Chapter 3
Dobruja: A Unique, Intercultural and Spiritual
Realm at the Black Sea
Elena Laza ˘r and Henrieta Anis ¸oara S ¸ erban
Abstract Dobruja is a unique intercultural, spiritual and geographical landscape,
an inspirational land, blessed over the ages by the dark depths of the Black Sea.
Although here was sentenced to exile the great poet Ovidius and the cold winds by
the Black Sea drove him to write the elegy entitled Triste, the uniqueness of
Romanian Dobruja unfold in a variety of unparalleled characteristics: one can
think of the Monument Trophaeum Traiani from Adamclisi and the ancient cities
Capidava, Tomis, Callatis, Enisala, Vicina, Troesmis, Ibida or Sacidava; we can
mention the numerous monasteries (15 only in Tulcea county), the buried Church
from Istria, the tiny straw Churches from Ostrov; one should talk about the variety
of cultures and religious denominations – 18 of the 20th Romanian minorities live
here and, also, in Dobrudja, one can find the only Muslim village of Romania (the
former Bas ¸pı ˆnar or Bas ¸punar, now called F^ ant^ ana Mare found on the UNESCO
world patrimony waiting list); one should recall the great landform variety and
another could talk about “Movile” Cave, unique in the world, which presents an
ecosystem which is independent of the Sun. This land also contributed with
numerous scientific, cultural and religious personalities to universal and national
knowledge. Among these, it is our honour to include a brief scientific portrait of
Professor Alexandru Bologa celebrated at the same time with the 150 year anniversary of the Romanian Academy.
Keywords Black Sea • Dobruja • Uniqueness • Culture • Spirituality
E. Laza ˘r (*)
Romanian Academy, Patrimony Department, Bucharest, Romania
e-mail: elenalazar1968@gmail.com
H.A. S ¸ erban
Romanian Academy, Institute of Political Sciences and International Relations “Ion I. C.
Bratianu”, Bucharest, Romania
© Springer International Publishing AG 2018
C.W. Finkl, C. Makowski (eds.), Diversity in Coastal Marine Sciences, Coastal
Research Library 23, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-57577-3_3
41
Dobruja: A Unique, Intercultural and Spiritual
Realm at the Black Sea
Elena Laza ˘r and Henrieta Anis ¸oara S ¸ erban
Abstract Dobruja is a unique intercultural, spiritual and geographical landscape,
an inspirational land, blessed over the ages by the dark depths of the Black Sea.
Although here was sentenced to exile the great poet Ovidius and the cold winds by
the Black Sea drove him to write the elegy entitled Triste, the uniqueness of
Romanian Dobruja unfold in a variety of unparalleled characteristics: one can
think of the Monument Trophaeum Traiani from Adamclisi and the ancient cities
Capidava, Tomis, Callatis, Enisala, Vicina, Troesmis, Ibida or Sacidava; we can
mention the numerous monasteries (15 only in Tulcea county), the buried Church
from Istria, the tiny straw Churches from Ostrov; one should talk about the variety
of cultures and religious denominations – 18 of the 20th Romanian minorities live
here and, also, in Dobrudja, one can find the only Muslim village of Romania (the
former Bas ¸pı ˆnar or Bas ¸punar, now called F^ ant^ ana Mare found on the UNESCO
world patrimony waiting list); one should recall the great landform variety and
another could talk about “Movile” Cave, unique in the world, which presents an
ecosystem which is independent of the Sun. This land also contributed with
numerous scientific, cultural and religious personalities to universal and national
knowledge. Among these, it is our honour to include a brief scientific portrait of
Professor Alexandru Bologa celebrated at the same time with the 150 year anniversary of the Romanian Academy.
Keywords Black Sea • Dobruja • Uniqueness • Culture • Spirituality
E. Laza ˘r (*)
Romanian Academy, Patrimony Department, Bucharest, Romania
e-mail: elenalazar1968@gmail.com
H.A. S ¸ erban
Romanian Academy, Institute of Political Sciences and International Relations “Ion I. C.
Bratianu”, Bucharest, Romania
© Springer International Publishing AG 2018
C.W. Finkl, C. Makowski (eds.), Diversity in Coastal Marine Sciences, Coastal
Research Library 23, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-57577-3_3
41