Sarichioi

Sarichioi Сарикёй
Commune
Location of Sarichioi Сарикёй
Country	Romania
County	Tulcea
Component villages	Enisala, Sabangia, Sarichioi, Zebil, Visterna
Government
• Mayor	Sasna Mihail Fedea (since 2004)
Area
• Total	282.38 km2 (109.03 sq mi)
Population  (2002)
• Total	7,457
• Density	26/km2 (68/sq mi)
Postal code	827190
Website	http://www.cjtulcea.ro/judet/sarichioi.html Template:Ro icon

Sarichioi (Russian: Сарикёй, from Turkish: Sarıköy, "Yellow Village" ) is a commune in Tulcea County, Romania. It is composed of five villages: Enisala, Sabangia, Sarichioi, Zebil and Visterna. Besides the ethnic Romanian majority (54% of the population), the commune is home to a sizable Lipovan community (46%).

Ruins of the Enisala fortress in the early 20th century

The village of Enisala (Turkish for "New Village", from the Bulgarian Ново село) is the site of a fortress dominating nearby lakes (previously gulfs) of Razelm and Babadag. Dated to the late 13th or the beginning of the 14th century, it was built by the Bulgarians (or either by the Genoese or Byzantines) to control the travel routes that passed through the region. The fortress' three hexagonal tower, are the only of this type found in the whole region of Dobruja. It have been interpreted by some researchers as a sign of Western manner of planning, but same towers stand in Tsepina, Shumen, Perperikon, Vidin etc. Bulgarian medieval fortress. The castle was first conquered by the Ottomans in 1388/1389, and retaken in 1416/1417 after a brief Wallachian rule. Due to the new political situation and the development of sand spits that hampered trade, the fortress gradually decayed, and was finally abandoned around the end of the 15th century.

Ruins of the Enisala fortress in the summer of 2012

Enisala Fortress inside the walls, looking to the former main gate, summer of 2010

See also

• List of castles in Romania
• Tourism in Romania

References

• Sălăgeanu, Valentin (2004). "Cetatea de la Enisala". Arhitectura militară pe teritoriul Ţării Româneşti şi al Dobrogei în secolele XIII-XVI. Influenţe şi iradieri. Patzinakia. Retrieved 2008-10-05.
• Sarichioi at GEOnet Names Server