Lighthouses of Romania

Romania has roughly 250 km (150 mi) of coastline on the northwestern side of the Black Sea. The southern half of the coastline has the country's major port, Constantsa, with its satellite ports Mangalia and Midia. The northern half is occupied by the large delta of the Danube River. After several centuries of control by the Ottoman (Turkish) Empire, Romania became independent in 1878, following a war between Russia and Turkey. The old lighthouse of Sulina, at the mouth of the Danube, is the only lighthouse surviving from the Ottoman period. In recent years Romania has built three very tall, modern lighthouses, at Sulina, Constantsa, and Mangalia. The Romanian word for a lighthouse is farul. Aids to navigation are maintained by the Romanian Navy's Maritime Hydrographic Directorate. ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. Admiralty numbers are from volume E of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA List numbers are from Publication 113. What's Hot:

1886 Constantsa Light (Farul Genovez), March 2005 Creative Commons photo by Jackson Lee

General Sources

Mangalia and Tuzla Lighthouses
* Mangalia Southeast Breakwater

1952 (?). Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); red flash every 3 s. 13 m (43 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 2-story masonry pier house. The lighthouse appears to be unpainted gray masonry. No closeup photo available; in a photo of the harbor, this light appears on the right side, to the left of the taller harbor control tower. Located at the end of the south breakwater pier at Mangalia, a broad pier with a road. Google has a satellite view. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ROM-014; Admiralty E5020; NGA 17684.

* Mangalia Northeast Breakwater (1)

1952 (?). Inactive. 7 m (23 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white; lantern dome painted dark blue. Another photo is available, plus an additional closeup. This lighthouse became obsolete when the northeast breakwater was extended and the southeast breakwater constructed, considerably expanding the harbor. Located at the end of the original northeast breakwater at Mangalia; Google has a satellite view. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ROM-006.

* Mangalia Northeast Breakwater Spur

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); green flash every 3 s. 13 m (43 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 2-story masonry pier house. The lighthouse appears to be unpainted gray masonry. No closeup photo available; in a photo of the harbor, this light appears on the right of center. Located at the end of a short spur off the northeast breakwater at Mangalia; Google has a satellite view. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ROM-013; Admiralty E5019.5; NGA 17672.

* Mangalia Northeast Breakwater (2)

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 23 m (75 ft); white light, 1.5 s on, 2.5 s off. 21 m (69 ft) skeletal tower with some sort of lantern structure. No photo available, but Google has a good satellite view. Located at the end of the extended northeast breakwater. Site status unknown, but the light can certainly be viewed from nearby. Admiralty E5019; NGA 17668.

* Mangalia

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 72 m (236 ft); two white flashes every 5.5 s. 42 m (138 ft) slender square cylindrical white concrete tower. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located on a hill 4 km (2.5 mi) west northwest of the harbor of Mangalia. Site probably open, tower status unknown. ARLHS ROM-005; Admiralty E5018; NGA 17664.

* Tuzla (Capul Tuzla)

1901. Active; focal plane 62 m (203 ft); two white flashes every 9.7 s; also a continuous red light is shown at 57 m (187 ft). 44 m (144 ft) square pyramidal cast iron skeletal tower with lantern, gallery, and enclosed watch room. Lighthouse painted black with one white horizontal band. Nautophone fog signal (one 5 s blast every 30 s). A distant photo is available, and the shadow of the lighthouse is seen in a Google satellite view. This historic lighthouse was prefabricated in France by Barbier, Bernard, et Turenne. Endangered: the lighthouse is reported now to be in danger of collapse due to erosion of the bluff on which it stands. There are plans to move it, but no funds are available for the project. Located on Capul (Cape) Tuzla, about 4 km (2.5 mi) southeast of Eforie Sud. Site status unknown, but there appears to be road access to the light station. ARLHS ROM-009; Admiralty E5022; NGA 17688.

Constantsa and Midia Lighthouses
* Constantsa (3)

1961 (station established 1886). Active; focal plane 87 m (285 ft); two white flashes, separated by 7 s, every 29.8 s. 58 m (190 ft) triangular concrete tower with lantern room. Most of the tower is white; the upper section of the seaward side and the lantern are painted a very dark blue, almost black. A fine closeup photo is available, and V. Soldan has a good view of the lighthouse and its surroundings. This striking modern lighthouse is located at center of a broad plaza just west of the harbor area; Google has a good satellite view. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ROM-002; Admiralty E5025; NGA 17692.

