Giurgiu (Romania)

Giurgiu is a Danube River cruise port in Romania's historical Muntenia region. The town is located amid marshes and mud-flats on the river's left bank, facing the Bulgarian port town Ruse (on the river's right bank). Both are directly connected via the Giurgiu-Ruse Friendship Bridge (length 2223 m / 7293 ft, built 1952-1954). The city has population around 55,000.

There are 3 little islands facing Giurgiu. Rich grain-growing land to the north is traversed by the rail line to Bucharest, which was the Romania's first ever railway (built 1869, later extended to Smarda port). Giurgiu uses the Danube waterway for its main exports (grain, salt, petroleum, timber) and also for importing iron, coal, textiles.

The city of Giurgiu was most probably established during the 14th century as a port on the River Danube by Genoese merchant adventurers: they established a bank and traded in velvets and silks. One theory is that the merchants called the city after San Giorgio (St George), the patron saint of Genoa, however Nicolae Iorga disputed the theory, arguing that Giurgiu was just an old Romanian form of "George".