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Moldova - Hancu monastery.
Hancu Monastery was raised up on a nuns’ hermitage in 1678 by the Great High Steward Mihail Hancu due to the wish of one of his daughters, who accepted monasticism under the name of Parascheva. The hermitage had the name of Viadica until the 17th century.
Because of the Tartars invasion, the nuns left the hermitage for another place approximately at the half of the 18th century. After the Russian army arrived in Basarabia under the command of Field Marshall Rumeantev in 1770-1772, the first Hancu family successors asked the hieromonah Varlaam from the Varzaresti Monastery to take care of the abandoned hermitage. Varlaam together with a group of monks, who came with him, took care of the household, and repaired the cells and in time the monastery became a living place for the monks.
In 1817 all the monks at the monastery were Moldovans, who took the habit being hallowed by the Husi bishops and the Metropolitan Bishop of Moldova. They all had good connections with the hermitages and the monasteries from all over Moldova and the Athos mountain. There were three Russian hieromonks in the monastery as well, who ran away from the liberal stream of Queen Catherine the Second. The books for the church and the manuscripts were written in Romanian.
Back in 1817 the church was built of wood, fenced, glued with clay and whitewashed. The roof of the church was made of shingle. Also, it had a belfry attached to the church. The church had an iconostasis of wood with delving flowers gilt with gold. The walls inside of the church were fashioned with many beautiful icons, 8 of which were painted on planks of wood and gilt with gold.
Hancu was the first monastic settlement of Basarabia, where the community life was introduced approximately in 1820-1822.
Both, the inner life of the hermitage, and its community household, developed significantly during the supervision of abbot Dosoftei, Bulgarian by origin.
Since its existence, more precisely at the beginning of 1836, the hermitage is considered to be a monastery. On the place where the wooden church was standing, he raised up in 1835 a church built in stone with the festival Saint Pious Parascheva, but in 1841 he had built another one dedicated to the Holy Virgin Dormition festival. He built cells for the monks as well, brought water into the monastery and took care of the administration bettering.
At the end of the 19th century, the monastery was known under the name of Hancul-Parascheva.
The lands, the fortune and the buildings of the monastery were nationalized in 1944, but in 1965 the monastery had been closed and the monks were chased away.
In 1978 the monastic ensemble was distributed to the Institute of Medicine from Chisinau that set working a sanatorium for people suffering of tuberculosis and opened a leisure station for students and employees. Saint Pious Parascheva summer church was later turned into a club.
Hancu Monastery was re-established as a place for monks in 1990. There is no information about the activity of the monks during those two years they have spent in the monastery. In 1992 the community of monks was abolished.
In the spring of 1992 the monastery for nuns is being established at Hancu. On the 10th of September, 1992, the reconstruction of the monastery was started. In 1993 the reparation of Holy Virgin Dormition winter church had been finished.
The church was framed within the body of the priory, which was built in 1841. It was painted provisionally and hallowed in the same year. In 1998 the interior of the church was repainted.
Saint Pious Parascheva summer church was erected in 1835 and repaired not earlier than 1996.
Three old buildings raised up in 1841 remain untouched on the monastery’s territory. Nuns and sisters started living there after a major overhaul. The number of the ones living there estimates 58 in 1995.
Orheiul Vechi and the villages Trebujeni an Butuceni.
Ten kilometers to the southeast of Orhei city lies Orheiul Vechi (Old Orhei; marked on maps as the village of Trebujeni).
This is arguably Moldova’s most fantastic sight. The chimerical Orheiul Vechi Monastery Complex is carved into a massive limestone cliff in this wild, rocky, remote spot. Getting here ain’t easy (forget about public transportation), but it’s well worth the effort. The Cave Monastery (Manastire in Pestera), inside a cliff overlooking the modest Raut River, was dug by Orthodox monks in the 13th century. It remained inhabited until the 18th century, and in 1996 a handful of monks returned and began restoring it.
Shorts are forbidden and women must cover their heads inside the monastery. A small, moody chapel is part of the complex, which acts as a church for three neighboring villages, as it did in the 13th century. Adjacent is the area where up to 13 monks lived for decades at a time, sleeping on pure bedrock in tiny stone nooks (chilii), opening into a central corridor. There’s also a stone terrace, from where views of the entire cliff and surrounding plains are nothing less than breathtaking.
The cliff face is dotted with additional caves and places of worship, dug over the millennia by Geto-Dacian tribes from before Christ’s time. In all, the huge cliff contains six complexes of interlocking caves, most of which are accessible only by experienced rock climbers and therefore off-limits to most tourists.
