The Abandoned Constanta Casino: From Art Nouveau to Present Ruin
Diana Condrea
If you’d like to discover the Constanta Casino and other attractions from the region, contact us via www.uncover-romania-tours.com
The story of the Constanta Casino is sadly the story of Romania’s many splendid, yet abandoned historical monuments. A great piece of Art Nouveau architecture from the early 20th century, the Casino was once the symbol of Romania’s main port, Constanta, on the shore of the Black Sea.
Constanta Casino
A landmark of the Belle Epoque
No other monument illustrates so perfectly the Belle Epoque in Constanta like the building of the Casino. Dating from the first years of the last century, the Casino was built at the initiative of Romania’s first King, Carol the 1st. It was inaugurated in 1910, and until the Second World War, it was the main seaside meeting point for the rich tourists who enjoyed gambling. The foundations of the Constanta Casino were modified three times depending on the architects’ perspectives, Daniel Renard and Petre Antonescu.
An eclectic piece of architecture, with many marine-inspired decorations, including its almost surreal shell windows facing the Black Sea, the Casino was the place where you were received only if you were dressed according to the latest fashion, where fortunes were lost and won in just minutes.
The Casino had its share of loss in the dramatic historical events that shaped the country’s existence in the past century. It was briefly used as a war hospital in WW1, and it was transformed into a hospital during the Second World War. The communist regime used it as an administrative building, and the last major restoration was done in 1988. After 1990, its advanced degradation and substantial financial investments needed for its restoration complicated, even more, its somehow dramatic faith. A major renovation project started only in 2020.
Once a glamorous and iconic symbol of Romania’s rising aspirations, the Casino is today seriously affected by the authorities’ indifference whose indecisiveness left it unprotected. Even so, it lures dreamy visitors with its nostalgic air and one-century years old stories.
Where to stay
If you’re planning to stay longer in Constanta, we recommend you book a room at Belle Epoque Boutique Villa, Hotel Cherica, or Hotel Carol.
Travel tips
If you spend an entire day in Constanta, don’t miss the History Museum and the Mosque.
For a complete history tour, visit also the ruins of the ancient city Histria and Enisala Fortress.
If you’d like to discover the Constanta Casino and other attractions from the region, contact us via www.uncover-romania-tours.com
