Over 100 people – historians, doctors, journalists, tourists and seaside residents – participated yesterday, on the Sky View Bar terrace of the Parc Hotel in the Mamaia resort , at the launch event of the volume “The Sea That Heals. The Romanian Coast , from Mamaia to Mangalia” , signed by Aurelia Lăpușan and Anca Elena Ștefan. Organized by OMD Mamaia– Constanța , the event marked an important moment in the Romanian cultural and scientific landscape, being also dedicated to the 120th anniversary of the founding of the Mamaia resort.
A book that reconnects the audience with the therapeutic heritage of the Black Sea
The volume, the first extensive work that addresses the interdisciplinary history of seaside resorts, was enthusiastically received by the participants, who filled the terrace in a warm and bright atmosphere, in line with the central theme of the book: the relationship between the sea and health.
The authors held a captivating dialogue with the audience, presenting unique historical aspects of the Romanian seaside and current scientific explanations regarding the beneficial effects of salt air, sea baths and thalassotherapy. “ I felt that this book is a bridge to the present and the future – an invitation to view the sea as a living resource of health and identity ,” said Aurelia Lăpușan.
For her part, Anca Elena Ștefan, emphasized the contemporary relevance of the theme: " What doctors recommended a century ago – moderate sun exposure, sea baths and salt air – is today confirmed by neuroscience and longevity medicine. Our book shows that the Romanian seaside was, before being a holiday destination, a space of healing ."
A partnership that made a landmark work possible
The President of OMD Mamaia–Constanța, George Măndilă, highlighted the organization's essential contribution in documenting the volume: " Strong tourist destinations are built through authentic stories. 'The Sea That Heals' recovers an essential page from our history and reminds us that Mamaia and the neighboring resorts have been, since the beginning of the last century, places of health and regeneration. Supporting this project was an investment in the memory of our destination ."
OMD Mamaia Constanța made available to the authors documents, images and unpublished heritage resources, many of which were exhibited for the first time to the general public during the event.
We would like to thank everyone who made this event possible: the Parc Hotel for its hospitality, the participants for their presence and pertinent questions, the academic and medical environment for their scientific support, as well as the libraries, archives and collectors who contributed to the documentary richness of the work.
" The emotion I saw in the eyes of those who leafed through the book, who recognized beloved places in the photographs or who discovered the stories of the resorts for the first time, is the most beautiful confirmation that this book is necessary ," added Aurelia Lăpușan.
The available volumes sold out within the first hour of its release. The book will soon be available in bookstores across the country and on online platforms.
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