MUSEUM OF HISTORY AND ARCHAEOLOGY

This remarkable museum will introduce you to the history of the city and its region, from the Paleolithic to the present day. It is housed in a neo-Romanesque building dating from 1921. Here, you'll discover exceptional relics reflecting the archaeological wealth of Dobrogea: terracotta and bone objects, coloured glass, jewelry, tools, weapons, bronze helmets, Greek and Roman statues... Among the most valuable pieces is the Glycon (^2nd century AD), a snake divinity carved in marble, which has become the city's emblem. There are also ceramics from the Neolithic civilizations of Hamangia and Gumelnița, including the moving Hamangia Thinker and Seated Woman, two terracotta statuettes discovered in the Cernavodă necropolis.

Next to the museum is a gallery housing a Roman mosaic dating from the ^4th century AD. Discovered during construction work in 1959, it is unique in Europe for its size (some 400 square metres preserved, out of the original 2,000). The harmony of its colors - dominated by red, white, green and beige - and the beauty of its plant and geometric motifs have not been altered by time. The mosaic once occupied one of the terraces of a vast commercial building that linked the city to the port. From the gallery, you can enjoy a magnificent view of the port.