Constantsa South Breakwater

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); red flash every 3 s. 9 m (30 ft) 2-story stone building with a lantern mounted at the east end. The building is unpainted; lantern painted red. This light and the East Breakwater Spur Light frame the entrance to the inner (north) harbor of Constantsa. Located at the end of a pier on the west (mainland) side of the harbor; Google has a satellite view. Site status unknown. ARLHS ROM-016; Admiralty E5026.4; NGA 17708.

* Constantsa (2) (East Pier, King Carol I) 1913 (station established 1886). Inactive since 1961. Approx. 13 m (43 ft) octagonal stone tower with lantern and gallery, mounted at one end of a rectangular stone building. Lighthouse unpainted; lantern dome painted dark blue. The city's photo is at right, a good closeup photo is available, Klaus Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse was built to honor King Carol I, who died in 1914. It is known locally simply as the farul vechi (the old lighthouse). Located at the end of the old East Pier, which is now the root of the city's outer breakwater. Accessible by walking or driving the pier, about 1.5 km (1 mi) south from the Casino. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ROM-017. Constantsa East Breakwater Spur Date unknown. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); green flash every 3 s. 9 m (30 ft) 2-story stone building with a lantern mounted at the east end. the building is unpainted; lantern painted green. A closeup photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. This light and the South Breakwater Light frame the entrance to the inner (north) harbor of Constantsa. Located at the end of a westward spur off the East (outer) Breakwater. Site status unknown. ARLHS ROM-010; Admiralty E5026.2; NGA 17704. Constantsa East (Outer) Breakwater Date unknown. Active; focal plane 24 m (79 ft); white light, 1.5 s on, 3 s off. 18 m (59 ft) square hourglass-shaped masonry tower with lantern and gallery. Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse was originally built at the end of the outer breakwater of Constantsa, but the breakwater has since been extended no less than 4 km (2.5 mi) southward, leaving the lighthouse at an elbow about 500 m (1600 ft) south of the East Breakwater Spur Light. Site status unknown. ARLHS ROM-004; Admiralty E5026; NGA 17700. * Constantsa (1) (Farul Genovez) 1886. Inactive since 1913. 12 m (39 ft) octagonal stone tower with lantern and gallery. The lighthouse is unpainted; lantern painted black or very dark blue. A photo appears above, and a good closeup is available. This historic lighthouse was restored in 1948 and has become a fairly well known tourist attraction. It stands near the Casino on a headland projecting into the Black Sea north of the harbor but close to Constantsa's downtown business district; Google has a satellite view. A historic postcard view posted by Klaus Huelse shows the lighthouse and Casino; the east pier light is to the left of the casino and the south breakwater light to the right. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ROM-015.

Constantsa East Pier Light City of Constantsa photo

* Tomis Southeast Breakwater

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); red flash every 3 s. 8.5 m (28 ft) round iron lantern and gallery supported by five iron posts. Lighthouse painted red. A photo is available. The Tomis small craft harbor adjoins downtown Constantsa on the north side of the Casino area; Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the southeast breakwater of Tomis harbor. Accessible by walking the breakwater. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ROM-021; Admiralty E5028.2; NGA 17720.

* Tomis Northeast Breakwater

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); green flash every 3 s. 8.5 m (28 ft) round iron lantern and gallery supported by five iron posts. Lighthouse painted green. A photo is available. The Tomis small craft harbor adjoins downtown Constantsa on the north side of the Casino area; Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the northeast breakwater of Tomis harbor. Accessible by walking the breakwater. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ROM-022; Admiralty E5028; NGA 17728.

Midia (Capul Midia) Entrance (East Breakwater)

Date unknown (1958?). Active; focal plane 25 m (82 ft); white flash every 4 s. 18 m (59 ft) concrete tower topped by a "white metal structure," according to NGA. No photo available, but Google's satellite view suggests a round tower with some type of lantern structure. Capul (Cape) Midia is a headland at the extreme southern end of the Danube Delta, about 20 km (13 mi) north of Constantsa. An artificial harbor has been constructed south of the cape as a satellite to the Port of Constantsa. Located at the end of the east breakwater. Site and tower closed. Admiralty E5030.2; NGA 17733.

