Historical places in Moldova

Capriana Monastery is the oldest Moldovan monastic structure, dating back to the early 1420s and being initially built of wood. It was much later, in 1545, that the Church of St. Gheorghe was erected in stone on the territory of the monastery. For a long time the monastery was the residence of the Metropolitan of Moldova and it was patronized by many Rulers of Moldova including Steven the Great (Stefan cel Mare). Situated about 110 km north of the Moldovan capital, the Holy Trinity Monastery of Saharna is considered to be one of the biggest centers for religious pilgrimages in Moldova. According to one of the local legends, one day a monk saw the shining figure of St. Maria on top of one of the highest rocks. When the monk reached the rock, he discovered a footstep left by St. Maria on the ground. The event was considered to be enough evidence for the holy purity for the holy purity of the place. Near that place a wooden church was built and the Holy Trinity Monastery was founded in 1777. Later the wooden church was replaced by a brick one built in an old Moldovan style and richly adorned with frescoes. executed by local artists who evidently had some knowledge of the religious art. Another tourist attraction worth paying attention to is the Tsipova rock monastery, the biggest one in Europe. The Tsipova complex is absolutely unique regarding its size and the number of rock premises, which are connected by many inner dark passages. Unfortunately, Moldovan archaeologists and historians have not yet succeded in determining the exact period of time when the Tsipova rock monastery was founded. Nevertheless, it is a well-established fact that the monastery was desolate up to the year 1756 when it resumed its activities in the region. In the late 1790s the building of the monastery underwent some changes due to the need of defending the inhabitants of the monastery from unexpected raids. The town of Soroca is not only well-endowed with natures gifts of rolling green hills offset by the Nistru river; it is also a rich source of historical and ethnographic sights. The fortress of Soroca is considered the most striking aspect of the town. In 1469, Tartar cavalry crossed the Nistru river to what is now Soroca. After a decisive battle at Lipnic, Stephen III decided to reinforce the eastern frontiers of the Moldovan State by building an earth and wooden outpost in this locality. The fortress was built rapidly in stone in three years. Even now, an amateurs attentive eye will be able to notice the haste by the manner in which the bottom and upper parts of the outside walls were laid. Nonetheless, it is highly unique in its architectural features. The fortress construction design combines the feature elements of Gothic and Renaissance, especially in the profile sections and framing. The archaeological complex Old Orhei is located in the valley Orhei Raut, a right tributary of the river Nistru. In the archeological complex delineates some monumental stone buildings, which is of a particular interest. The oldest building at Old Orhei is the fortified fortress on the promontory Butuceni. The northern part of the territory, the high, is rocky and rises above the predicted water Raut. Other places that should be visited at the complex Old Orhei are: the Getic and the medieval city, the old churches, the woods of Old Orhei, the stone monasteries.