Constanța casino
Eerie pictures inside a once-glamorous casino that's decaying on the Romanian coast
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Photographer Roman Robroek has always been drawn to photographing abandoned places, so when he discovered the empty but majestic Casino Constanta on the coast of the Black Sea in Romania, he knew he had to shoot it.
The Art Nouveau-style building was originally commissioned by King Carol I and built around the year , opening to the public as a casino in "Many wealthy travelers enjoyed their time playing games and dancing in the symbol of the city," Robroek told Business Insider of the building's past.
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Unfortunately, in the building was closed to the public, and it has been left sitting empty, slowly becoming more and more dilapidated. Ahead, 13 of Robroek's photos inside the once gorgeous building.
"Once this was the most glorious building of Romania, but since it's been abandoned, and slowly but surely falling apart," said Robroek.
"The casino is in Constanta (formerly known as Tomis), Romania, and is now listed as a historic monument by the Ministry of Culture and Religious Affairs of Romania," he said.
"During the visit of the Russian Imperial Family, the casino was host to a royal gala," he said.
For a short time during World War II, the building was used as a hospital.
Source: Atlas Obscura
It operated as a restaurant under the communist regime after the war.
Maintaining the building became too expensive, and it was closed in
According to Robroek, the building is now guarded at all hours of the day, and legal permission must be granted to enter the property.
Although heavily guarded, the building has been left to deteriorate by authorities.
"The last major repairs took place in ," Robroek said.
"We talked to one of the guards the night before our appointment and he felt sad and angry because authorities seem to simply not care about renovation of the building. Nobody understands it," he said.
Robroek was surprised at the building's current conditions.
The building sticks out among the landscape. "The surrounding area is actually very nice and well taken care of," he said. "It looks modern and the view over the sea is amazing. It's a big contrast with the abandoned casino right in the middle of the promenade."
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