After WWII archaeologists started uncovering several layers of history in this region, including a fortress built in the 14th century by Stefan cel Mare, later destroyed by Tartars, and the remnants of a defense wall surrounding the monastery complex from the 15th century. Some of their finds are on exhibit in Chisinau’s National History Museum.
In the 18th century the cave-church was taken over by villagers from neighboring Butuceni. In 1905 they built an additional church above ground dedicated to the Ascension of St Mary. This church was shut down by the Soviets in 1944 and remained abandoned throughout the Communist regime. Services resumed in 1996. On the main road to the complex you’ll find the headquarters where you can purchase your entrance tickets and visit the tiny village museum where several archaeological finds from the 15th and 16th centuries are presented. Guides can be arranged here, but only in Russian and Romanian. Ancillary attractions include remnants of a 15th century defence wall surrounding the monastery complex, an ethnographic museum in the nearby village of Butuceni and newly open caves across the valley.
Orheiul Vechi and the villages Trebujeni an Butuceni.
Ten kilometers to the southeast of Orhei city lies Orheiul Vechi (Old Orhei; marked on maps as the village of Trebujeni).
This is arguably Moldova’s most fantastic sight. The chimerical Orheiul Vechi Monastery Complex is carved into a massive limestone cliff in this wild, rocky, remote spot. Getting here ain’t easy (forget about public transportation), but it’s well worth the effort. The Cave Monastery (Manastire in Pestera), inside a cliff overlooking the modest Raut River, was dug by Orthodox monks in the 13th century. It remained inhabited until the 18th century, and in 1996 a handful of monks returned and began restoring it.
Shorts are forbidden and women must cover their heads inside the monastery. A small, moody chapel is part of the complex, which acts as a church for three neighboring villages, as it did in the 13th century. Adjacent is the area where up to 13 monks lived for decades at a time, sleeping on pure bedrock in tiny stone nooks (chilii), opening into a central corridor. There’s also a stone terrace, from where views of the entire cliff and surrounding plains are nothing less than breathtaking.
The cliff face is dotted with additional caves and places of worship, dug over the millennia by Geto-Dacian tribes from before Christ’s time. In all, the huge cliff contains six complexes of interlocking caves, most of which are accessible only by experienced rock climbers and therefore off-limits to most tourists.
After WWII archaeologists started uncovering several layers of history in this region, including a fortress built in the 14th century by Stefan cel Mare, later destroyed by Tartars, and the remnants of a defense wall surrounding the monastery complex from the 15th century. Some of their finds are on exhibit in Chisinau’s National History Museum.
In the 18th century the cave-church was taken over by villagers from neighboring Butuceni. In 1905 they built an additional church above ground dedicated to the Ascension of St Mary. This church was shut down by the Soviets in 1944 and remained abandoned throughout the Communist regime. Services resumed in 1996. On the main road to the complex you’ll find the headquarters where you can purchase your entrance tickets and visit the tiny village museum where several archaeological finds from the 15th and 16th centuries are presented. Guides can be arranged here, but only in Russian and Romanian. Ancillary attractions include remnants of a 15th century defence wall surrounding the monastery complex, an ethnographic museum in the nearby village of Butuceni and newly open caves across the valley.
Moldova - Stefan Voda - Waiting.
Ştefan Vodă is a district in the south-east of Moldova, with the administrative center at Ştefan Vodă. As of 1 January 2011, its population was 71,900. The city situated 100 km from Chişinău and 100 km from Odessa, Ukraine.
Rudi-Arionesti monastery.
In the picturesque valley in the North of Moldova at the right back of Dniester, on the territory of the national park of Rudi - Arionesti there is a monastic ensemble of Saint Trinity built in the second half of the XVIIth century. The dominating element of this ensemble is the church built in 1772 having the same name as the monastery. Around the church various subsidiary structures are located such as the abbot's house, the refectory, cells and dwelling premises. Only the orchard and the bee garden are situated beyond the monastery.
According to its layout the monastery church is a true successor of traditions of ancient Moldavian structures. All the three apses - the eastern, the southern and the northern ones are of the same diameter and height. The narthex is more elongated since it is separated from the naos by a triple arcade.
Inside the bulk of the western wall there is a staircase leading to the choir gallery. Ancient inscriptions are made on the northern altar wall. The ancient iconostasis created by local craftsmen is mounted between the naos and altar. On many interior walls fragments of murals performed in the fresco method still can be seen.
Moldova - Cricova winery.
