Chisinau city is also named "Small Rome", because it is
situated on 7 hills. The wide parks and avenues with very interesting
architecture, a specific atmosphere that predominates here is very
characteristic to this city.
Chisinau will surprise you with the variety of architectural styles
that exist here:
Romanesque,
Modern Venetian Baroque,
Neobizantyne and others
The orthodox churches built in old Moldovan style, the oldest of them
is dated the1752, it functions up to our days. If to look from the
highest point of the city, you could see a green sea on which roofs
of the houses are like floating small ships.
The Chisinau museums give you the possibility
to make a travel into the past of the country culture
to familiarise you with traditions and customs of the Moldovan people
In spite of the greatness and urban life of Chisinau the foreign tourists
are proceeded by calm and silent atmosphere.
� a monastery in the cave built in 1675, church
of St. Mary,
a house in national style with a small wine cellar, an exhibition
of the local archeological finds, an hour drive from Chisinau (50
km).
The open air museum represents a true natural fortress, inhabited
since ancient times. On the territory of Old Orhei, which stretches
over 220 ha, there can be observed relics of various civilizations:
the Geto-Dacian fortress (VI-Ith c.c. BC), orthodox cave monasteries
(IX-XVth c.c.), Tatar-Mongol town Shehr al- Gedid (XIVth c.) and Moldavian
town Orhei (XV-XVIIth c.c.). Most items discovered during the diggings
made here are on display in the local museum, which counts more than
4 thousand exhibits. In the �Peasant�s house of XIXth c.� museum,
which is located in Butuceni, one can get acquainted with the ethnography
of the site and life style of the Moldavian people.
The Hincu Convent is situated on the river Coghilnic, 70 km from the
capital of Moldova, in a valley, surrounded by hills and secular forest.
Founded in 1678, the Convent was one of the richest monasteries on
the south of Moldova from the XVIIth century. People come to the Convent
in great number and, especially, in the name-day of Saint Paraschiva,
celebrated on October 27 (according to the church calendar).
The legend
about the foundation of convent says that once, one of the eminent
courtiers of the XVIIth century, Mihalcea Hincu with his daughter
Paraschiva, escaping the Tatar foray, on the one clearing of Codri
forest swore to built a monastery at that place if they survive. Mihalcea
Hincu kept his word. During the XVIIth c., the wooden churches and
cells were many times destroyed by the Tatars� invasions. In hard
times the Saint Paraschiva Monastery remained uninhabited.
In 1835
a stone summer church was built in Russian- Byzantine style. Later,
in 1841, there came a church for the winter season. From 1956 to 1990
the convent was closed by the Soviet authorities, and it functioned
as a sanatorium for the Ministry of Health instead. In 1990, at the
request of the local population, the Hincu Monastery was reopened,
becoming one of the most well arranged and most visited religious
communities. A lot of water springs surround the convent, one of them
is mineralized. To our days, the Convent pleases the eyes and hearts
of believers and visitors.
Two splendid churches and the House of Abbot. A picturesque valley
between the green hills. The grave of Banulescu-Bodoni � the Mitropolit
of Basarabia from 1812 to 1821. A 40-minute drive from Chisinau(40km).
This monastery has been under the protection
of an important number of Moldavian rulers: Alexander the Kind, Stephen
the Great and Saint, Petru Rares and Alexander Lapusneanu. Capriana
Monastery is situated not far from the Straseni town and represents
the architectural ensemble, which includes the Church of Virgin�s
Assumption (1545), Churches of Saint Nicholas (1840) and Saint George
(1903).
The most ancient is Virgin�s Assumption Church founded by
Petru Rares in 1545. It has a triconchal lay-out. After the reconstruction
by Metropolitan Gavriil Banulescu- Bodoni in 1820, it kept unchanged
only the decorative apses with arcature. In the course of construction,
a bell-house with a pyramidal roof and an octagonal dome with a bulbous
turret over the naos were built. The most magnifi cent is the Saint
George Church, built in style of late Baroque in 1840.
