Name and Location

The Constanța Lighthouse, also known as Farul din Constanța, is a principal navigational light marking the entrance to the Port of Constanța on Romania's Black Sea coast. Its address is Strada Caraiman, Port of Constanța, Constanța 900178, Județul Constanța, Romania, with coordinates 44°09′29.3″ N, 28°37′49.7″ E (WGS84).

Construction and History

The lighthouse was built in the late 1950s to replace older harbor lights and remains an active aid to navigation under the authority of the Romanian Maritime Ports Administration. Construction began in 1958 and was completed by 1960, with the light first lit in 1960.

Architecture and Materials

The Constanța Lighthouse features a functional modernist architectural style typical of mid-20th-century Romanian maritime works. The tower is constructed from reinforced concrete with a white ceramic mosaic tile cladding for weather resistance. The shape and finish are characterized by a slender, slightly tapering tower with a square base transitioning to an octagonal shaft.

Light and Navigation

The lighthouse serves as a primary light for commercial and pleasure vessels entering and leaving Constanța harbor. Although the exact flash pattern and nominal range are restricted information, mariners consult official Romanian nautical publications (Pozițiile Cheie ale Farurilor României) and international charts (INT 7271) for full details.

Accessibility and Visiting

The lighthouse is located on secure port property and is not open to the general public. Visits must be arranged in advance through the Constanța Port Authority, primarily for educational or professional groups. The nearest public amenities are in the Tomis Marina complex, 1 km to the west.

Notable Views and Landscape

The lighthouse is situated within the Port of Constanța, Romania's largest seaport, handling cargo and passenger traffic. Nearby attractions include the Muzeul de Istorie Națională și Arheologie (National History & Archaeology Museum), 2 km west in Ovid Square; the Constanța Casino and Old Genoese Lighthouse ruins, 1.5 km northwest on the promenade; and the Dolphinarium and Aquarium, both within 3 km of the tower.

Anecdotes and Folklore

Legend has it that on stormy nights the concrete tower's beacon once guided a cargo ship named "Mureş" to safe anchorage during the fierce Black Sea gale of 1967. Tugboat crews recall flashes of the lamp's beam cutting through towering waves during this event.

Technical and Operational Details

The lighthouse remains fully automated since commissioning, monitored remotely by the Port Authority's control center. It features a high-intensity electric lamp with a rotating Fresnel lens assembly, a backup generator, and UPS for emergency power. An AIS base station and radar transponder are co-located on the tower to broadcast identity and positional data to nearby vessels.

Further Information

• Mărturii despre portul Constanța (Port of Constanța monograph), 2005;
• Romanian Navy Sailing Directions (ADMIRALTY Publications NP 31);
• ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farul_din_Constan%C8%9Ba