer Anghel Saligny, or the local composer, I.D. Chirescu.

b) The „Carol I” bridge with the „Dorobanții” statues, built between 1890 and 1895, to ensure the railway connection between Bucharest and Dobrudja.

Topalu

a) Art museum „Dinu și Sevasta Vintilă”. The museum, established through a private donation, houses the work of the most important Romanian creators: Nicolae Grigorescu, Ștefan Luchian, Nicolae Tonitza, Theodor Pallady, Camil Ressu, etc.
b) Commemorative monuments related to the First World War

Ghindărești

a) Monuments erected in honor of the nation’s heroes
b) Museum of Russian Traditional Costumes

Hârșova

a) Museum of Archaeology „Carsium”. The museum illustrates, with the most representative discoveries from Hârșova and its surroundings, the development of material and spiritual civilization in the Danube area, starting from the Neolithic and up to the beginning of the modern era.

Pieces of great value are exhibited, some presented in international or national exhibitions, typical of the Neolithic cultures (Hamangia, Gumelnița), the culture of the metal age, the Roman, Romano-Byzantine and medieval civilization in the Lower Danube. Department of the Museum of National History and Archeology Constanța.

b) Commemorative monuments related to the First World War (Monument of heroes from Hârșova)
c) The Cross from Hârșova. Located on Belciug Hill, was erected in 1913, due to a national tragedy of the Romanian Army, in memory of the 26 officers, non-commissioned officers and soldiers who lost their lives in a tragic accident on the Danube.

d) The ensemble „Vasile Cotovu” (former school; director’s residence; the bust of Ioan Cotovu)
e) „Dutzu Pappuc” building
f) The House with the Shop

6) ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES (fortresses, monuments)

Ostrov. The archaeological site „Durostorum”; The canabae of Durostorum fortress; Roman settlement; Medieval settlement; The ancient settlement from Gârlița.

The Byzantine fortress on the island of Pacuiul lui Soare. It was built between the years 969 – 976, during the reign of the Byzantine emperor Ioan Tzimiskes, but in 976, after his death, the Byzantine rule in southern Dobrogea was violently removed by the Bulgarians, but it returned around the year 1000, the evidence of living inside the fortress being obvious. The fortress originally occupied the area of 5-6 ha and was probably trapezoidal in shape. Historians attest to the fact that over time, it had the role of a customs and defense fortress, having a particular importance during the Byzantine rule in Dobrogea, being also the seat of the imperial war fleet and military garrison. The durability of the walls of the fortress was given by a special technique used during the construction, called the wooden substructure, which was used due to the positioning of the fortress on an alluvial ground, with the walls made of large blocks of shaped stone. Archaeological research began in 1956, currently the site is exhausted (the part on the island). On the eastern side there is a wharf with piers, berths, etc., having a width of 24 m and being bordered by two rectangular towers; a 4-meter-wide gate; a building with an apse. Over time, the Byzantine fortress went through a flourishing economic period, especially between the 13th and 14th centuries, but in the years 1421-1422 its activity was stopped, the reasons being unknown even today. Currently, 10-15% of the fortress can still be seen, and in the 1950s it was visible to the extent of about 25%.

Oltina. Getic Dava „Valea Dacilor”; Ceramic kiln; The cave churches of Canaraua Fetii.

The Roman fortress Altinum. On the territory of the locality there was a Roman fortification, not yet identified in the field, which the ancient written sources specify that it was a station of the military fleet from Moesia Secunda. It is also known from ancient sources that its walls were rebuilt during the time of Justinian (527-565), and on a brick discovered in the north of Dobrogea, in the fortress of Dinogetia (Garvăn, Tulcea county), appears the name of the emperor Anastasius (491 -518) and of the fortified settlement of Altinum, leading to the assumption that it was manufactured here.

Băneasa. The archaeological site from Negureni; Early Medieval settlement; Settlement from the Roman-Byzantine era; Aqueduct.

Ion Corvin. The polygonal fortification from the Roman era.

Aliman. Getic fortress „Adâncata”; Roman rural settlement.

Dunăreni. The Getic fortress from Dunăreni; The archaeological site from Dunăreni, point „Gura Zăvalului”.

