On the trail of top canoeist Ivan Patzaichin in the Danube Delta

The adventure begins on 9 June 2024 deep in the heart of the Danube Delta, in eastern Romania. The Danube Delta is one of the last unspoilt natural paradises in Europe – for now! The journey starts in Crisan on a motorboat. The journey to Mila 23, a secluded village
that lies like an island in a labyrinth of waterways, is an experience for the senses. A narrow canal leads there.

The engine stops and suddenly the­re is only nature: a choir of birds, the gentle lapping of the water and the rustling of the reeds. Flocks of cormo­rants and herons stretch out above the travellers, while water lilies decorate the surface of the water. There are said to be 320 bird species here. It is as if time itself has a different speed here – it flows more slowly and feels more intense. The Danube Delta is a world of its own, waiting to be discovered. Slowly, carefully, respectfully.

Arriving in Mila 23, the travellers come across the Ivan Patzaichin Museum, which opened in May 2024. The buil­ding, modern yet harmoniously inte­grated into its surroundings, exudes a warm reverence. Unfortunately, the museum is closed, but out of sheer luck, the travellers still manage to get inside. The boatman Ionut Calin talks over the fence to a man who introduces himself as Teodor Frolu.

Teodor Frolu, architect of the museum and a good friend of Romanian cano­eist Ivan Patzaichin, lets the visitors in. He tells stories about the top canoeist who came from this small village and impressed the world with his special achievements. Ivan Patzaichin was a man who not only shone with his four Olympic gold medals and seven world championship titles, but also with his modesty and his deep connection to nature. A connection that he wanted to pass on to future generations – but he did not have enough time left. He died on 5 September 2021 at the age of 71 in a hospital in Bucharest. His death left a huge void, both in Romanian sport and in the Danube Delta community, for which he had worked tirelessly.

His legacy lives on in Mila 23 – not only in people’s memories, but also in his visible endeavours to preserve the Danube Delta. Until his death in 2021, Patzaichin campaigned for sustaina­ble tourism and the protection of this unique ecosystem. It was his immedi­ate environment that made Ivan Patzai­chin what he eventually became: a top athlete in canoeing.

The Ivan Patzaichin Museum in Mila 23 is much more than a museum – it is a cultural centre that brings together the history of an extraordinary man and the beauty of the Danube Delta. The idea for it was born in 2019 toge­ther with Ivan Patzaichin, says Teodor Frolu.”Unfortunately, Ivan didn’t live to see the opening of the museum. He passed away in 2021, before the pro­ject was officially opened in 2024,” he says. The expression “Ivan’s Delta” has become a concept that aims to pass on these values to future generations. This concept comes to the fore in the recently opened museum.

The museum is located on the proper­ty where Ivan’s parents once lived after their original home fell victim to a major flood in the 1970s. The highlight of the building is an 18-metre-high wooden tower made entirely from local timber – the tallest wooden structure in this re­gion of Romania. The tower is not only an outstanding architectural work, but also a place of remembrance. The most important stages of Ivan Patzaichin’s life are presented on different levels.

The ground floor is home to the “treasu­ry”, or “tezaurul” in Romanian, which houses Ivan’s Olympic and world championship medals and other achie­vements from his sporting career. The other levels show his childhood in Mila 23, his successes as an Olympic cham­pion, his work as coach of the national team and finally his projects for sustai­nable tourism. Various types of boats can be admired inside the tower. At the top of the tower, visitors can pause for a moment, let their gaze wander over the delta and feel close to Ivan. The tower is open so that wind and rain can flow through – a tribute to Ivan’s deep con­nection to nature.

Next to the museum, there is a working kitchen where local dishes are prepared for visitors and three guest rooms desi­gned for travellers. A digital education room has also been set up to support the local community. Young people learn how to portray the unique beauty of the Danube Delta on social media, not as consumers but as creative producers.

On the way back to Crisan, through the interwoven network of water and reeds, we reflect on life – and on peo­ple like Ivan Patzaichin, who have un­derstood how to live in harmony with nature.The lesson of the day is clear: Living sustainably and close to nature means taking responsibility for futu­re generations – and, following Ivan Patzaichin’s example, this is what each and every one of us should do.

Raluca Nelepcu,
Temeswar