The local authorities of Ovidiu, a town in Constanta county, in South-Eastern Romania, have obtained EU funding worth some EUR 3 million to rebuilt the Roman Castrum, planning to integrate it in the tourist circuit.

The archaeological site is located on the shore of Lake Siutghiol, a former Black Sea bay, on a total area of 7,120 sqm, the Ovidiu Town Hall said in a press release. The project targets the Roman Castrum (Roman fortification from the VI Century), a Paleocratic Basilica outside the Castrum walls, a Roman settlement and a Roman aqueduct.

According to the City Hall, archaeologists have been investigating the Roman Castrum since 1979. The Castrum had the role of protecting the aqueduct that supplied Tomis (the city of Constanta today). In terms of architecture, the Castrum has four towers at the corners, two circular and two rectangular. The two rectangular towers have only two sides outside the enclosure and this is, according to the local authorities, an unusual feature not seen in other fortifications of this kind.

The fortification’s interior covers 2,200 sqm, of which about half has been researched so far. Back in 1984, a money deposit was discovered inside the Roman Castrum, with pieces from the time of Emperor Zeno (474-491).

The Ovidiu Town Hall said that part of the Castrum’s interior would be arranged for exhibitions and part as an amphitheater area with concrete benches covered in wood. It will be partially covered with a light metal structure and will have state-of-the-art multimedia equipment, an open-air stage to be used for screenings, cultural events, children's history classes, and other such events.

The Roman (Palaeocratic) Basilica was built before the Roman Castrum but was discovered later, outside the city walls. It was identified in 1998 and researched until 2003. The project proposes the creation of a bridge made of secure glass, from where the visitors will be able to see the entire site.

The project also includes the construction of sanitary groups, pedestrian alleys and car parks. It should be completed in two years and a half from the moment the work starts.

Partial repair works at Romanian seaside casino to start this month

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

(photo source: Primaria Ovidiu)