BABADAG TURIST TOURS
1. BABADAG – ENISALA – JURILOVCA – GURA PORTIȚEI.
From Babadag, take DJ 223A (excellent asphalt) to Enisala where the Museum of Dobrogea Traditional Household and the Heracleea fortress may be visited. The same road goes to Sălcioara – Jurilovca. In Jurilovca Capul Doloşman may be visited (sight: the Argamum fortress, the only rocky cliff on the Romanian coast), then by sailing boat or leased speedsailboat one may cross Razelm Lake to Gura Portiţei, located on a narrow strip of land that defines the lake from the Black Sea. Here you can camp or rent cottages or bungalows plus dining. A better supply of Jurilovca ensures you a great stay on the deserted beach.
Trail length – 35 km on highways and very good access roads, about an hour on the water crossing Razelm Lake.
2. BABADAG – NICULIȚEL –CELIC DERE MONASTERY –SAON MONASTERY –COCOȘ MONASTERY – TULCEA
Known as the “Triangle of the Monasteries of Northern Dobrogea”.
The history of Celic – Dere Monastery is already known, and the two miraculous icons (Mother of God Nerosaiskaia and the Wonderworker Icon of Jesus Christ) were mentioned both in the scriptures of the times and on the Internet sites (see www .crestinortodox.ro).
In Celic Dere 60 nuns now live, most of them in Dobrogea and Moldova, but also in Transylvania. Each of them has certain tasks, whether they are taking care of the kitchen, keeping the monastery’s financial accounts, taking care of the animals, welcoming tourists who visit this monastic location or … driving the car. The nuns know very well their affairs, and if they do not have a fixed task, they help where they are needed.
The monastery is located 25 kilometers southwest of Tulcea and 12 kilometers west of Cataloi located on Tulcea-Constanţa road, in Frecăţei Commune.
In 2002, for the better development of monastic life, within the monastery, self-experience was replaced by the order of community life. Also at that time, the monk Casiana Mareş was named the abbess of the monastery. The monastic place has a rich collection of old church art.
Saon Monastery, under the patronage of the “Cover-up of the Mother of God”
Saon Monastery was founded in 1846 by the arrival of monks from Celic Dere. On September 1, 1909, Bishop Nifon laid the foundation of the church under the patronage of the Cover-up of the Mother of God. Following Decree 410/1959, the monastery was shut down, being re-established in 1972 as a metoch of the Archdiocese of Tomis and Lower Danube. In 1990 it became again an individual monastery. The old church, the chapel and the bell tower are preserved until today, being restored several times.
The church is a cross-shaped building built of stone and brick, with three large towers, the nave being open, enlightened by six high windows. The other two towers are placed on the closed porch, to its right and to its left. The building also has an open porch, supported by two large columns of brick wall, placed in front. The porch is painted inside, as well as on the outer westward wall.
In the old, rectangular, very spacious church, with the holy altar enlightened by two large windows, built eastward, on the right and left of the wall, and another, located on the opposite side.
Cocoș Monastery, founded by the monks of Neamţ
The third place of worship registered in the Triangle of Monasteries is Cocoș Monastery, which is six kilometers away from Niculiţel Commune and about 35 kilometers west of Tulcea. The monastery is run by a community of monks, being under the patronage of the Descent of the Holy Spirit (the great church) and Saint Hierarch Nicholas (the chapel).
On January 17, 1973, the relics of the saint martyrs Zotic, Atal, Camasie and Philip are brought to the monastery and placed at the forefront of the church, as an indisputable testimony of the ancestral faith.
Other 11 Less Known Monasteries
Also in Tulcea County there are 11 other monasteries, besides the three monasteriess registered in the Triangle of Monasteries. These are: C.A. Rosetti Hermitage from the Danube Delta, Dinogeția Monastery, founded in 2004 in the vicinity of Jijila, and under the patronage of the “Spring of Healing” or the Halmyris Monastery, located near Murighiol Commune.
The Halmyris Monastery was founded in 2002 to honor Saint Epictetus the Priest and Astion Monahul, martyred in 290, whose holy relics were discovered on August 15, 2001. A year earlier, the same team had discovered the Episcopal Basilica of the Fortress.
Other monasteries in Northern Dobrogea include: “Izvorul Tămăduirii” Monastery of Măcin, Letea Monastery in the Danube Delta, Sâmbăta Nouă Monastery, “Sfântul Nicolae” Monastery, Măcin, Topolog Hermitage, Teilor Valley Monastery, Codru Monastery and Visterna Monastery near Enisala.
NICULITEL PALEO-CHRISTIAN MONUMENT
The Paleo-Christian Monument of Niculitel is located in the northeastern part of the locality, at the foot of the Piatra Rosie Hill.
The complex is made up of a Paleo-Christian basilica, built above martyric tombs. Four martyrs – Zotlkos, Attalos, Camasls and Phillppus – were identified in a collective coffin, located in the upper part of the crypt. The basilica and crypt-martirium were built after 370 AD during Emperor Valens, on the site of an ancient tomb of the 3rd century. AD. Archaeological vestiges attest to the existence of a Roman-Byzantine settlement, the age of which also falls within the 4th century AD.
The edifice is part of the three-nave and narthex basilicas, presenting an open space at the facade – atrium – a rarely encountered element in the Balkan-Pontic area. It is the oldest «narthex» edifice of Christian cult known to date.
Route length – 92 km depending on the route chosen. Possibile accommodation in monasteries or boarding houses, including in Tulcea Municipality.
3. BABADAG – ENISALA – SARICHIOI – AGIGHIOL – MURIGHIOL – DANUBE DELTA
Departure from Enisala on DJ 223A then DJ 222 to Agighiol, enter DJ 222 C up to Murighiol. Boarding houses in Enisala, Sarichioi, Murighiol. From Murighiol, one-day or several-day trips possible to the Danube Delta on different routes or to Sfântul Gheorghe. Excellent roads. Services for every “budgets”. Auto route length – 39 Km. The return to Babadag may be done through Tulcea, where you can visit the “Danube Delta” Museum, the Museum of Art, the Folk Art Museum, Colnicul Horea, Fishing Village Museum.
4. HERACLEA MEDIEVAL FORTRESS
Enisala Fortress is the only medieval fortress in Dobrogea. It was built at the end of the 13th century by the Byzantine and then Genoese trade powers, and had a military role. In the 14th century the fortress was included in the defense system of Wallachia, then it was transformed into the garrison of the Ottoman Empire. Over time, part of the fortress has been rebuilt, nowadays only a few walls and a tower remained. The fortress is also known as Heraclia or Heraclea. The fortress is 10 km away from Babadag. After visiting, you can dine at one of the fish and Lipovan restaurants in the area.