Cricova is a national treasure and the most well known wineries in Moldova. It is the second largest underground wine cellar in the country, after Milestii Mici.
Cricova boasts nearly 120 km of underground tunnels that are large enough for vehicles to drive through. At the deepest point, the tunnels are 100 m below the ground. The tunnels were created when limestone blocks were excavated to help build Chisinau. It was converted into an underground wine cellar in the 1950s.
The natural limestone helps to maintain a constant temperature of 12-14 C (54-57 F) and humidity of 97-98%, creating optimal conditions for storing wine. Half of the tunnels in the cellar are used for this purpose. The tunnels are named after the wines kept there.
Cricova has a huge collection of more than 1 million vintage wines, including French, Italian, and Spanish wines, and samples from many other countries.
Cricova also has a more limited collection of rare and unique wines, some of which are owned by famous people such as Russian President Vladimir Putin. The oldest wine is from 1902, Jewish Easter Wine, and the oldest bottle of liqueur, Yan Bekher Liqueur, is from the same year. Nazi General Goring’s private collection of wine is also there; brought to Moldova by the general during WW II to be close to him at the Eastern front.
At the heart of the cellar are lavishly decorated themed banquet halls and tasting rooms, all recently renovated. Here guests can enjoy fine white, rosé, and red wines, old collection wines, and sparkling wines, the pride of the winery. Cricova is the largest sparkling wine producer in Moldova, making it according to the traditional champenoise method. Cricova offers daily tours and tastings for visitors. Tour packages range from basic tastings with simple snacks to large tastings with a full meal and souvenir. It is difficult to visit unannounced, so guests should book their visit in advance. However, the winery recently opened a new restaurant, Orasul Subterean, that accepts walk-in guests.
When I brought this home from Romania, my wife left me.
Bought it at the Village Museum in Bucharest. They weren't able to tell me much about the background, but I understand it's worn for some important occasion, perhaps New Year. The horns and woolly bits are from sheep and the body of the mask is crudely carved and painted wood. Body height c.50cm
Usual life in Moldovan countryside.
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Viaţa în sat Moldovenesc.
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Обычный вид сельской местности в Молдове.
(By Vladimir Bujac)
Moldova - Cricova winery.
Cricova is a national treasure and the most well known wineries in Moldova. It is the second largest underground wine cellar in the country, after Milestii Mici.
Cricova boasts nearly 120 km of underground tunnels that are large enough for vehicles to drive through. At the deepest point, the tunnels are 100 m below the ground. The tunnels were created when limestone blocks were excavated to help build Chisinau. It was converted into an underground wine cellar in the 1950s.
The natural limestone helps to maintain a constant temperature of 12-14 C (54-57 F) and humidity of 97-98%, creating optimal conditions for storing wine. Half of the tunnels in the cellar are used for this purpose. The tunnels are named after the wines kept there.
Cricova has a huge collection of more than 1 million vintage wines, including French, Italian, and Spanish wines, and samples from many other countries.
Cricova also has a more limited collection of rare and unique wines, some of which are owned by famous people such as Russian President Vladimir Putin. The oldest wine is from 1902, Jewish Easter Wine, and the oldest bottle of liqueur, Yan Bekher Liqueur, is from the same year. Nazi General Goring’s private collection of wine is also there; brought to Moldova by the general during WW II to be close to him at the Eastern front.
At the heart of the cellar are lavishly decorated themed banquet halls and tasting rooms, all recently renovated. Here guests can enjoy fine white, rosé, and red wines, old collection wines, and sparkling wines, the pride of the winery. Cricova is the largest sparkling wine producer in Moldova, making it according to the traditional champenoise method. Cricova offers daily tours and tastings for visitors. Tour packages range from basic tastings with simple snacks to large tastings with a full meal and souvenir. It is difficult to visit unannounced, so guests should book their visit in advance. However, the winery recently opened a new restaurant, Orasul Subterean, that accepts walk-in guests.
Moldova - Cricova winery.
Cricova is a national treasure and the most well known wineries in Moldova. It is the second largest underground wine cellar in the country, after Milestii Mici.
Cricova boasts nearly 120 km of underground tunnels that are large enough for vehicles to drive through. At the deepest point, the tunnels are 100 m below the ground. The tunnels were created when limestone blocks were excavated to help build Chisinau. It was converted into an underground wine cellar in the 1950s.
The natural limestone helps to maintain a constant temperature of 12-14 C (54-57 F) and humidity of 97-98%, creating optimal conditions for storing wine. Half of the tunnels in the cellar are used for this purpose. The tunnels are named after the wines kept there.
