The casino in Constanta, which has been lying derelict for years, was reopened on Tuesday, November 14, for a special photo exhibition dedicated to buildings built at the seaside in the interwar period. The casino, which is a historical monument, will stay open for a week.

The visitors can see photos of old buildings, as well as part of the city's symbol building, which is otherwise closed to the public, reports local News.ro. The entry is free.

The Order of Architects in Romania - Dobrogea Branch opened the exhibition at the famous casino on Tuesday. Architect Radu Cornescu, the event’s organizer, explained that most of the notorious Romanian architects worked at the Romanian seaside during the interwar period, being the authors of buildings with various functions, from individual or collective dwellings to hotels, sanatoriums, hospitals or airfields. Some of these architects are G.M. Cantacuzino, Henriette Delavrancea Gibory, Horia Creanga, Victor Stephanescu, and Ioan Capsuneanu.

Among the buildings made by these architects, there are the Rex hotels in Mamaia and Belona in Eforie, the Casino in Eforie Sud, the Casino in Mamaia, the Balnear Sanatorium in Eforie Nord, and the airfields in Balchik and Constanta.

The beautiful casino in Constanta is in an advanced state of degradation. A third tender to renovate and consolidate the building was recently contested by one of the bidders. Tenders for the renovation of the casino were previously organized in 2015 and 2016. Some RON 37 million (approximately EUR 8 million) was allotted for this project.

Irina Marica, irina.marica@romania-insider.com