Giurgiu is a picturesque city located on the left bank of the Danube, within the Giurgiu County of which it is the capital. This city, known as San Giorgio in Genoese, as Gyurgevo in Bulgarian, and as Yergogu in Turkish, counts with several interesting attractions as well as it is located across three charming small islands which tourists should not miss visiting while being in Giurgiu during their vacation in Romania.
According to anthropologists, historians, and other experts, Giurgiu and its surroundings were already inhabited as long ago as in the times of the Dacians. This can be affirmed due to the fact that several archaeological discoveries confirm the existence of a dense population in the area during that époque. Besides this, it is also interesting to know that during the Roman times this region was were Theodorapolis, an important city built by request of the Emperor Justinian, was located as well.
The origins of Giurgiu as known nowadays can be traced back to the 14th century, when a group of people established their settlements around the port area. Soon after that, the village grew in such a way that several shops and a bank were built, and this city turned into an important commercial center.
During its first centuries of life, Giurgiu went through several critical moments when many invaders tried to conquer it. Towards the year 1425, the Ottomans succeeded in their conquering efforts and ruled over this city for several years, trying to have complete control over the traffic and commerce of the Danube.
Nowadays, this city still has ruins of several antique constructions and spots, such as of ancient fortifications and monuments. This is remarkable due to the fact that this destination went through a wide number of disasters and several bombings, such as, for example, a bombing during World War I in which about 80% of the central area of the city was destroyed. After this, the city was honored with the French War Cross, and several years passed before its inhabitants could see the town, its constructions, and their own everyday life normalized.