Halmyris Fortress

The new cultural space in the heart of the Danube Delta, the Ivan Patzaichin Museum – Community Innovation Center, built on the footprint of Ivan Patzaichin's parents' house, in the village of Mila 23, celebrates the successes of the great champion and provides a framework for exposing his concerns regarding the Delta, for encouraging and expressing the culture and traditions of the Lipovans from Mila 23 and for the promotion of the fragile biodiversity of the Danube Delta. Through education projects and providing a space for artistic and research residencies, the Museum will become an essential pillar in the life of the community and will contribute to the evolution of the Danube Delta and the well-being of its inhabitants, offering all protected natural areas in the country a model of an institution based on modern principles of community collaboration.

The house where the poet Panait Cerna was born, a craftsman's house from the end of the 19th century, presents both the most important aspects of his life and work as well as an ethnographic exhibition that illustrates the specifics of the area. It's worth stopping and visiting this place too!

Iacobdeal Lake is called by the locals "La fântana", an anthropogenic lake, formed in a basin resulting from the extraction of granite. It is located within the radius of the Turcoaia commune, in a former stone quarry on the Iacobdeal hill. The lake can be included in the area of ​​tourist attractions of the Măcin Mountains, due to its formation, unique in the country.

Măcin is a town located in the northwestern extremity of Tulcea county. It has a population of about 8000 inhabitants. The city of Măcin is located at the confluence of the morphological units of the Danube River with the Măcin Mountains, at an average altitude of 40 m, in the vicinity of the Old Danube to the west and the Măcin Mountains (Culmea Pricopanului) to the east and northeast. The relief of the city of Măcin consists of three main forms of relief: the Măcin Mountains, the marginal plain and the Danube Meadow. According to historical sources, the possible location of "Vicina" was in Măcin, where the first metropolitan of Wallachia (1359), Iachint de Vicina, came from. Some historians, such as Nicolae Iorga and Gheorghe I. Brătianu, affirm this toponymic hypothesis. With the conquest of Dobrogea by the Ottoman Empire, Măcin became the headquarters of an Ottoman garrison, a collection and transit center for products intended to supply Constantinople. In the city of Măcin it is worth stopping to admire the center of the town, always full of life. Among the tourist attractions we mention: the Mestan Aga Glass, the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, but also the ruins of the Arrubium fortress. Use the map below to discover the city even better. And don't forget to stop by the National Tourist Information and Promotion Center in Măcin.

Located in the center of Isaccea, Geamia (Mosque) is a historical monument built in the feudal era, probably dating from the 17th-18th centuries and restored in 1860 by Mahmud Efendi. The building includes a room, the prayer hall of the Muslim faithful. At the front entrance, inside, there is a high step where the faithful leave their shoes. Next to the building rises the minaret (25 m), with a diameter of 3.55 m. It is built of stone, brick and wood. It has been restored several times, respecting the original architecture. Even today it is going through a new restoration process. It currently serves the religious practices of the Muslim cult. In the prayer hall there is a stone slab with carved inscriptions in Arabic characters. It features a porch with wooden pillars and arches in the middle. The ground floor is separated by rows of pillars from the side and entrance galleries. The latter is separated from the rest by a low wooden railing. The galleries are storied. On the upper level, the gallery also extends above the porch. The V-shaped facade with full circle arches supported on thin wooden pillars, with a massive masonry above, the slightly high roof with wide eaves, seem to be elements of Mediterranean architecture, perhaps brought by foreign craftsmen. The date of construction is unknown. According to tradition, the window would be 300-400 years old. In 1886, being old and dilapidated, major repairs were made. In 1916, other repairs: the minaret is plastered, whitewashed and painted inside.

The Cocos Monastery is located 6 kilometers from the Niculitel commune and approximately 35 kilometers west of the city of Tulcea. The monastery is run by a community of monks, having as patrons the Descent of the Holy Spirit (the big church) and Saint Hierarch Nicolae (the chapel). The monastery is located in a secluded place, at the foot of a hill surrounded by the scent of linden forests. Once, a long time ago, from this hill one night the song of a wild rooster was heard, accompanied by the beat of a stork. The monks say that this song is still heard today, sometimes. The first documentary attestation of a religious settlement in this place is from 1679, when we learn about the existence of a hermitage, plundered by the invasions of the time. The Cocos Monastery has existed since 1833, the founders being the monks Visarion, Gherontie and Isaia from the Neamt monastery, who passed by Mount Athos, before stopping here. They came as far as Isaccea, where they settled. They bought a piece of land and built a small church out of reeds glued to the ground, without towers and without bells, respecting the Muslim laws of that time. You can find out the whole story of this place in this article.

