Ada Kaleh, Ottoman island in the Danube River, Romania
Ada Kaleh was a small island in the Danube River, stretching about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) with narrow lanes and white stone houses. The buildings were tightly arranged in a pattern typical of traditional settlements.
The island had been under Ottoman rule for centuries until it became part of Romania following World War I and the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne. Its period as a Romanian territory lasted only until the 1970s.
The people who lived there practiced Turkish traditions that showed in their mosque and the sweets and oils they made by hand. Daily life revolved around these crafts and religious customs that shaped the island's character.
The island is now completely submerged and cannot be visited, as it was flooded in 1970 during construction of the Iron Gates Dam. Those interested in its past can find artifacts and information in nearby museums or explore the adjacent Simian Island.
Before flooding, important buildings and objects from the island were moved to nearby Simian Island to preserve them. The residents themselves chose not to relocate and dispersed to other places instead.
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