The architectural ensemble “Ivan Patzaichin” built through the collaborative effort of five artists: Virgil Scripcariu, Mircea Cantor, Teodor Graur, Dan Vezentan, and Gyárfás Oláh.


The Ivan Patzaichin Festival (September 8 – 12) in Tulcea opened on Friday, September 8, with the inauguration of the memorial dedicated to the grand champion and the launch of the “Ivan’s Delta” route, covered by the “Apele Unite ale României” caravan between Tulcea and Mila 23, between September 10 and 12.

The “Ivan Patzaichin” architectural ensemble, created by the Tulcea County Council and the Tulcea City Hall based on an idea proposed by the Ivan Patzaichin Association – Mile 23, is located on the Ivan Patzaichin Cliff, at the end towards Sulina. Built through the collaborative effort of five artists – Mircea Cantor, Virgil Scripcariu, Teodor Graur, Dan Vezentan, Gyárfás Oláh – following the curatorial vision of Teodor Frolu (Ivan Patzaichin’s partner in the projects carried out by him in the last decade of his life), the memorial will become an important architectural and artistic landmark of the city, offering the chance for an interesting urban dialogue with the monument to the Heroes of the War of Independence.

The memorial is not only a tribute to the significant loss but also marks the departure point for the Delta rowing boats, an alternative proposal for responsible tourism. One such route, which can be covered by any tourist who is passionate about activities in nature by rowing for three days, is the one between Tulcea and Mila 23, the “Delta lui Ivan” route, approximately 54 km long by water (29 nautical miles). For the inauguration, a caravan of over 30 kayaks, canoes, and other rowing boats, with about 100 people, will leave on the morning of September 10 from the pontoon in front of the Memorial Ensemble and will dock on September 12 at Mila 23, at the Ivan Patzaichin Museum – community innovation center under construction.


As in the last 12 years, the Festival will bring to Tulcea rock’n’roll concerts on the city’s waterfront, recently reopened after a large-scale rehabilitation, competitions, and water rides at Ciuperca Lake, alternative education workshops for children, debates about the sustainable development of the Delta and the role communities can play in setting favorable development directions, outdoor film screenings and art exhibitions.

The Festival lineup will include sound names from Vama, Omul cu Sobolani (OCS), Antract, The Schnitzels and VH2, to Farfarello & Orchestra Baladele Delta, OIEE (Hungary) and Zagăn.

The inauguration ceremony of the Memorial Ensemble will be accompanied by a video mapping show – for the first time in Tulcea – on the buildings bordering the Faleza, presenting images with significance for the city and its cultural endowment.

The festival program can be consulted here: https://rowmania.ro/ivan-patzaichin-fest-2023.

The Ivan Patzaichin Festival – Rowmania is an annual festival in Tulcea, which honors the memory of the great Ivan Patzaichin and works to protect nature, hydrographic heritage, and biodiversity, to educate children and adults about the value of natural and cultural capital, to promote the principles sustainability and responsible tourism, for demonstrating the benefits of outdoor movement and water sports, and for encouraging communities to capitalize on their strengths and multiculturalism.

The Ivan Patzaichin Association organizes the festival – Mila 23, with the Tulcea City Hall and the Tulcea County Council.

Official sponsor: BCR
With the support of: Bosch Foundation, Aqua Carpatica, Domeniile Sâmburești
The festival also benefits from the support of the partners of the Ivan Patzaichin Association – Mila 23: the Department for Sustainable Development, the Romanian American Foundation, ARBDD – the Administration of the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve, the Liszt Institute – the Hungarian Cultural Center Bucharest, the Tulcea Eco-Museum Research Institute (ICEM), the Cercetaşii Romania – LOTUS Local Center Tulcea, Deltaica, Ivan Pescar, Romanian Waters.

Share on facebook
Share on whatsapp
Share on email
Share on pinterest

Do you love our content and value the work we do? Support it! Donate!

empower-long-logo-final2

Discover the contemporary art scene in Romania!

Sign up to receive Empower Art& Artists’ monthly art news update!