Păcuiul lui Soare Citadel
Pacuiului lui Soare Citadel was built between 972 and 976 by the the emperor Ioan Tzimiskes troupes. The citadel had the role of a naval centre, as a consequence of its position on an old passage, called Dervent, being a strong bastion on the frontier of Downside Danube. The initial destination of the citadel maintained only for a short period, because ten years after the death of the emperor Ioan Tzimiskes, the Bulgarians start a revolt and get the possession of the most important lost territories in 971. Therefore the citadel loses its military character.
Because of the diplomatic strategy towards the Pecenegs adopted by Vasile the 2nd Bulgaroctonul, in the first 2 decades of the 11th century, the settlement of the island Pacuiul lui Soare has a maximum development, as the archeological researches show.
In 1048 there is the Great Invasion of the Pecenegs who manage to get to the Southern Danube and take possession of entire regions of the Balcanic Half-Islands, including Dobrogea. In the second half of the 11th century the Byzantine citadel Pacuiul lui Soare is the target of an attack and it is destroyed as a result of a great fire. People started living again in the citadel only in the middle of the 13th century.
As the researches show, between 1421 and 1422 the citadel was left and it is the point when its existence stops.
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