The winter
church of Saint Nicholas has the same traditional architecture like
other medieval Moldavian structures. The tomb of metropolitan Gavriil
Banulescu-Bodoni is situated on the territory of monastery. Metropolitan
Gavriil Banulescu-Bodoni, a prominent fi gure of our culture and Orthodoxy,
was at the head of the Church since the occupation of Bessarabia and
its annexation to Russian Empire, during the years 1813-1821. Not
far from the monastery, in the forest, there is an oak, which is called
by the local villagers the Oak of Stephen the Great and Saint. In
the shade of that oak Stephen the Great and Saint took a rest after
one of the battles.
Capriana is a true monument to the faith. Its
walls keep the distant legends about the creation of monastery and
a whole historical epoch of the evolution of Moldavian people�
The Saharna
Monastery is situated at 8 km from Rezina town, 45 km from Orhei
town and 120 km from Chisinau. Saint Trinity Monastery in Saharna
is situated in one of the most picturesque gorges on three succeeding
alternating terraces, on the shore of Nistru river, near Saharna
village. The Monastery is surrounded from all sides by the high
rocky hills, which are partly covered with forests. The historical
heart of the Monastery Saharna dates back to the ancient times.
The monastery was founded by the hermit Bartolomeu in 1776.
Today, it represents a complex of constructions:
summer church of Saint Trinity (1818-1821), sanctifi ed by the metropolitan
G. Banulescu-Bodoni; winter church of Virgin�s Assumption (1863) guards
the relics of Saint Macarii; cells and chapel of Virgin Maria with
a miracle icon. On the top of the mountain Grimidon a small chapel
is raising. According to the legend, in this place, Virgin Maria appeared
to Bartolomeu and left in the rock her footstep. You can see for yourselves
the Virgin�s footstep printed in the rock. The river Saharna forms
22 waterfalls along its way. Getting tired after the trip, you can
have a rest on the bottom of a waterfall in the shadow of high rocks,
in silence of ages.
In Tipova on the rocky side of the Nistru river (about 100-km north
of Chisinau), is the biggest Orthodox cave monastery in Moldova and
in Eastern Europe. Long before the feudal state of Moldova was formed,
a community of monks was established here. Some say that in the X-XII
c. (according to others in the XVI-XVIII c.) some cells were dug inside
the steep cliffs of the Nistru. In 1776 a prosperous period started
when the monastery was divided into large parts, separated by massive
columns. During the Soviet period the monastery was closed and destroyed.
In 1975 the ruins of the Tipova monastery were protected by the State
and in 1994 religious services resumed.
It is said that the wedding of our great Ruler Stefan cel Mare and
his wife Maria Voichita was held in this monastery. Another legend
says that the mythological poet Orpheus spent his last years on these
hills and is buried in a nook of a waterfall. The monastery can be
visited daily.
Tourists can visit the splendid path though the "Tipova"
nature reserve. In ancient times (IV-III c. BC) a Geto-Dacian fortress
stood in the grounds. Its remains are still visible.
In
the medieval period the fortress of Soroca was part of a huge Moldovan
defensive system, which comprised four fortresses on the Nistru
river, two on the Danube and another three in the northern part
of the country. With this "stone belt of fortresses",
the country borders were well protected.
Soroca�s fortress is also famous for being the place where the Moldovan
army, commanded by the famous statesman Dm. Cantemir, and the Russian
army, led by the Tsar Petru I, met and consolidated their forces
during the Prut campaign against the Turkish hordes in 1711. Along
history, the fortress has been visited by Bogdan Hmelnitski, Timush
Hmelnitski, Alexander Suvorov, and others. The fortress is the only
medieval monument in Moldova, which has been preserved entirely
as it was designed by its builders. Above the entrance gate one
can visit the small military church.
The Quality Wines Industrial Complex �Milestii Mici� has took its
worthy place within the tourist program of the state. Having its
particular glamour, this natural wine deposit � the largest in the
world � appeared in the lime galleries at a depth of 40-85 meters
in the seventies of the last century. The wines stored here are
made of various years� crops, beginning with the 1968 to 1991. The
spirit of the age is very well felt here, in this underground wine
city, emerged from wide tunnels. You can pass by car these 200 km
of natural lime galleries.
