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Constanta History, Romania

Constanta History – The Antique Colony of Tomis

Constanta is one of the most populous cities in Romania and a major port at the Black Sea. There are few cities in the region of the Black Sea that can claim to be older or more famous that the port of Constanta. Constanta history goes back to the 6th century BC, when Greek colonists founded a port named ‘Tomis’ on the shore of the Black Sea. However, the region known today as Dobrogea was not deserted, but inhabited by the Dacian tribes. Almost 40 years after the Romans took over the region (29 BC), the Roman poet Ovid was exiled in Tomis. From Ovid, who found this part of the empire unwelcoming and barbarian, and never adapted here, we have the best descriptions of the Dacians and their lifestyle.

Constanta History – Constanta during the early Middle Ages

With the split of the Roman Empire, Tomis fell under the influence of the Byzantium. It is then that the name Tomis was changed into ‘Constanta’, in honor of Princess Constantia, sister of Constantine the Great. Later on, as the Byzantine influence decreases, Constanta faced numerous attacks from nomad tribes and it was destroyed and rebuilt on several occasions. Across this agitated era, Constanta became a part of the Bulgarian Empire and then the Romanian Principality of Wallachia, only to be conquered by the Ottomans at the beginning of the 15th century.

Constanta History – Constanta under Ottoman Rule

In the first centuries of Ottoman occupation, Constanta history registered a slow process of decay. It took several centuries until finally Sultan Medgid decided to make some investments and hired a British company to build a railway between Cernavoda and Constanta. In 1878, as a consequence of the Romanian War for Independence, Constanta and Dobrogea (the part of Romania situated between the Danube, Danube’s Delta and the Black Sea) were incorporated into the newly formed state, Romania. To encourage the maritime commerce and the development of the port, the Cernavoda Bridge, crossing the Danube, was constructed following the plans of engineer Anghel Saligny. At the peak of the centuries, the port was given a fresh look and new infrastructure under the direct orders of King Carol I of Romania.

Constanta History – Constanta across the 20th Century

The two World Wars caused irreparable damages in Constanta: numerous historic buildings were destroyed by bombings. During the communist period, the government made serious efforts to reconstruct the port and maximize the potential of the commercial fleet. Today, Constanta has diversified its economy and continues to grow, not only as a port but also as the main gateway toward the Romanian seaside resorts. (For more information about the Black Sea coast and its history, check out Varna Travel Guide and Varna History articles.)

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