Constantza
City plans
Author: ARDELEANU KONSTANTIN
A city plan of Romanian Constanţa was already drafted in 1879 by the communal architect [1], and in 1880 the authorities demanded a systematisation plan, also with the aim of turning the seacoast (Elisabeth Boulevard) between the harbour and the Genoese lighthouse into a promenade area. At the same time, the old plan of the Ottoman town was requested from Constantinople in order to identify the communal estates, and important decisions were taken for removing from the residential area the cavalry units and the grain market. The central square of Constanţa (Independence or Ovid Square) started to be modernised by the alignment of shops, the destruction of the old stores, the paving of the streets etc [2].
A regulation for the construction of new buildings was drafted in 1881, according to which the city was divided into two areas, the red and yellow districts. The municipality’s decision regulated the height, facade, balconies, roofs, and building materials for the new constructions, so as to secure a future harmonious and systematic development of Constanţa. New regulations were imposed in 1890, 1893 and 1897–1898, the last one in use until 1939 [3]. It established three more districts and regulated the categories of buildings allowed in every area of the new city [4].
During this period, as the city grew, city plans were designed for the new areas of the urban settlement. In 1893 engineer Simu drafted an urban study of Constanţa, called “the project for transforming and improving the city”, based on the premise that the future development was to be based on the clear layout of the streets, squares and communication arteries starting from railway stations, harbours and public buildings. In 1894 Simu developed his ideas into an “ante-project for the plan of Constanţa”, and in 1897 the municipality appointed a commission for the embellishment of the city, made up of engineers Anghel Saligny and Elie Radu, and of architect Grigore Cerchez [5].
Picture 2.1.1.1_1 City Map (20th Century)
Source: By the courtesy of Dr Constantin Cheramidoglu
Picture 2.1.1.1_2 City Map (1921)
Source: By the courtesy of Dr Constantin Cheramidoglu
Picture 2.1.1.1_3 City Map (1936)
Source: By the courtesy of Dr Constantin Cheramidoglu
[1] Doina Păuleanu, Constanţa. Spectacolul modernităţii târzii. 1878–1928 (Constanţa: Muzeului de Artă Constanţa, 2005), vol. I, 111.
[2] Constantin Cheramidoglu, “Proiecte urbanistice ale Constanţei 1879–1914”, Poliţia impact, July 2006, 9–10.
[3] Din tezaurul documentar dobrogean, edited by Marin Stanciu (Bucharest: Direcţia Generală a Arhivelor Statului din RSR, 1988), 223–224; Arhivele Naționale. Serviciul Județean Constanța, Constanța – mărturii documentare. Regulamente ale administrației locale (1879–1949), edited by Virgil Coman and Constantin Cheramidoglu) (Constanța: Ex Ponto, 2012), vol. I, 13–14.
[4] Păuleanu, Constanţa, I, 117–134.
[5] Eadem, Constanţa. Aventura unui proiect european (Constanţa: Ex Ponto, 2003), 55–59.
References
Websites:
Official site of the Municipality of Constanţa
http://www.primaria-constanta.ro/
Archival sources:
Serviciul Judeţean Constanţa al Arhivelor Naţionale (The National Archives, Constanţa Branch), Primăria municipiului Constanţa (The Municipality of Constanţa), files starting with 1878.
Bibliography:
Arhivele Naționale. Serviciul Județean Constanța, Constanța – mărturii documentare. Regulamente ale administrației locale (1879–1949) [Constanţa – Documentary Evidences. Regulations of the Local Administration], edited by Virgil Coman and Constantin Cheramidoglu) (Constanța: Ex Ponto, 2012), vol. I.
Cheramidoglu, Constantin, “Proiecte urbanistice ale Constanţei 1879–1914” [Urbanistic Projects of Constanţa 1879–1914], Poliţia în acţiune, July 2006, 9–10.
Din tezaurul documentar dobrogean, edited by Marin Stanciu [Tresure of Documents on Dobrudja], edited by Marin Stanciu (Bucharest: Direcţia Generală a Arhivelor Statului din RSR, 1988).
Păuleanu, Doina, Constanţa. Aventura unui proiect european [Constanţa. The Adventure of a European Project] (Constanţa: Ex Ponto, 2003).
Păuleanu, Doina, Constanţa. Spectacolul modernităţii târzii. 1878–1928 [Constanţa. The Show of Late Modernisation] (Constanţa: Muzeului de Artă Constanţa, 2005).
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