Discover Călăraşi: Fountains, Architectural History and Customs

Călăraşi is a suitable destination for travelers who want to learn about local history through different buildings and customs. The fountains and church reflect different connections to architectural history and remembrance. Traditional customs and the municipality’s landscape add to these. When planning a trip, it is therefore worth looking at individual cultural sites as well as the wider regional context.

Fountains and Architectural History

The Cișmeaua Alba was built in 1831 by Popa Stan Călărășanu on the site of the earlier drawing well, Fântâna Grecului. Its history thus also includes the transformation of an existing fountain. The Maria-Tănase Fountain has a different commemorative connection: it was built in 1996 in connection with one of the singer’s last wishes. The two fountains can be understood in different ways: the Cișmeaua Alba is notable for its architectural history, while the Maria-Tănase Fountain is associated with Maria Tănase and one of her last wishes.

The church in Călăraşi is dedicated to “Sf. Nicolae” and “Adormirea Maicii Domnului” and was built of brick by Hagi Enuși between 1820 and 1833. Its construction period overlaps with 1831, the year the Cișmeaua Alba was built. In this way, two different building histories sit side by side in time: a church with two dedications and the transformation of a fountain.

Traditional Customs

During the Hora de pomană for those who died young, a green fir tree is decorated in Călărași with apples, sweets and handkerchiefs; the ritual is repeated for three consecutive years. Another tradition, Strigarea peste sat, is still observed in some localities in Dolj County, including Călărași, though less often than in the past. The customs therefore differ both in their form and in how they are carried on today.

The feast in honor of Saint Tryphon was a historic custom observed until 1938: on February 1 according to the old calendar, residents gathered at the Cișmeaua Alba with wine and food to celebrate the fertility of the vineyards.

Landscape and Orientation

At the municipal level, the view broadens from individual cultural sites to the landscape. Călăraşi municipality lies on the left bank of the Danube, at the border, and in the Romanați Plain, a lowland landscape shaped by sand dunes. In the Ascunsa area of the municipality is the Fântâna cu 32 de guri spring, considered one of the strongest springs in the Oltenian Plain. The Danube bank, plain and spring represent different geographical scales: a location by the river, a lowland landscape and a single natural feature.

National Road DN 54A crosses the administrative area of Călăraşi municipality and connects Călăraşi with Corabia.

Tailor your search to the focus of your stay and consider the criteria that matter to you when making your selection.

Discover more destinations: Afumați, Craiova, Bechet, Coţofenii Din Faţă, Podari, Calafat, Vârtop, Başcov

For the broader travel overview: Dolj.