Once a lavish Art Nouveau gem, the Constanta Casino now stands as one of Romania‘s most stunning abandoned structures. King Carol I commissioned it around 1900, and it welcomed its first guests in 1910.
Perched dramatically on the Black Sea waterfront and overlooking the ancient port of Constanța, the Casino was a shining example of the Art Nouveau movement and quickly became a city symbol. However, Romania’s worsening situation throughout the 20th century led to its gradual decline. During World War II, it was briefly used as a hospital and later turned into a restaurant by the communist regime. Maintaining the elaborate structure became too costly, and it was closed in 1990.
Despite occasional restoration efforts, the Constanta Casino has remained abandoned ever since. Although it is technically owned by the municipality and officially closed to the public, Romanian authorities have shown little interest in enforcing this closure.
The Constanta Casino is steeped in legends and secrets about its construction. One such tale claims it was built by a navigator whose daughter died at the age of 17. According to the story, he built the Casino for young people to experience the moments his daughter couldn’t. From above, the Casino is said to resemble a hearse, with its windows looking like graves.
As of September 2020, the Casino was under construction and not open to visitors.