Cricova has a huge collection of more than 1 million vintage wines, including French, Italian, and Spanish wines, and samples from many other countries.
Cricova also has a more limited collection of rare and unique wines, some of which are owned by famous people such as Russian President Vladimir Putin. The oldest wine is from 1902, Jewish Easter Wine, and the oldest bottle of liqueur, Yan Bekher Liqueur, is from the same year. Nazi General Goring’s private collection of wine is also there; brought to Moldova by the general during WW II to be close to him at the Eastern front.
At the heart of the cellar are lavishly decorated themed banquet halls and tasting rooms, all recently renovated. Here guests can enjoy fine white, rosé, and red wines, old collection wines, and sparkling wines, the pride of the winery. Cricova is the largest sparkling wine producer in Moldova, making it according to the traditional champenoise method. Cricova offers daily tours and tastings for visitors. Tour packages range from basic tastings with simple snacks to large tastings with a full meal and souvenir. It is difficult to visit unannounced, so guests should book their visit in advance. However, the winery recently opened a new restaurant, Orasul Subterean, that accepts walk-in guests.
Moldova - Hancu monastery.
Hancu Monastery was raised up on a nuns’ hermitage in 1678 by the Great High Steward Mihail Hancu due to the wish of one of his daughters, who accepted monasticism under the name of Parascheva. The hermitage had the name of Viadica until the 17th century.
Because of the Tartars invasion, the nuns left the hermitage for another place approximately at the half of the 18th century. After the Russian army arrived in Basarabia under the command of Field Marshall Rumeantev in 1770-1772, the first Hancu family successors asked the hieromonah Varlaam from the Varzaresti Monastery to take care of the abandoned hermitage. Varlaam together with a group of monks, who came with him, took care of the household, and repaired the cells and in time the monastery became a living place for the monks.
In 1817 all the monks at the monastery were Moldovans, who took the habit being hallowed by the Husi bishops and the Metropolitan Bishop of Moldova. They all had good connections with the hermitages and the monasteries from all over Moldova and the Athos mountain. There were three Russian hieromonks in the monastery as well, who ran away from the liberal stream of Queen Catherine the Second. The books for the church and the manuscripts were written in Romanian.
Back in 1817 the church was built of wood, fenced, glued with clay and whitewashed. The roof of the church was made of shingle. Also, it had a belfry attached to the church. The church had an iconostasis of wood with delving flowers gilt with gold. The walls inside of the church were fashioned with many beautiful icons, 8 of which were painted on planks of wood and gilt with gold.
Hancu was the first monastic settlement of Basarabia, where the community life was introduced approximately in 1820-1822.
Both, the inner life of the hermitage, and its community household, developed significantly during the supervision of abbot Dosoftei, Bulgarian by origin.
Since its existence, more precisely at the beginning of 1836, the hermitage is considered to be a monastery. On the place where the wooden church was standing, he raised up in 1835 a church built in stone with the festival Saint Pious Parascheva, but in 1841 he had built another one dedicated to the Holy Virgin Dormition festival. He built cells for the monks as well, brought water into the monastery and took care of the administration bettering.
At the end of the 19th century, the monastery was known under the name of Hancul-Parascheva.
The lands, the fortune and the buildings of the monastery were nationalized in 1944, but in 1965 the monastery had been closed and the monks were chased away.
In 1978 the monastic ensemble was distributed to the Institute of Medicine from Chisinau that set working a sanatorium for people suffering of tuberculosis and opened a leisure station for students and employees. Saint Pious Parascheva summer church was later turned into a club.
Hancu Monastery was re-established as a place for monks in 1990. There is no information about the activity of the monks during those two years they have spent in the monastery. In 1992 the community of monks was abolished.
In the spring of 1992 the monastery for nuns is being established at Hancu. On the 10th of September, 1992, the reconstruction of the monastery was started. In 1993 the reparation of Holy Virgin Dormition winter church had been finished.
The church was framed within the body of the priory, which was built in 1841. It was painted provisionally and hallowed in the same year. In 1998 the interior of the church was repainted.
Saint Pious Parascheva summer church was erected in 1835 and repaired not earlier than 1996.
Three old buildings raised up in 1841 remain untouched on the monastery’s territory. Nuns and sisters started living there after a major overhaul. The number of the ones living there estimates 58 in 1995.
Moldova - Stefan Voda - Industrial area.
Ştefan Vodă is a district in the south-east of Moldova, with the administrative center at Ştefan Vodă. As of 1 January 2011, its population was 71,900. The city situated 100 km from Chişinău and 100 km from Odessa, Ukraine.
