The Casino of Constanța

Before a single brick was laid, the Constanța Casino had already been built three times – at least its foundation had. Architect Daniel Renard proposed an Art Nouveau design in 1903, but political opponents were so incensed they fired him mid-construction and hired a replacement. Two years later, the Liberals returned to power and rehired Renard, who poured a third foundation. The total construction cost eventually reached 1.3 million lei – seven times the original budget. One critic called it a monument “in honor of incompetence and bad taste.” Years later, a French diplomat called the building “pretentiously complicated.”

When the casino finally opened in 1910, it operated as an actual gambling hall for just 38 years – interrupted by two world wars, a stint as a makeshift hospital (bombed despite the Red Cross on its roof), occupation by German troops, and eventual conversion under communism into a restaurant and cultural venue. The communist restoration was carried out using forced labor from political prisoners at Poarta Albă penitentiary, who left notes hidden in the walls revealing their names and prison sentences.

The building survived bombardment, occupation, and regime change only to crumble during peacetime. Decades of neglect left it exposed to Black Sea winds, transforming it into one of Europe’s most haunting architectural ruins and Romania’s most photographed abandoned building.

After years of restoration, the casino is entering another chapter: as a cultural center, exhibition space, and events venue. You still can’t place a bet, but the odds of it standing another century look better than they have in decades. The Constanța Casino has transformed from a monument “in honor of bad taste” to one of Romania’s most celebrated landmarks – proof that the harshest critics rarely get the last word.