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The Danube European Commission Lighthouse - built in 1869 -1870. The building, 17,34m height, in the shape of a truncated cone, is made of bricks, the binding material is lime mortar and it is plastered up outside and inside. The access to the top is ensured by a winding metallic staircase anchored into the masonry. The ground floor has a central hall and two big rooms which are exhibitions’ spaces. One of them is hosting the work chamber of Eugeniu P. Botez which pen name is Jean Bart. He was commissary of Sulina harbour and in the First World War he was also military commander. The other room is dedicated to the Danube European Commission which purpose was the improvement and control of Danube’s mouths navigability. The Commission’s foundation was stated in the Paris Treaty (signed by Austria, France, UK, Germany, Russia, Italy, Turkey and Romania) on 30th of March 1856. Danube European Commission acted in Sulina between 1856 and 1937 and determined the locality’s transformation from a fishermen settlement into an important town which economy, based on commerce and navigation, was flourishing.


Orthodox Cathedral Sfântul Nicolae was built in many phases between 1910 and 1938, its foundation being settled by the king Carol I himself with the occasion of the 1910 visit. In the architecture of the building, with Romanian influence, the cable moulding belt and the external mosaic medallions are remarkable.

Old rite orthodox church built in 1866 with an obvious Russian influence, has trefoiled plan, with the big steeple elevated above the altar and with the two steeples for the bells situated above the entrance portal. In XIX century, being the only Christian church in the town, it was declared cathedral by the Galaţi Bishopric. Nowadays, the church is very deteriorated.

The Greek church - built in 1869, respects the style of Greek churches from Dobrudja in XIX century, with the stylized gable above the entrance and a single low steeple, with small dimensions. In front of the church, separately, a belfry is present. Inside of the church, the altar painted in white and a beautiful baldachin in sculpted wood with floral funeral motifs, white with golden details, is remarkable.

The Roman-Catholic church, built in 1865, has three naves and a single roof for all its length. The interior is high and well lightened due to the four stained glass windows.

The maritime cemetery, founded in 1864, is the place where, especially the foreign citizens found their eternal rest. Most of them were employees of the Danube’s European Commission, but also sailors with the most diverse nationalities were buried here. Depending on the main religious faiths of those buried, the cemetery is delimitated in many compartments: the Christian cemetery (the cemetery of the Occidental European churches, the orthodox cemetery, and the old rite orthodox cemetery), the Moslem cemetery, the Jewish cemetery.

Traditional architecture The type of architecture is urban and it developed as a result of cultural interferences between occident style and contemporary style. Sulina’s specific house had a high rocky foundation, and shingle roof. Manufactures, shops or café occupied the ground floor space. The rural architecture, which planimetry and elevation are specific to the villages of Danube Delta, is represented by purlieus houses. Cultural buildings around the lighthouse, built in 1868-1869, represents a special element which occidental characteristics.