Sacidava fortress. Sacidava archeological site is located in Dobrudja region, Romania, on a hill on the right bank of the Danube – the Musait point, located at about 5 km north-east from Dunăreni village. The Roman Sacidava (1) was part of the province of Scythia, at its southern limit, it belonged to the military complex (limes) built along the Danube since the 1^st century AD The fortress has had an uninterrupted evolution since the beginning of the 2^nd century AD until the first quarter of the 7^th century AD, being one of the three large archaeological complexes located on the plateau of Muzait hill. (2)

In the immediate vicinity of the Roman Sacidava there is a Getic settlement, located at about 200 m east of the Roman fortified settlement, and which has a continuity of habitation from the 4^th century BC and until the end of the 1^st century BC – the beginning of the 1^st century AD (in fact, the toponym Sacidava suggests that in that place or nearby there was a Getic settlement before the Roman conquest). The second complex, an Early Medieval settlement from the 9^th – 10^th centuries AD is located at about 600 m east of the Roman Sacidava.

Adamclisi. The Roman altar; Basilica; Assembly of aqueducts; Roman terms; Extramural housing; The Hațeg archaeological site; Roman settlement; Medieval settlement; Latène Geto-Dacian settlement.

Archaeological site Tropaeum Traiani fortress. It was one of the most important economic, political and religious centers in Roman Dobrogea (within the provinces of Moesia Inferior and Scythia Minor), specialized research carried out for more than 120 years revealing a large amount of historical, archaeological and architectural informations, disseminated in scientific and popularization works. Located in the southeastern part of the Adamclisi commune and about 1500 m from the monument, the fortress occupies an area of over 10 ha. The native settlement that preceded the Roman city was populated with Roman veterans and civilian elements.

Since the second century AD the settlement turns into a thriving urban center and is elevated to the rank of a municipium. After the destruction caused by costoboci (around 170 AD), the city continues to develop. Public and private edifices, paved and sewered streets, temples and porticos are built. After the Carpo-Gothic attacks in the second half of the 3rd century BC, the fortress is rebuilt at the beginning of the 4th century BC, under the emperors Constantine the Great and Licinius.

After the urban flourishing of the 4th century BC. and from the first half of the 6th century AD, the Avar-Slavic invasion of 586 AD strongly affects the city. Under the conditions in which the imperial power becomes nominal, in the 7th century B.Chr. the city falls apart and the population retreats to the surrounding wooded areas.

The triumphal monument „Tropaeum Traiani”. The monument, conceived as a symbol of Rome’s strength, was erected by Emperor Trajan following important victories won in these places in the first Dacian war. The triumphal monument, dedicated to the god Mars the Avenger (Mars Ultor) was erected between 106-109 AD, at the end of the Dacian wars.

In its original state the monument appeared as a huge cylinder of 40 m high (with a diameter at the base equal to the height), surmounted by a cone trunk covered with stone slabs. Above, two hexagonal prisms served as a plinth for an enormous statue – the famous tropaeum. The decorative elements, arranged circularly, consist of the lower frieze, a sequence of metopes framed by pilasters and the upper frieze. The 54 metopes unfold the film of the warlike events that took place here at the beginning of the 2nd century BC: the parade of Roman troops, images of Emperor Trajan, battle scenes, chained prisoners seconded by Roman soldiers, the wealth of the land, etc. On the upper circumference, in the same circular arrangement, the row of 27 battlements reproduce figures of prisoners (Dacians, Germans, Sarmatians) in relief. Finally, at the top dominates the statue of the trophy, about 5 m high, in which we recognize the costume and armor of a Roman soldier. Everything imposes through massiveness, creating the impression of dominance of the winner. The restoration of the monument respects authenticity, preserving the original parts and faithfully reproducing, in replica, figurative parts. We thus have the integral image of the monument in all its magnificence, with all the educational, patriotic and touristic implications. In the vicinity of the triumphal monument there is also the mausoleum of a high-ranking Roman officer who fell in battle and a cenotaph altar, on the walls of which the names of more than 3800 Roman soldiers „who died wildly fighting for the homeland” are carved in stone.

Rasova. „Malul Roșu” archaeological site; Medieval fortification; Early Medieval settlement; Roman-era settlement; Hallstatt settlement; Castre system from the Roman era; Fortification; The archaeological site of Rasova, point „Pescărie”.

Cochirleni. „Pătulului” fortress.

Cernavodă. The „Stone palisade from Cernavodă” fortification; The Eneolithic archaeological site from Cernavodă – „Dealul Sofia” point.

„Axiopolis” fortress. It is located on a plateau on the right bank of the Danube next to the island of Hinog, located about 3 km south of the end of the bridge from Cernavodă.

