Mar
31st
Author: admin |
Files under Health Tourism, Travel Advice, Travel Learning
On the coast Romanian Black Sea, lies the city of Constanta.
It is perhaps the most important maritime location of the Balkan country,
because of its strategic location has always made an economically privileged
enclave.
Founded by the Greeks as a colony of ancient Euxinius Pontus (Black Sea), the
Romans lived under its greatest splendor. Baptized initially as Tomis, given its
current name thanks to a sister of Constantine the Great (fourth century),
remaining as such until today.
Its waterfront location is being utilized today as an enclave of prime
importance for beach tourism, through an entire coastline links to other sites,
such as Mangalia or Mammalians, usually intended for the rest of the Romanians .
But for lovers of antiquity, the biggest
attraction of this Romanian city is in
the memory of exile and her subsequent death in one of the most important Latin
poets of all time: Publio Ovidio Nason.
Born in the town of Sulmo (now Sulmona, in Umbria Italy), the author of poems as important as the Metamorphoses or the Art of Love, fell from grace in the final years of the mandate of the Emperor Augustus, who exiled him to the distant Tomis. There, in solitude, Ovid wrote his most heartfelt, the Sad and the Pontic, where he defended his innocence against charges of immorality of the Art of Love. There he waited the imperial pardon, which never came. And there died, and under the rule of Tiberius, fighting against the barbarians Dacians, in a city where the cold and humidity took their toll on the health of the elderly poet. This, without doubt, marked forever the history of Constance.
The figure of Ovid is palpable in every corner of this coastal city of Romania.
In fact, its former area focuses on Piata Ovidiu, dominated by a statue of the
poet, which has its identical counterpart in Sulmona, twin city of Constance.
This place was in Greek times, the agora of the city later, Roman rule, became a
forum, and finally with the arrival of the Turks, was the souk. Now houses the
Museum of History and Archeology of Constance, a building that once had housed
the city council.
The different floors of the Museum we have a historical overview of the life of this city, from its earliest inhabitants to the twentieth century. Without doubt, the jewel of this museum are in the "Treasure Room" which incorporates, among other pieces, Glykon, the representation of a curious mythological creature that was hidden by the forced conversions of pagans to Christianity in the final years of life of the Roman Empire.
Along the Archeological Museum is one of the most important remains of Roman times: the Mosaic Building. Formed by several terraces at the foot of the old fishing port of Tomis, their role may well have been the storage of marine products. But most noteworthy is the mosaic of various geometric shapes who chairs the upper terrace from which you can access outside the building, with a spectacular view of the existing port of Constanza. It can be observed coming and going of ships, which we indicate, without doubt, the importance of the sea in the economic life of this city.
From Piata Ovidiu, the various streets of the old Constance lead us into the
sea. Previously, we found one of the few mosques that are still active in
Romania. And, very close to her, the Orthodox cathedral, the twentieth century.
From there, the Black Sea is visible in all its splendor in Constanta. The
promenade running along the southern edge of town houses the old and luxurious
Casino, converted into a restaurant, which reminds us of the presence of high
society Constance late nineteenth and early twentieth strolling by the sea.
Outside the old part of town, after crossing the Archaeological Park and the walls of Tomis, we are in the business district of Konstanz, ideal for last minute shopping or for coffee. This way you lose track of Ovid, as we dip into a small modern maelstrom that has little to do with the charm of the old streets of this city.
Constance, or Tomis, was the tomb of Ovid that, far from his beloved Italy, died watching the Euxinius Pontus and dreaming back to Rome. His wish was never fulfilled. But for us, has left a trail of homesickness and loneliness in Constanta. The statue that presides over the square that bears his name is undoubtedly a reflection of these feelings.
And looking to the sea also dismissed the tourists who come to Constance in the wake of the brilliant poet of Sulmona.
Born in the town of Sulmo (now Sulmona, in Umbria Italy), the author of poems as important as the Metamorphoses or the Art of Love, fell from grace in the final years of the mandate of the Emperor Augustus, who exiled him to the distant Tomis. There, in solitude, Ovid wrote his most heartfelt, the Sad and the Pontic, where he defended his innocence against charges of immorality of the Art of Love. There he waited the imperial pardon, which never came. And there died, and under the rule of Tiberius, fighting against the barbarians Dacians, in a city where the cold and humidity took their toll on the health of the elderly poet. This, without doubt, marked forever the history of Constance.
The figure of Ovid is palpable in every corner of this coastal city of Romania.
In fact, its former area focuses on Piata Ovidiu, dominated by a statue of the
poet, which has its identical counterpart in Sulmona, twin city of Constance.
This place was in Greek times, the agora of the city later, Roman rule, became a
forum, and finally with the arrival of the Turks, was the souk. Now houses the
Museum of History and Archeology of Constance, a building that once had housed
the city council. The different floors of the Museum we have a historical overview of the life of this city, from its earliest inhabitants to the twentieth century. Without doubt, the jewel of this museum are in the "Treasure Room" which incorporates, among other pieces, Glykon, the representation of a curious mythological creature that was hidden by the forced conversions of pagans to Christianity in the final years of life of the Roman Empire.
Along the Archeological Museum is one of the most important remains of Roman times: the Mosaic Building. Formed by several terraces at the foot of the old fishing port of Tomis, their role may well have been the storage of marine products. But most noteworthy is the mosaic of various geometric shapes who chairs the upper terrace from which you can access outside the building, with a spectacular view of the existing port of Constanza. It can be observed coming and going of ships, which we indicate, without doubt, the importance of the sea in the economic life of this city.
From Piata Ovidiu, the various streets of the old Constance lead us into the
sea. Previously, we found one of the few mosques that are still active in
Romania. And, very close to her, the Orthodox cathedral, the twentieth century.
From there, the Black Sea is visible in all its splendor in Constanta. The
promenade running along the southern edge of town houses the old and luxurious
Casino, converted into a restaurant, which reminds us of the presence of high
society Constance late nineteenth and early twentieth strolling by the sea. Outside the old part of town, after crossing the Archaeological Park and the walls of Tomis, we are in the business district of Konstanz, ideal for last minute shopping or for coffee. This way you lose track of Ovid, as we dip into a small modern maelstrom that has little to do with the charm of the old streets of this city.
Constance, or Tomis, was the tomb of Ovid that, far from his beloved Italy, died watching the Euxinius Pontus and dreaming back to Rome. His wish was never fulfilled. But for us, has left a trail of homesickness and loneliness in Constanta. The statue that presides over the square that bears his name is undoubtedly a reflection of these feelings.
And looking to the sea also dismissed the tourists who come to Constance in the wake of the brilliant poet of Sulmona.