The Grand Mosque of Constanta – Carol I Mosque in Romania

While blogging about my first visit to Constanta, Romania, I came across details about the Grand Mosque of Constanta. It disappointed me that I hadn’t visited while sightseeing in the city, especially after reading some great reviews online. I instantly put it on my hot list for my next visit to Romania. However, I was lucky enough to return to the city, so I made sure this was one of the first ports of call when in the Old Town area.

They also refer to the Grand Mosque of Constanta as the Carol I Mosque. However, Constanta’s Islamic community refers to it as The King’s Mosque. This is a fascinating place to visit, especially climbing the tower for a special view of the city. The Romanian National Institute of Historical Monuments lists this mosque as a historic monument. It is also a popular tourist attraction.

History of The Grand Mosque of Constanta, Romania

The current building stands on the site of the former Mahmudia Mosque, which was built in 1822. They named after Ottoman Sultan Mahmud II. Subsequently, the Grand Mosque of Constanța was commissioned in 1910 by Romanian King Carol I, hence one of its names being the Carol I Mosque. Carol I officially inaugurated the mosque on 31 May 1913.

Architecturally, they built it in the Neo-Egyptian and Neo-Byzantine styles. It also has Neo-Romanesque features. The mosque’s designer, George Constantinescu, modelled the mosque after the Konya Mosque in Anatolia, Turkey. The lookout tower of the building is 50 metres in height.

Where is the mosque?

The building is on Crângului Street, near the main town square and the Museum of National History & Archaeology. It’s pretty simple to find because of its distinctive tower, which you can see from many parts of the old town.

My Visit to Carol I Mosque in Constanta, Romania

Entry to the building cost me 5 lei, which is just under £1. Visitors need to pay cash, as the reception is just inside the courtyard.

Courtyard

After paying for entry, I had a mooch around the courtyard and enjoyed the splendid views of the exterior and the impressive tower. The courtyard has some ornamental features, a Koran, and some nice, colourful flowers, too.

Prayer Room

Next was the prayer room; this contained altars, artworks, marble columns, and a rather large Turkish rug. This rug is so big they cannot fully roll it out, apparently. However, it looked rather nice. The prayer room had a barrier, so you couldn’t enter unless you were praying. There was a nice shelving unit to leave shoes for those who come to pray.

The Spiral Staircase of the Tower

After the prayer room was the spiral staircase to climb. This is 50 metres high and rather steep. It certainly got the blood flowing and was a pleasant walk. Thankfully, it was a quiet day, so nobody passed on the stairs.

Views From The Minaret

Once at the top of the minaret, the views were fantastic. You could see many of the magnificent buildings of the old town, the port of Constanta, and the sea beyond. The call-to-prayer speakers are mounted on the outside of the walls here. I guess that would be rather loud if you were lucky enough to be at the top then. You can also see the building’s dome up close from the viewing platform.

One of the special views is of Ovidius Square, the city’s main square. The square is home to the museum, statues and some fascinating ancient Greek relics. It is also a fantastic place to get refreshments and gets rather busy in the summer.

You can also see the Casa cu Lei, or Lion House, clearly from the tower. This is sadly a derelict Italian Renaissance-style building; however, it is still beautiful. Hopefully, one day, this gets restored.

The front facade of Casa cu Lei has 2 Greek columns on either side of the entrance, with 4 lions on top. The tower is a great place to zoom in to see the lions.

You can also see parts of the Orthodox cathedral from the tower of Carol I Mosque, with the port behind it.

The beautiful Catholic church is also clearly visible with its distinctive red roof. This has some interesting neighbours too.

Finally, you can also see Tomis Turistic Port, a lovely marina with a variety of yachts and nice places to dine out.

Is the Grand Mosque of Constanta Worth Visiting?

The Grand Mosque of Constanta in Romania is a nice place to visit when sightseeing in the old town. The views from the tower are the highlight, making it a great place to visit.