Midia Main (Capul Midia)

Date unknown (1958?). Active; focal plane 36 m (118 ft); white flash every 5 s. 22 m (72 ft) skeletal tower with lantern. Lighthouse painted with red and white horizontal bands, lantern painted white. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located on the headland of the cape, a short distance north of the harbor. Site status unknown. ARLHS ROM-001; Admiralty E5030; NGA 17732.

Danube Delta Lighthouses
Portitsei (Portitei, Gura Portitsei)

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 22 m (72 ft); white flash every 9 s. 22 m (72 ft) skeletal tower with lantern. Lighthouse painted with black and white horizontal bands, lantern painted white. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. The light station is built on a barrier beach that encloses a large lagoon on the south side of the Danube entrances. It was built on the south side of an inlet, but satellite photos indicate that the inlet has closed. Located about 50 km (30 mi) northeast of Constantsa and a similar distance southwest of Sfintu Gheorghe. Site status unknown. ARLHS ROM-012; Admiralty E5031; NGA 17736

* Sfintu Gheorghe (Gura Sf. Gheorghe) (2)

1967 (station established by the Ottoman Empire in 1865). Active; focal plane 48 m (157 ft); two white flashes every 7.2 s. 50 m (164 ft) triangular concrete tower with lantern. Most of the tower is white concrete; the segment on the the seaward side and the lantern are covered with gray glass. Another good photo and a closeup of the lantern are available. The Sfintu Georghe (St. George) Branch is the southernmost of the main mouths of the Danube River. The original lighthouse stood on the other side of the river until it was burned by arsonists in 1980; the Fresnel lens from that lighthouse is preserved at the Naval Museum (Muzeul Marinei Romane) in Constantsa. Located on the north side of the river in the village of Sfintu Gheorghe. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ROM-007; Admiralty E5032; NGA 17740.

*** Sulina (1) 1856 (Ottoman). Inactive at least since 1983. 16 m (59 ft) round stone tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story masonry keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white. A 1° Fresnel lens is mounted in the lantern. Bianca Naumovici has a good closeup, a second closeup is available, and Klaus Huelse has a historic postcard view. The Sulina Branch of the Danube is the only mouth navigable by modern ships. Sedimentation has moved the entrance to the river considerably to the east, leaving this historic lighthouse high and dry. Located on the south bank of the river in the town of Sulina. Site open, tower open daily for climbing. ARLHS ROM-019. Sulina South Pier 1887. Inactive. 12 m (39 ft) hexagonal cast iron skeletal tower with lantern and gallery. Originally the tower was painted white and the lantern dome black, although little paint remains. A photo is available, and the lighthouse can be seen at the left edge of a photo of the north pier light. Endangered: this abandoned lighthouse appears to be in poor condition. Located on the old south pier at Sulina, now about 2.5 km (1.5 mi) west of the actual mouth of the river. Site open, although accessibility is unknown; tower closed. ARLHS ROM-020. Sulina North Pier 1887. Inactive. 14 m (46 ft) tapered round masonry tower with lantern and two galleries, mounted on a round stone base. Lighthouse painted white, lantern red. A photo is available, also a second photo. Endangered: this abandoned lighthouse is in poor condition. Located on what remains of the old north pier at Sulina. Accessible only by boat. Site open; nothing prevents visitors from climbing the tower, although this is clearly dangerous. ARLHS ROM-018. Sulina (2) 1983 (station established 1856). Active; focal plane 49 m (161 ft); three white flashes every 16.2 s. 48 m (157 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and two enclosed observation and control levels, rising from a triangular 2-story administration building. The tower is unpainted light gray concrete; lantern painted red. Iulian Bilauschi has a good photo and a closeup of the top of the tower, and Google has a satellite view. This large tower serves as the entrance control station for ships arriving at the mouth of the Danube. It is built on a triangular artificial island attached near the end of the south breakwater at the river entrance. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS ROM-008; Admiralty E5034; NGA 17744.

1856 Farul Sulina, August 2007 Creative Commons photo by Jordi Bonet i Martí

Information available on lost lighthouses:

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Posted January 18, 2007. Checked and revised March 19, 2008. Lighthouses: 22. Site copyright 2008 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.