The history of the development of the Constanța harbor

Team members: Panduru Cătălina Petrovici AndreeaCoordinator: Nache Carmen

Port Detail

The Port of Constanta is an arts and cultural center with an important collection of archaeological treasures including a Roman mosaic tile floor. It is also an industrial city producing prefabricated concrete and paper and pulp as well as supporting a busy food-processing sector.

The Port of Constanta lies on the western shores of the Black Sea in southeastern Romania about 200 kilometers east of Bucharest. Romania’s major seaport, its modern port and docks are connected to the oil fields of Ploiesti by pipeline.

The view from satellite of Constanta Port (dated from year 2008)

Port History

The history of the Port of Constantza and the city are closely related. Archeological evidence shows that the area has been inhabited since the 6th Century BC. The ancient fortress of Tomis was given city status by Rome in the 1st Century AD.Also,romans have changed the city name from Tomis to Constanta in the honour of the roman emperor Constantine I.

During the Byzantine Roman period, the Port of Constanta was invaded by barbarians several times, driving merchants and trade from the city. Despite this, an active group of merchants from Genoa remained, and an area in the Port of Constanta keeps the name “Genovese” in their honor.

The Genovese Lighthouse nowadays

After a brief period when the port was under roman rule, Dobruja region was occupied by the Ottoman Empire. Empire. Turk chronicles, European or Empire travelers  will mention the activity of Kustendge Port (Turkish name of the city), even modest at that time, will contribute to the trade development of the region.

After the Independence War from 1877, Dobrogea is united to Romania and first initiatives regarding the constructions of a port  that will take advantage of Constantza's strategic location  and economical growth of the new state, are becoming real. King Carol's opinion about port of Constantza was that “It will become  one of the most important ports of the Orient and a source of wealth for the entire nation".

The construction works began according to the project of I.B. Cantacuzino and were taken over by other exceptional Romanian engineers: Gheroghe Duca and Anghel Saligny. Until 1909, when

Constanta Port was officialy inaugurated, dredge works have been made, the breakwaters and the quays had been built; also six basins and storage tanks for oil had been developed and the cereal

silos. 

In the commemorative paper of 1909 it is expressed "the hope that God will give Romania peace and wealth, so that we can finish in short time the entire port, to serve the economical prosperity of our beloved country". Unfortunately, Constanta and the entire country will suffer damages from the two World Wars, Soviet occupation and communist dictatorship.

Bibliographywww.wikipedia.comhttp://constanta-imagini-vechi.blogspot.comPetru Vulcan - Albumul national al DobrogeiM.D.Ionescu – Cercetari asupra orasului Constanta