Eforie Sud from glory to oblivion - a historical and urbanistic overview of the first balneoclimatic resort of Romania. 1898–2024

This research aimed to analyse the evolution of the Eforie Sud resort, recognized as the first balneoclimatic resort in Romania, from its apex in the interwar period to its current state. It focused on how urban development initiatives and planning decisions have influenced the resort's profile and functionality, transforming it from a tourist landmark into an urban landscape marked by degradation and a lack of coherence in planning. The methodology applied included the analysis of historical, cartographic, and archival documents, alongside direct field observations to identify and evaluate the architectural, urbanistic, and landscape characteristics. The analysis accentuates that Eforie Sud saw its period of glory during the interwar years. However, it also highlights a significant loss of quality and coherence in the urban space due to recent planning efforts. The results emphasized the transformations undergone by Eforie Sud from multiple perspectives and how private initiatives and state interventions have physically and culturally shaped the resort. A tendency towards the loss of architectural and urbanistic identity was noted, exacerbated by recent uninspired planning decisions. Through this approach, the study contributes to the literature on planning balneary resorts and the broader debate on the conservation and regeneration of historical urban spaces.