One of the biggest cities in Romania combines the heritage of the past with modern amenities.
Constanţa is the biggest Romanian port on the Black Sea and one of the main ports in Europe. Its history starts in the 7th century B.C., when its name was Tomis, which makes Constanţa the oldest attested city on the Romanian territory. The importance of Tomis increased after it became part of the Roman Empire, especially during the reign of Constantine the Great from whose name the current name of the city derives.
Besides Romanians, the population of Constanţa also includes Turkish, Tatars, Lipovans, Greeks and other minorities. The mixture of architectonic styles, due to the long cohabitation of minorities, makes Constanţa one of the most charming cities of Romania.
The northern part of Constanţa, Mamaia resort, is the largest beach resort along the Romanian Black Sea Coast.
The Casino
The symbolic image of Constanţa is the white silhouette of the Casino over the blue of the sea. Placed on the promenade, the imposing Art Nouveau building was designed by a French architect and opened in 1910, in the presence of Prince Ferdinand, the future king of Romania. Shortly after, the casino became one of the most visited in Europe and attracted people passionate about gambling all over the world. During the war, the casino became the target of bombardments, but it suffered only little damages. It was transformed into a campaign hospital during the war period, but afterwards it turned back to its activity and continued to give rise to intense passions among the lovers of luxury.
The Archaeology Museum
At the end of the 19th century, the town extension works led to the discovery of significant archaeological remains from the time of ancient Tomis. To keep them within the national patrimony, the authorities of that time founded the Museum of National History and Archaeology in Constanţa, an institution hosting over 430,000 exhibits, among which a very valuable collection of coins. An impressive 4th century Roman mosaic is also on display. The three terraces of the edifice connected the town and the ancient port, and important part of the original polychrome mosaic can also be seen nowadays.
The Port
The history of Constanţa, can be traced back to the Ancient times, and is closely linked to the activity of the Port. The large port of Constanţa is situated at the crossing of important commercial roads and is one of the key distribution centres serving Central and Eastern Europe. There is also a popular yachting Marina below the old town.
Dolphinarium
The Natural Sciences Complex in the northern part of the city near Mamaia includes a Dolphinarium where dolphins and sea lions are trained, a planetarium, and observatory and a mini-zoo. Spectacular trainings of dolphins and sea lions, exotic birds, a planetarium, an astronomic observer and a mini-zoo – all these are part of the Natural Sciences Museum Complex, situated in the Northern part of the city, close to Mamaia resort. The Dolphinarium was inaugurated in 1972 and it is the first one in the South-Eastern Europe. The two – covered and open-air pools were recently upgraded modernized in the last years, and three dolphins were brought here from China in 2010. The Complex also includes a public Aquarium (inaugurated in 1958), situated on the promenade, close to the Casino. Visitors can see over 120 species of aquatic creatures in its 57 display tanks.
Aqua Magic
An aquatic entertainment complex is placed at the entrance of Mamaia resort. Both the mood for adventure and the desire for relaxation are catered for at Aqua Magic, the biggest aquatic park in Romania. You can get tanned sitting on a chaise-longue and drinking a cocktail or you can float on a swim belt carried by the lazy artificial river, but if you are looking for hard sensations, there are tortuous toboggans you pass through at full speed. 2 of the 14 park attractions are exclusively intended for children. The pools, waterfalls and basins totalize an active water surface equal to that of a football field.
