Name and Location

The Lighthouse of Sulina Museum, also known as Muzeul „Farul Sulinei” or Farul Vechi (The Old Lighthouse), is located at Strada II nr. 15 (formerly Strada Ion Creangă 6) in Sulina, Oraș Sulina, Județul Tulcea, Romania. The coordinates are 45°09′18. (45.1552923 N), 29°39′47. (29.6630025 E). It sits at the easternmost tip of Romania, on the Sulina branch of the Danube River, within the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve.

2. Construction and History

The original function of this lighthouse was as a major navigational aid maintained by the European Commission of the Danube. The exact construction date is unknown, but it operated as a lighthouse in the 19th century until its decommissioning in 2003. After disuse, the building was converted into a museum in 2003 under the administration of the Institute of Cultural and Educational Monuments (ICEM) Tulcea.

3. Architecture and Materials

The structure is a former lighthouse tower with adjoining keeper’s quarters, now used as museum rooms. The exterior is made of traditional masonry (brick or stone) with a plastered surface. The style is functional late-19th/early-20th-century lighthouse architecture, modest in ornament.

4. Light and Navigation

The exact height and focal height of the lighthouse are not documented. When active, it was classified as a “light_major” in seamark databases; specifics about its light characteristic are unknown.

5. Accessibility and Visiting

The museum is open to visitors Tuesday to Sunday from April to September (10:00–18:00) and October to March (08:00–16:00). It is closed on Mondays. The entrance fee is not publicly listed; please inquire by phone or email. Ground-floor exhibits are accessible, but there is no regular public access to the former lantern room.

6. Notable Views and Landscape

The museum lies within a short walk of Sulina’s main street, with limited parking available. Visitors often combine a trip here with a boat excursion into the Danube Delta. Nearby attractions include Sulina town cemetery, the Black Sea shore (Sulina beach), and local artisan markets.

7. Anecdotes and Folklore

The old lighthouse is often referred to as “the guardian of Sulina,” serving as both beacon and local landmark for river pilots and fishermen. According to oral histories, the keeper’s family once kept sheep on the roof terraces to keep grass trimmed around the tower (an unverified local anecdote).

8. Technical and Operational Details

The museum is managed by the Museum of History and Archaeology Tulcea (ICEM Tulcea) with a museum code of 5.1620000153 × 10¹⁰. Chart reference data includes being marked as a “light_major” on Romanian nautical charts for the Sulina branch.

9. Further Information

Further reading and references include ICEM Tulcea official publications, Tulcea Museum of History and Archaeology brochures, Romanian Wikipedia (ro:Muzeul „Farul Sulinei”), and Wikidata entry Q18542308.