Lower Danube
From Cernavodă to Tulcea, the river that connects the Carpathians to the sea.
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Lower Danube, in full
Before becoming a delta, the Danube flows Dobrogea as a mature, wide, often grand river with port cities, limestone cliffs and wide plains on its banks. The corridor from Cernavodă to Tulcea is one of the oldest traffic axes of the region.
The bridge of Anghel Saligny from Cernavodă, inaugurated in 1895, is the symbol of modern Romanian engineering and the link between Dobrogea and the rest of the country. Near Cernavodă, the Danube–Black Sea Canal (1984) shortens the road to the Port of Constanța.
Fishing villages, Turkish and Romanian communities live on the banks of the Danube, and the Tulcean cliff remains one of the most pleasant river promenades in the country. The Romanians fortified every important ford: Capidava, Carsium, Noviodunum, Troesmis, Dinogetia.
Tulcea, at the bend of the Danube, is the gateway to the Delta and a city with a multicultural identity: Romanians, Turks, Lipovans and Ukrainians have lived together for centuries on the banks of the river.
Timeline
Lower Danube through time
From the making of the landscape to today, a timeline.
The Danube Limes
The Romans fortify the fords of the Danube: Capidava, Carsium, Noviodunum, Troesmis, Dinogetia.
Dobrogea Romanian
The river becomes a living border between the region and the rest of Romania.
Bridge Cernavodă
Anghel Saligny completes the longest bridge in Europe at the time.
Danube-Mare Canal
The channel from Cernavodă to Constanța is opened, shortening the sea route.
Delta UNESCO
Tulcea becomes the official capital of the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve.
Active corridor
Tulcea, Isaccea and Cernavodă remain river, port and tourist hubs.
To see
Landmarks of the region
Anghel Saligny Bridge
The bridge from Cernavodă - symbol of modern Romanian engineering.
4,088 m complex over the Danube and the Borcea reservoir, built between 1890 and 1895. Saligny used mild steel for the first time and stood under the bridge, in the boat, for the endurance test. The old bridge is a historical monument, visible next to the new bridge.
Inauguration; during the trial by fire, Saligny sits under the bridge in the boat.
The new bridge takes over rail traffic; the old remains a monument.
Visible from DN22 and from Cernavodă.
Tulcea - Danube embankment
River promenade, Delta gateway and multicultural city.
The Independence Monument dominates the seafront. The Museum of History and Archaeology, the Aquarium and the river port are starting points for excursions on the Delta. Beneath the modern city lie the remains of the Aegyssus fortress, attested from antiquity.
Tulcea belongs to Romania; becomes the capital of the Delta.
The Museum of Natural Sciences opens.
Promenade, museums and departure for water excursions.
Capidava and Carsium
Roman fortresses on the cliffs above the Danube, between Hârșova and Cernavodă.
Capidava ("the turning settlement") guarded one of the great Gethic fords, with restored walls just above the river. Carsium, erected by Traian in 103, dominates the limestone cliffs at Hârșova; the commander's tower can still be seen above the port today.
Traian raises Carsium; ala II Hispanorum guards the ford.
The V Macedonica and XI Claudia legions fortify Capidava.
Restored ruins, accessible from DN22.
Isaccea - Noviodunum
Danube city with a Roman fortress and fleet base Classis Flavia Moesica.
At Isaccea, the Danube has the most important ford in the north Dobrogea. The Romanians installed the base of the Danube fleet here and raised Noviodunum to the rank of municipium. The city has remained inhabited almost continuously until today.
Classis Flavia Moesica - the Romanian fleet from Isaccea.
Noviodunum becomes a municipium.
River bank, pontoons and links to the north Dobrogea.
Map
Landmarks on the map
Pins open a short preview. Details are on the place sheet.
Explore the region
Further through Dobruja
Villages in this area
Pages from recent rounds, in the same area.
Sub-regions of Lower Danube
Macro-areas
Corector de sat
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Software rooted in these places
From the region of Lower Danube we build four free apps: iShopSync, Gym, iMemory and Daunomania.
See our apps