Chilia Veche (Romanian pronunciation: /kiˈlija ˈveˈke/; meaning Old Chilia; Ukrainian: Стара Кілія, romanized: Stara Kiliia) is a commune in Tulcea County, Northern Dobruja, Romania, in the Danube Delta. It gave its name to the Chilia branch of the Danube, which separates it from Ukraine. It is composed of four villages: Câșlița, Chilia Veche, Ostrovu Tătaru and Tatanir.

Chilia Veche
Commune
Church in Chilia Veche
Coat of arms
Location in Tulcea County
Chilia Veche Location in Romania
Coordinates: 45°25′N 29°17′E
Country	Romania
County	Tulcea
Subdivisions	Câșlița, Chilia Veche, Ostrovu Tătaru, Tatanir
Government
• Mayor (2020–2024)	Timur-Alexandru Ciauș[1] (PRO)
Area	533.58 km2 (206.02 sq mi)
Population  (2011)[2]	2,132
• Density	4.0/km2 (10/sq mi)
Time zone	EET/EEST (UTC+2/+3)
Vehicle reg.	TL
Website	www.primariachilia.ro

Founded by the Greek Byzantines, it was given its name after the word for "granaries" - κελλίa, kellia, recorded earliest in 1241 in the works of Persian chronicler Rashid al-Din. Some scholars consider the mediaeval Genoese trade centre known as Lycostomo (Λυκόστομο) was also located here.^{[citation needed]} A town on the other side of the Danube, now in Ukraine, known as Novo Kilia (Romanian: Chilia Nouă) or "Newer Chilia", was built by Stephen the Great of Moldavia in order to counteract the Ottoman Empire (that had taken control of the former town in the 15th century).

Ostrovu Tătaru village, which has no permanent population, is located on Tătaru Mare Island.

References

• Chilia Veche at GEOnet Names Server for the commune
• Chilia Veche at GEOnet Names Server for the town

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Chilia Veche.

This Tulcea County location article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

• v
• t
• e