Șimian, River island in Mehedinți County, Romania.
Șimian is a river island in the Danube downstream from Turnu Severin, rising from the water near the Romanian shore. The island holds a fortress with various structures built across its surface.
The island served as a foundation point for water-managing structures during the construction of Trajan's Bridge in the second century. Later it became a site of preservation efforts when modern dam construction threatened to submerge historical settlements.
The fortress here holds structures moved from Ada Kaleh island in 1968 before the Iron Gate I dam flooded its former location. These relocated buildings tell the story of efforts to save pieces of a vanishing community.
Reaching the island requires arranging water transportation, as it sits in the middle of the Danube River. Access is best arranged from the Romanian shore, where boat departures are available.
The island was designated as the replacement site for Ada Kaleh, an entire historical settlement, though the transfer was never fully completed. This unfinished relocation project makes it a rare example of how modern dam construction affected cultural sites.
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