The first excavations were carried out on the triangular plateau by Pamfil Polonic, in the years 1895-1896 and 1899, under the direction of Prof. Gr. Tocilescu, director of the National Museum of Antiquities. On this occasion, two settlements have been identified, one Roman and one, apparently, Byzantine. Also were identified the north and south gates of the Byzantine fortress, separated from the Roman gate by a land saddle. On the same occasion, the foundations of a cemetery basilica with an attached chapel were discovered near the northern gate of the older citadel, as well as inscriptions, sculptural fragments, Hellenistic, Roman and early medieval pottery.

Since the Hellenistic era, Axiopolis stood out through important commercial exchanges with the West-Pontic Greek colonies of Histria, Tomis and Callatis.

Seimeni: Roman rural settlement; Romano-Byzantine fortification; Fortified settlement from the medieval era.

Topalu/Capidava. Roman-era civil settlement; The archaeological site from Capidava – point „Grajduri”; Rustic villa from Capidava – point „Vlah Canara”; Civil settlement from Capidava.

Capidava fortress. The Capidava Roman fortress is located on the right bank of the Danube, halfway between Hârșova and Cernavodă. The fortification has the shape of a quadrangle with the long sides from NW to SE – 105 m x 127 m, with walls over 2 m thick and 5-6 m high, with 7 towers over 10 m, of which 3 rectangular towers, 2 towers in a quarter circle and 2 intermediate horseshoe-shaped towers (U), a 2.50 m wide gate located on the SE side that connected with the rest of the territory and a strategic exit on the SW side of the tower from the Danube, where it was set up the port.

The fortress occupied an important place in the Roman defensive system, being part of the series of castres and fortifications erected during the time of Emperor Trajan, at the beginning of the 2nd century, as part of the measures to organize the Danube limes. The place was particularly suitable, the character of the construction offering a vast surveillance area: a rocky massif rising between the foot of the slope descending from the NE and the Danube. The massif presented an advantage from a strategic point of view, namely a natural ditch that started from the Danube, bypassed it on the NE side, until almost the eastern corner of the fortress. Moreover, the shape of the massif imposed the fort.

The strategic importance of the place determined the installation of a military station as well as the location and development of a civil center in the Roman era. The fortress, located next to a crossing ford, was built by detachments from the V Macedonica Legion and the XI Claudia Legion. The Getic toponym of Capidava – meaning the fortress at the bend – confirms a pre-Roman habitation, the special geographical position explaining the significance of the native settlement, a place that allowed communication between the Dacians of Dobrogea and those of the Mountain Plain. Tabula Peutingeriana gives us exact data on the distances between Axiopolis, Capidava and Carsium. These distances coincide with the distances between the current localities of Hinog – Capidava and Capidava – Hârșova. In checking the tabula comes the discovery of a milestone in the town of Seimenii Mici that gives the distance of 18,000 steps from Axiopolis to Capidava, i.e. 27 km.

Ghindărești: The archaeological site from Ghindărești; Ghindărești fortification – „La Cetate” point; Roman settlement; Bronze Age settlement; Hallstatt settlement; Neolithic settlement.

Hârșova. Medieval fortress; Tell Neolithic; Ottoman Necropolis; Roman settlement.

Carsium fortress. The Hârşova Citadel represents a set of wall remains spread over a good part of the current territory of the locality, dating from antiquity to the beginning of the modern era.

The ancient citadel is known in period sources as Καρσουμ, Καρσος, Καρσω in Greek texts, and Carso, Carsio, Carsion, Carsium in Latin documents. The limits of the fortification from the Roman and Roman-Byzantine periods are not known. Near the center of the city, the northern gate of the fortress from the end of the 3rd century and the first years of the 4th century AD was discovered. The fortification built by Emperor Justinian is located on the hill of the fortress. On the banks of the Danube, at the base of the medieval port, there are walls of the ancient port facility. Important research was done in the ancient necropolises in the years 1987-1989, and from 1993 in the citadel.

The medieval fortress is known in Ottoman, Austrian, German sources as Karsova, Kersova, Chirschova, Hirsow, Hîrșova. For a long time the medieval fortification was confused with the ancient one. Recent research has shown that the Ottoman-era settlement was surrounded by a monumental enclosure, with thick walls, enclosing an area of about 30 ha, as described by the traveler Evliya Çelebi in 1651, or as it appears in the plan of General von Moltke in 1826.