The constant temperature of 12- 14 ?C and the humidity of 85-95% of
this �kingdom of wine� ideally contribute to the preservation of the
Moldavian strategic stocks. Up to now here continue to arrive selected
wine materials from all over Moldova.
The �Golden Collection� of Milestii Mici contains over two million
bottles of harmonious wines dated from the period of Moldavian wine
making prosperity �Pinot�, �Traminer�, �Muscat�, �Riesling�, �Feteasca�,
�Codru�, �Negru de Purcari�, �Trandafi rul Moldovei�, �Auriu� and
others. The GRAND PRIX was awarded to the vintage wine �Codru� at
the XII International Exhibition �ExpoVinMoldova - 2003�. The collection
wines �Codru� and �Negru de Purcari� have been rewarded with gold
medals.
The year 2003 will be remembered by the victory of �Auriu�
1986 collection wine at the International Wine Contest in Brussels.
Welcome to the wine depositary � once you see this marvel � to return
here over and over again in search of the wine of your dreams!
The Integrated Factory �Cricova� is a true
pearl of Moldavian wine-making. The excellent Moldavian wines are
aged and preserved in the famous Cricova limestone mines (they have
almost 60 km in length), under careful custody of wine-makers. Natural
limestone in the cellars helps to maintain the necessary temperature
� 12-14?C and humidity 97-98 % - the optimal conditions for high
quality wine aging. Cricova wines are unusual � quite self-contained,
very tasty and elegant. Today Cricova is an underground town. You
will convince yourself while driving along the streets and boulevards
with wine names Cabernet, Feteasca, Pinot, Aligote� In the underground
silence of Cricova cellars up to 30 mln litres of wine acquire their
precious unsurpassable properties.
Nowadays the Integrated Factory Cricova is
a multitude of brands of high quality table red and white wines,
produced by original technologies, 15 brands of sparkling wines.
The collection of vintage wines numbers over one million of all
sorts. Here there are stored unique French, Italian, Spanish wines,
as well as samples from many other countries; the oldest wine dates
back to 1902. The Integrated Factory Cricova is the only factory
in Republic that produces sparkling wine through the classical French
fermentation method � aging in bottles for up to 3 years.
All Cricova
wines can be tasted in luxurious tasting halls, which are a veritable
masterpiece of exquisite architecture. Cricova� s wine-makers won
over 60 gold and silver medals on various prestigious international
exhibitions and competitions. Since 1996 the Integrated Factory
is a member of the European Club of Commercial Leaders, which estimated
its merits at their true worth, awarding it with the prize in the
sphere of activity and Golden Star of quality.
It's History, bottled and corked... "Purcari wines are a legend
of the all-conquering high quality retaining in itself the whole history
of an exceptional bouquet of wine. This is a legend of French settlers
and warm Black Sea winds, of the English Queen Victoria and the glittering
of gold medals."
Centuries create quality... Flat and cosy slopes on the Dniester
right bank in the vicinity of Purcari village once belonged to the
foreign Aphono-Zagrafsky Monastery. Local favourable terraced relief
letting the sun light up and warm these slopes all day long attracted
settlers who made Purcari land their home and set about planting
vineyards. They got perpetual tenure from the monastery excepting
power of sale or feofment and undertook to pay tithe (1/10 of their
profit) and 1/10 of grapes gathered.
The dominant Monastery's requirement
"was planting vineyards, cultivating and keeping them in good
condition". If the requirements were disregarded the lands
and everything that was cultivated and built on them were taken
away without any reimbursement. The idea of turning waste lands
into high productive grounds suited settlers very well. Many of
them realized that warm and humid Black Sea winds and sandy-argillaceous
soil of Purcari Region will enable them to grow remarkable grapes
there. It was the first step in obtaining Purcari wines of good
quality.
