Romania · Danube Delta · Dobrogea

Lacul Sinoe

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Lake Sinoe is a large coastal lagoon in Dobrogea, the southern part of the Razim–Sinoie lagoons, within the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve. The ruins of ancient Histria stand on its western shore.

How it formed

In antiquity this was the Halmyris gulf of the Black Sea, until sand sealed it off. Now it is a shallow brackish lagoon of about 136 km², under 2 m deep, with a salt content of up to about 15 g/l, as it lies far from the canals that bring in fresh water.

History

Settlers from Miletus founded Histria on its western shore in the 7th century BC to trade with the Getae. Silt gradually cut the harbour off from the sea, the Goths sacked the city in 238, and it was abandoned in the 7th century. The Histria Museum, founded in 1982, displays finds such as the facade of the temple of Theos Megas.

Nature

The lagoon is a major feeding and nesting place for the rare Dalmatian pelican, with cormorants and many other waterbirds.

Gallery

3 photos

Photo: Alexandra.Tamas · CC BY-SA 3.0

Photo: Alexandru Panoiu from Bucharest, Romania · CC BY 2.0

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Swimming

No reliable information

Tips

Histria, an ancient Greek city, stands on Lake Sinoe, not on Razim, and a full-day loop of Jurilovca, Enisala fortress and Histria works well from Jurilovca, about 55 km from Tulcea. Histria is reached by secondary roads, and the last stretch to the lagoon uses gravel dykes. Stay on marked paths and dykes, as the marsh can be soft. There is no shade and few facilities, so bring water, binoculars, a hat and repellent.

May and June are recommended for birds and flowers, and autumn for colour and migration. Fishing needs a reserve permit and is only allowed in designated areas. See the Razim–Sinoie Lagoons page for more.