Ruins in the archives

 “What’s old collapses, times change, And new life blossoms in the ruins” (Friedrich Schiller). Detail of Ada Kaleh island citadel wall, 1969. Photograph from the Institutul National al Patrimoniului Archive (Simian archive).  /// Ruine in arhive “Ce e vechi se prabuseste, timpurile se schimba, si viata noua infloreste dintre ruine” (Friedrich Schiller). Detaliu al zidului cetatii din

Unpacking an island. Ada Kaleh and its plants

This post is the first in a series – Notes on Ada Kaleh– where we share ongoing research on the Ada Kaleh island. The aim is to present fragments of its history, and to bring the non-specialist public behind the scenes of research work. These posts will show our work in progress, and how it

Danubian Islands, the in-between places

There is a paradox around Lower Danubian islands: they are visible, but hidden, connected, but closed-off, present, but also missing. They are the ultimate in-between places. In a newspaper entry* from 18 August 1935 we read about a trip to the now submerged Ada Kaleh** island. The visitors cross the river on a boat and