Page 12 - Palm City Spotlight - March '23

Page 12, Palm City Spotlight

tRaVel

Constanţa The City By The Sea Roman Mosaic is believed to
have been built in the fourth
Previously submitted by the century A.D. It connected
late Don Kiselewski, MCC, the upper lever of the city to
D.S., Palm Beach Gardens the harbor. Some 9,000-plus
Travel Leaders square feet of the colorful
For those of you who mosaic remains today.
are mythology buffs, you Along the walkway there
may recall that Jason with is archeological evidence
his Argonauts landed on the that points to the existence
shore of the Black Sea after of warehouses and shops.
he had found the Golden The public baths are still in
Fleece. Tomis was the name evidence at the lower end of
of the city where he was the walkway near the Casino.
supposed to have landed. The city’s history dates back some On the subject of water, a The Casino building features a sumptuous architecture and a wonderful view of the sea. The
2,500 years. It became a natural location for a city because Roman Aqueduct brought pedestrian area around the Casino is a sought-after destination for couples and families,
it was situated at the crossroads of several commercial water six miles into the city. especially at sunset.
sea routes. Tomis is located on the west coast of today’s During World War I
Romania, about 50 miles north of where the Danube River Constanţa was occupied by
empties into the Black Sea. It’s 180 miles northeast to the the Central Power, consisting
Bosphorus Strait. But don’t go searching for Tomis on the of German, Turkish and
map, because you won’t find it. Bulgarian troops. The city
The city was founded by the Greeks who traveled east was liberated by Allied
across the Black Sea from Miletus. You won’t find Miletus troops in 1918. Romania
on a current map either. It was a Bronze Age city that had its joined NATO in 2002 and its
beginnings recorded by Homer at the time of the Trojan Wars. 21.6 million citizens joined
The Greeks arrived in the sixth century B.C. and controlled the European Union in 2007.
the area until 71 B.C. when they lost control to the Romans. It It was during the 13th
was the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great (274 to 337) century that Genoese
who changed the name of the city to Constantiana in honor merchants dominated the
of his sister. Apparently the name didn’t catch on right away, Black Sea. Under their
because the first recorded usage was in 950 A.D. The Great influence. Constanţa
Wall of Trajan ended at the seaward city of Constantiana, flourished. However, the
which itself was surrounded by a number of fortitications. bottom fell out two centuries
The name was shortened to Constanţa during Ottoman later under Turkish Rule. To
control. After becoming part of the Bulgarian Empire as commemorate the good
an independent principality under Mircea 1 of Wallachia, old days, the Genoese
Constanţa fell under the control of the Ottoman Empire in Lighthouse was constructed
1419. It remained under the Ottomans for 450 years until in 1860. It stands only 26
1878, when it was claimed by Romania in the Romanian feet above the ground, The Great Mahmudiye Mosque The Genoese Lighthouse
War of Independence. This acquisition gave Romania a however, that’s tall enough
seaport that has become the fourth largest in Europe after for ships to be guided. The lighthouse is located just off metropolitan area of Constanţa. They are comprised of six
Rotterdam, Antwerp and Marseille. Ovidius Square. First century poet Ovidius Publius Naso ethnic groups: Romanians, Turks, Tatars, Greeks, Germans
Shortly before this time, in 1860, a railroad was is the namesake of the square. A statue sculpted by Ettore and Aromanians (the official language of Macedonia).
constructed linking Constanţa to Cernavodă. The terminal Ferrari in 1887 highlights the area. Emperor Augustus Four seasons and a moderate continental climate set
building was badly damaged during the War of Independence. exiled Ovidius to Tomis in A.D. 8. the tone for the lifestyles. It’s the beach and the mineral
Parts of the structure have been reclaimed and while doing In the 19th century King Carol I decided to revive springs that dominate the area in the summer, and it snows,
so, they discovered the substantial remains of what is Constanţa, and as a result, fine mansions and hotels were but not very much, in winter. The winter of 2007 was the
said to be the longest mosaic pavement in the world. The built in the city to embellish the attributes of the seaside warmest in recorded history.
resort. This resulted in making Constanţa the third largest Mobile, Ala., is one of the many sister cities of Constanţa.
city in Romania. Today it is an important cultural and One can see the connection with both being located on
economic center. Adding to this effort are the various seashores and other attributes. Fine sand beaches are located
archaeological attractions that entice visitors to the area. some three miles north of Constanţa on a long strip of land
The Casino is one of the hallmark structures of the city. that lies between the Black Sea and Lake Siutghiol. The area
It was built right on the seashore in the early part of the 20th has all the recreational facilities to enjoy a fantastic holiday.
century in an art nouveau style, attracting visitors and locals The resorts in the area take their names from the gods and
alike, the pedestrian area around the Casino is a sought-after goddesses of Greek mythology: Eforie, Jupiter, Neptune,
destination to relax and enjoy those things that are important Olimp, Saturn, Venus and Mangala. At night the numerous
in one’s life. It is an especially sought-after area in the restaurants and night clubs hold the interest of the visitors.
evening for couples and families looking to enjoy the sunset. I’m sure you won’t find Constanţa on the list of 100
The Turkish influence was still in place in 1910 when King places to see before you die, but it is certainly a fascinating
Carol I had the Great Mahmudiye Mosque constructed. It is place to visit if you get a chance.
the center of Islam in Romania and the seat of the Mufti, the The late Don Kiselewski wrote from his personal
Tourists enjoy a sunny day on Mamaia resort beach, spiritual leader of the 60,000 Muslims (Turks and Tatars by experiences, having traveled in 122 countries and cruised
Romania’s oldest, largest and most popular summer resort, origin) who live along the coast of the Dobruja region. By the oceans, seas and rivers of the world. Palm Beach
on the Black Sea Coast in northwest Constanţa. far, it is the most distinctive mosque in the area, combining Gardens Travel Leaders, his family owned and operated
both Byzantine and Romanian architectural elements. The agency, is located at Mirasol Town Square, 11360 North
Answer for 164-foot-high minaret towers over the old city center and Jog Road, Building A, Suite 102-6, Palm Beach Gardens.
harbor. And, unlike other mosques that have electric speakers
The agency has been serving the travel needs of the South
Crossword Puzzle to call to prayer five times a day, this one is climbed by the Florida area for over a quarter of a century. Contact them
muezzin – all 140 stairs – to do the proclamations.
at (561) 694-9696 or Aussie@PBGTravel.com.
There are over a half million people living in the Photos by Don Kiselewski

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