Located in the north-eastern part of the village of Niculițel, on Muzeului street, no. 1, the monument consists of a basilica built at the end of the 4th century, during the reign of the emperors Valens and Valentinianus. At the beginning of the 5th century, during the reign of Emperor Theodosius II, it underwent important changes, both horizontally and vertically. In the central area of ​​the apse, under the floor of the altar, there is a monumental martyr's crypt. Completely buried, the tiered construction of the crypt allowed the accommodation of two groups of martyrs: a group of four, in the upper part of the martyrion, and a group of two in the lower level. The skeletons of the four martyrs were in a collective coffin, in anatomical connection, highlighting a primary burial. The quality of Christian martyrs and their names: Zotikos, Attalos, Kamasi(o)s and Philippos are inscribed in the crude plaster of the crypt walls. They are known in the Martyr Acts as being martyred at Noviodunum (Isaccea), on June 4. The crypt was built for them towards the end of the 4th century. The osteological remains discovered in the lower part of the crypt come from an older martyr's tomb, dismantled during the construction of the monumental crypt. The names and age of the two martyrs remain unknown, the only mention of them being made by the inscription that blocked access to the lower area of ​​the crypt: "Here and beyond (is located) the blood of the martyrs". This place can be visited from Tuesday to Sunday between 10:00 and 18:00. The visit fee is 10 lei/adult and 5 lei/pupil/student/pensioner. The paleo-Christian basilica in Niculițel is an unmissable attraction in this itinerary.

The Saon Monastery is located at a distance of 11 kilometers towards Niculitel, from the town of Tulcea. The road, among hills with vineyards, leads to a beautiful esplanade in front of the Saon Monastery. On the left side stretches a large building, made of brick, covered with tin, which was built between 1990-1992. The building, which houses a body of cells, the abbess and a body of rooms for guests, has a very long roof, supported by strong columns. The Saon Monastery was founded under the Ottoman rule in 1846, by the departure of some monks from the Celic-Dere Monastery. Those who came to Saon erected here some adobe cells and a Chapel as a methoc of the Celic-Dere Monastery.

Manastirea Celic-Dere, situata in partea de nord a Dobrogei, este unul dintre cele mai importante centre de spiritualitate dintre Dunare si Marea Neagra. Numele manastirii este luat de la paraul Celic-Dere (nume turcesc, in romana insemnand "paraiasul de otel", aici fiind gasite arme din trecutul indepartat). Asupra anului infiintarii Manastirii Celic-Dere exista, pe de o parte, precizarea „Marelui Dictionar Geografic al Romaniei", conform careia asezamantul a fost fondat de „arhiereul" Athanasie Lisivencof la anul 1835. Pe de alta parte, marturia arhimandritului Roman Sorescu, care fixeaza fondarea manastirii "cam la 1840" de catre calugari romani si doi calugari rusi intorsi de la Sfantul Munte Athos, arhimandritul Athanasie Lisavenco si schimonahul Paisie. Distrusa de incendiu, arhimandritul Athanasie Lisavenco (considerat ctitorul manastirii, 1800-1880 si ale carui oseminte se gasesc intr-o mica racla foarte frumos argintata, asezata pe dreapta in paraclis) si Dosotei Crihana construiesc, intre anii 1841 si 1844, o bisericuta cu chilii in forma de patrulater, pe valea paraiasului Celic-Dere, azi fiind pe acel loc o troita care arata ca aici a fost biserica. In anul 1845 manastirea de calugari Celic-Dere s-a transformat in manastire de maici (maicile au fost aduse din Basarabia), monahii fiind stramutati langa balta Saon, unde isi construiesc o bisericuta si cateva chilii - viitoarea Manastire Saon. Dupa 60 de ani, constructia s-a degradat datorita infiltratiilor si inundatiilor. Mai multe informații puteți afla aici.