The continuity of 19 centuries, the visibility of some component parts, gives the fortress of Hârşova uniqueness. The port facility, used on the same site, from the 2nd-3rd centuries until the 19th century, but also remains of the medieval enclosures, from the last period of operation (17th-19th centuries) on the „citadel plateau” are preserved. The „Commander’s Tower” dominates the entire system of fortifications, but the northern gate of the Roman-Byzantine citadel (the intersection of Carsium str. – Unirii str.), the NE and NW towers of the medieval citadel (along Carsium str.) and the fortification on Belciug Hill (which closes the medieval city to the Danube) must be noted.

Gârliciu.

Cius fortress. The fortress is located approximately 4.5 – 5 km south of Gârliciu, on the N shore of Hazarlâc lake, at the SW limit of the plateau of the same name. The archaeological site includes an early Roman castellum and a late Roman fortress. The late fortress overlaps and is contained inside the early fortification. Taking advantage of the height on which they were located, the two fortifications controlled the entire area, represented by a flood plain but also the road between the cities of Carsium and Beroe. It also offered a good view of the castellum downstream, that of Dăieni. The citadel probably also had a port that had both a military and commercial role. Cius was part of the Dobrogean limes being an important strategic point for the defense of the center and the north of Scythia Minor.

The early fortification is dated between the beginning of the 2nd century BC, after the year 106 BC and until the beginning of the 4th century. The auxiliary castle occupies an area of 120 x 120 meters. It has a N-S orientation and the eastern and western perimeter walls take advantage of the steep banks of the plateau.

The late fortification was rebuilt by the emperor Valens in 369, occupying an area of 85 x 60 meters and is located approximately 60 meters S of the northern walls of the early fortification, having the same orientation, N-S.

DRINKING WATER SPRINGS (ÇEȘME) FROM DOBRUDJA[1]

We present the main drinking water springs (çeșme) that can be found in the villages located on DN3, the main access road to the Danube line, in the southwest of Dobrogea, where most of these objectives from Constanța county are concentrated.

Ostrov: 2 Drinking water springs (çeșme). (1) So-called „Mihai Eminescu”.

(2) Access on DN3. Drinking water spring, in working condition. It has two sides. Construction materials used: limestone blocks of various sizes. Whitewashed. The first half of the century 20^th.

[1] For this heading, consulting the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063694145206 was particularly useful. Also, my own researches from 2020, from 2020, within the project [Re]Mapping. The archeology of maps.

Oltina: (1) Access on DJ391A. Drinking water spring, in working condition. It has three sides. Construction materials used: limestone blocks of various sizes. Whitewashed. The beginning of the 20^th century.

(2) Access on DJ391A. Drinking water spring, in working condition. It has three sides. Construction materials used: limestone blocks of various sizes. Whitewashed. The end of the 19^th century-beginning of the 20^th century.

(3) Access on DJ391A. Drinking water spring, in working condition. It has three sides. Construction materials used: limestone blocks of various sizes. Whitewashed. The end of the 19^th century-beginning of the 20^th century.

(1)

(2)

(3)

Băneasa: 2 drinking water springs. (1) Access on DN3. Drinking water spring, in working condition. It has two sides. Construction materials used: limestone blocks of various sizes. Whitewashed. The beginning of the 20^th century.

(2) So-named „Chiciu”. Access on DN3. Drinking water spring, in working condition. It has two sides. Construction materials used: limestone blocks of various sizes. Whitewashed. The first half of the 20^th century; restored during the communist period.

(1)

(2)

Ion Corvin: 2 drinking water springs. (1) So-named Izvorul lui Mihai Eminescu. Access on DN3. Drinking water spring, in working condition. It has two sides. Construction materials used: shell limestone blocks of various sizes. Whitewashed. The end of the 19^th century.

(2) Access on DN3. Drinking water spring, in working condition. It has two sides. Construction materials used: shell limestone blocks of various sizes. Whitewashed. Probably the late Ottoman era (second half of the 19^th century).

7) OTHER CATEGORIES OF TOURIST ATTRACTIONS

Ostrov: „Ostrov” vineyard; Wine cellar „Domeniile Ostrov”. Access from Aliman: DJ223 / DN3. Year of establishment: 1958; Number of hectares: 2000 ha; Grape varieties: – white: Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Fetească Albă, Fetească Regală, Riesling Italian, Muscat Ottonel, Crâmpoșie; – red: Cabernet Sauvingnon, Merlot, Fetească Neagră, Pinot Noir, Syrach, Rebo.

