The second Via DobroGetica milestone
The commune of Cumpăna lies in one of Romania's most turbulent provinces — Dobrogea, a land between the Danube and the Sea, like a vast pier beaten by the winds and waves of the Black Sea. The first record of the settlement dates to 1870, under the name Hașiduluc, which appears in the work of Ion Ionescu de la Brad and meant 'the first harvest'.
After 1877, with the liberation of Dobrogea from Ottoman rule, the largest settlements of Romanians from Transylvania, Oltenia and Wallachia took place between 1882 and 1889. In 1924 the village changed its name from Hașiduluc to Cumpăna, in view of the fact that the settlement sits at an altitude of about 60 m, a relief that forms a 'cumpănă' (watershed) between two river basins flowing east and west.
Here the former prime minister and adviser to Cuza, Mihail Kogălniceanu, owned an estate and house, and stayed long in the village. Today the commune of Cumpăna numbers nearly 22,000 inhabitants and is one of the most dynamic communes in Constanța County, just 5 km from the city of Constanța. In 2005, in the competition organised by the Delegation of the European Commission in Romania, Cumpăna was awarded the distinction of EUROPEAN VILLAGE.
The commune is structured into 207 streets, with 112 km of interior roads, and takes pride in a rich cultural, sporting and educational life. Its ethnic diversity — Romanians, Turks, Tatars, Macedonians and other communities — has fostered a unique cultural heritage, expressed through varied customs, traditions and cuisine, making Cumpăna a true example of peaceful coexistence and mutual respect.
The Sundial of Cumpăna is one of the commune's symbols and a cultural landmark marking the measuring of time on Dobrogean lands, continuing humanity's ancient tradition of orienting by the sun and the stars.
In May 2026, the second Via DobroGetica milestone was installed here, shortly after the first at the Ovidiu Roman Fort. The choice of this place is no accident — the Sundial embodies the link between time, space and history, exactly the values Via DobroGetica promotes through its 5 routes.
Installed: May 2026 · Yellow Route
Cultural celebrations with tradition in the heart of Dobrogea
Kureș — Traditional Tatar Wrestling
Since 2008, every year, this event brings together the ethnic groups of Dobrogea in a celebration of diversity. It opens with the Dance of the Ethnicities and a parade of folk costumes, continues with the Traditional Culinary Art Contest, and culminates in the traditional Tatar Kureș wrestling. Reaching its 16th edition in 2026.
International Folklore Competition Festival
A festival dedicated to young performers of folk music, aged between 6 and 18. Launched almost two decades ago, it reached its 18th edition in 2025. Over the years, renowned artists such as Maria Ciobanu, Irina Loghin, Gheorghe Turda and many others have performed.
National Harvest Festival
Since 2003, a celebration of the land, gastronomy and ethnographic richness of Dobrogea. Local producers, the 'Ethnicities of Dobrogea' gastronomy contest, folk ensembles, and the traditional record of the largest Dobrogean pie, over 55 metres long. Reaching its 20th edition in 2024.
Gastronomy, Multiculturalism, Coexistence
First held in September 2025, dedicated to gastronomy and inter-ethnic coexistence. The event brings together Turkish and Romanian culinary traditions, folk-costume parades and dances specific to the many cultures living together in Dobrogea.
Tradition, Art and Community
First held in September 2025, in the commune's new Civic Centre. It brings together local producers and artisans with authentic goods: pottery, traditional products, cheeses, Dobrogean wines and dishes cooked on the spot.
