Topalu is a commune located on the right bank of the Danube in Constanța County, Northern Dobruja, Romania.

Topalu
Location in Constanța County
Location in Constanța County
Topalu is located in Romania
Topalu
Topalu
Location in Romania
Coordinates: 44°33′N 28°3′E / 44.550°N 28.050°E / 44.550; 28.050
CountryRomania
CountyConstanța
SubdivisionsTopalu, Capidava
Government
 • Mayor (2020–2024) Constantin Baltă[1] (PSD)
Area
79.29 km2 (30.61 sq mi)
Population
 (2021-12-01)[2]
1,517
 • Density19/km2 (50/sq mi)
Time zoneEET/EEST (UTC+2/+3)
Vehicle reg.CT
Websitewww.primariatopalu.ro

Administration

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The commune includes two villages:

  • Topalu (historical name: Turkish: Topal)
  • Capidava (historical names: Calichioi, Turkish: Kaleköy)

Demographics

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Historical population
YearPop.±%
2002 1,951—    
2011 1,785−8.5%
2021 1,517−15.0%
Source: National Institute of Statistics[3]

At the 2011 census, Topalu had 1,707 Romanians (99.94%), 1 others (0.06%).[4]

History

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Capidava on Tabula Peutingeriana (upper center)

Tabula Peutingeriana

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Capidava is depicted in the form Calidava/Calidaua in Segmentum VIII of Tabula Peutingeriana (1st-4th century AD) on a Roman road between Axiopolis and Carsium.[5][6] The map provides accurate data on the distances between Axiopolis, Capidava and Carsium. These distances coincide with the distances between the present localities of Hinog - Capidava and Capidava - Hârșova. This is also verified by the discovery of military marking pillar at Seimenii Mici that indicates the distance of 18,000 feet (27 km) from Axiopolis to Capidava.[7]

Ancient times

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Ruins of the Geto-Dacian fortress Capidava

The village Capidava is the site of the fortified Geto-Dacian center with the same name, Capidava.

After the Roman conquest of Dacia it became a Roman city and castra in the province of Scythia Minor (modern Dobruja).

Etymology

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Capidava is a Getic toponym, meaning the "curve fortified settlement".[7]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Results of the 2020 local elections". Central Electoral Bureau. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  2. ^ "Populaţia rezidentă după grupa de vârstă, pe județe și municipii, orașe, comune, la 1 decembrie 2021" (XLS). National Institute of Statistics.
  3. ^ "Constanta (Romania) - Cities, Towns, and Communes". citypopulation.de. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  4. ^ "Constanța County at the 2011 census" (PDF) (in Romanian). INSSE. February 2, 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 24, 2012. Retrieved March 8, 2012.
  5. ^ Anonymous. "Segmentum VIII,3". Tabula Peutingeriana (in Latin). 1-4th century AD.
  6. ^ Olteanu, Sorin. "Categorii de toponime în funcţie de origine şi aşezare" [Toponymy categories according to origin and location]. Linguae Thraco-Daco-Moesorum (in Romanian). Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 3 January 2010.
  7. ^ a b Florescu, Radu; Manea, Florentina. Oberländer-Târnoveanu, Irina; Bor, Corina (eds.). "Capidava". Bucharest, Romania: Institute for Cultural Memory (Institutul de Memorie Culturală) - cIMeC. Archived from the original on 31 October 2010. Retrieved 2 February 2011.

Further reading

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