Services offered to tourists: visits to the winery (presentation of the technological flow from the winemaking station, the barrel room-wine cellar to the bottling station); premium wine tasting trip to the Domeniile Ostrov wineries (Lipnița and Ostrov) and tour of the estate; the Wine Museum; store; accommodation (8 apartments and 8 double rooms); artistic program (on request); initiation workshops in the art of wine tasting are organized at the Cross-border Center of Oenology and Viticulture “Terasele Dunării”. The center was created within the project Transfrontier Center for Oenology and Viticulture „Terasele Dunării”, financed by the CBC Programme Romania – Bulgaria 2007-2013, being located in Ostrov Commune, near the Romanian-Bulgarian border, and having a sub – center in Silistra, Bulgaria.

Equestrian leisure complex „Heron”.

Oltina: „Oltina” vineyard; Fishing pond „Oltina”.

Băneasa: „Băneasa” vineyard.

Ion Corvin: Pârtia de ski „Dealul Morilor” (Brebeni);

Aliman / Urluia: „Aliman” vineyard.

Wine cellar „Alira” (https://alira.ro). Access from Cernavodă: DJ223. Year of establishment: 2006; Number of hectares: 80 ha; Grape varieties: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Fetescă Neagră.

Fishing pond „Vlahi”.

Adamclisi: Wine cellar “Frâncu”. Access from Ostrov: DN3. Year of establishment: 2006; Number of hectares: 130 ha; Grape varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Fetească Neargă, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc. Services offered to tourists: young vineyard tours, wine tastings.

Wine cellar „Domeniile Adamclisi” (www.domeniileadamclisi.com). Year of establishment: 2007; Number of hectares: 126 ha; Grape varieties: Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon. Services offered to tourists: wine tasting; online shop.

Rasova: Fishing pond „Baciu”.

Cochirleni: „Cochirleni” vineyard; Fishing pond „Dunăre – Cochirleni”.

Cernavodă: Wine cellar „Rasova”. Access from Cernavodă: DJ223. Year of establishment: 2015; Number of hectares: 47,5 Ha; Grape varieties: Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Tămâioasă Românească, Muscat Ottonel, Fetească Neagră, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah. Services offered to tourists: winery tour and tasting of 3 wines alongside Romanian cheeses and fresh and dried fruit; tour of the winery and tasting of 6 wines, cheese platters and local charcuterie; on weekends, during the summer, the „Air” event takes place with live music, food and wine tastings.

Wine cellar „Trantu”. Access from Cernavodă: DJ223. Year of establishment: 1993; Number of hectares: 112 ha; Grape varieties: Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Muscat Ottonel, Fetească Regală, Traminer Roz, Fetească Neagră, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Merlot.

The stud farm Cernavodă; Fishing pond „Anghel Saligny”; Fishing pond „Dunăre – hot water”; „Via Verde” park.

Seimeni: Sport fishing pond „Ţibrinu”; Fishing pond and touristic complex „Domneasca”.

Topalu/Capidava: Wine cellar „Darie” (www.Wine cellardarie.ro); Year of establishment: 2006; Number of hectares: 30 ha; Grape varieties: Chardonnay, Fetească Neagră, Merlot.

Hârșova: Fishing pond „Canal Cotu Baciului”.

CONCLUSIONS

So, a wide and varied range of cultural, natural, historical and archaeological sites that can be visited along the Danube. It must be stated that in order to improve the quality of the cultural tourist act, however, some other fundamental problems on the cultural routes infrastructure to be noted in this context – roads unsuitable for the organized tourism’s development, unmarked cultural attractions, without a historical description, lack of parking lots, tourist information centers and other facilities absolutely necessary. In this way, many historic and archaeological attractions are not presented to the public and cannot be included in the visited circuits. Thus, we have untapped rich cultural resources, therefore touristic and cultural potential in the area that are not fully exploited in cultural, educational and economic terms.

Discovering monuments and interesting sights has a positive effect only as far as they contribute to their preservation and protection. In this situation, it is not enough only to promote, but also to preserve the heritage for a sustainable exploitation in cultural, touristic, economic terms.

Therefore, a collaboration between the cultural environment and tourism sector it is imperative in order to bring forward ideas and proposals directed towards the diversification and improvement of the ties between the two sectors.

MNHA Constanta (Romania)

Tropaeum Traiani. Constanta County, Romania

Tropaeum Traiani / Adamclisi. Constanta County, Romania

Common borders. Common solutions.

https://blacksea-cbc.net/