Moldova - Hancu monastery.
Hancu Monastery was raised up on a nuns’ hermitage in 1678 by the Great High Steward Mihail Hancu due to the wish of one of his daughters, who accepted monasticism under the name of Parascheva. The hermitage had the name of Viadica until the 17th century.
Because of the Tartars invasion, the nuns left the hermitage for another place approximately at the half of the 18th century. After the Russian army arrived in Basarabia under the command of Field Marshall Rumeantev in 1770-1772, the first Hancu family successors asked the hieromonah Varlaam from the Varzaresti Monastery to take care of the abandoned hermitage. Varlaam together with a group of monks, who came with him, took care of the household, and repaired the cells and in time the monastery became a living place for the monks.
In 1817 all the monks at the monastery were Moldovans, who took the habit being hallowed by the Husi bishops and the Metropolitan Bishop of Moldova. They all had good connections with the hermitages and the monasteries from all over Moldova and the Athos mountain. There were three Russian hieromonks in the monastery as well, who ran away from the liberal stream of Queen Catherine the Second. The books for the church and the manuscripts were written in Romanian.
Back in 1817 the church was built of wood, fenced, glued with clay and whitewashed. The roof of the church was made of shingle. Also, it had a belfry attached to the church. The church had an iconostasis of wood with delving flowers gilt with gold. The walls inside of the church were fashioned with many beautiful icons, 8 of which were painted on planks of wood and gilt with gold.
Hancu was the first monastic settlement of Basarabia, where the community life was introduced approximately in 1820-1822.
Both, the inner life of the hermitage, and its community household, developed significantly during the supervision of abbot Dosoftei, Bulgarian by origin.
Since its existence, more precisely at the beginning of 1836, the hermitage is considered to be a monastery. On the place where the wooden church was standing, he raised up in 1835 a church built in stone with the festival Saint Pious Parascheva, but in 1841 he had built another one dedicated to the Holy Virgin Dormition festival. He built cells for the monks as well, brought water into the monastery and took care of the administration bettering.
At the end of the 19th century, the monastery was known under the name of Hancul-Parascheva.
The lands, the fortune and the buildings of the monastery were nationalized in 1944, but in 1965 the monastery had been closed and the monks were chased away.
In 1978 the monastic ensemble was distributed to the Institute of Medicine from Chisinau that set working a sanatorium for people suffering of tuberculosis and opened a leisure station for students and employees. Saint Pious Parascheva summer church was later turned into a club.
Hancu Monastery was re-established as a place for monks in 1990. There is no information about the activity of the monks during those two years they have spent in the monastery. In 1992 the community of monks was abolished.
In the spring of 1992 the monastery for nuns is being established at Hancu. On the 10th of September, 1992, the reconstruction of the monastery was started. In 1993 the reparation of Holy Virgin Dormition winter church had been finished.
The church was framed within the body of the priory, which was built in 1841. It was painted provisionally and hallowed in the same year. In 1998 the interior of the church was repainted.
Saint Pious Parascheva summer church was erected in 1835 and repaired not earlier than 1996.
Three old buildings raised up in 1841 remain untouched on the monastery’s territory. Nuns and sisters started living there after a major overhaul. The number of the ones living there estimates 58 in 1995.
Orheiul Vechi and the villages Trebujeni an Butuceni.
Ten kilometers to the southeast of Orhei city lies Orheiul Vechi (Old Orhei; marked on maps as the village of Trebujeni).
This is arguably Moldova’s most fantastic sight. The chimerical Orheiul Vechi Monastery Complex is carved into a massive limestone cliff in this wild, rocky, remote spot. Getting here ain’t easy (forget about public transportation), but it’s well worth the effort. The Cave Monastery (Manastire in Pestera), inside a cliff overlooking the modest Raut River, was dug by Orthodox monks in the 13th century. It remained inhabited until the 18th century, and in 1996 a handful of monks returned and began restoring it.
Shorts are forbidden and women must cover their heads inside the monastery. A small, moody chapel is part of the complex, which acts as a church for three neighboring villages, as it did in the 13th century. Adjacent is the area where up to 13 monks lived for decades at a time, sleeping on pure bedrock in tiny stone nooks (chilii), opening into a central corridor. There’s also a stone terrace, from where views of the entire cliff and surrounding plains are nothing less than breathtaking.
The cliff face is dotted with additional caves and places of worship, dug over the millennia by Geto-Dacian tribes from before Christ’s time. In all, the huge cliff contains six complexes of interlocking caves, most of which are accessible only by experienced rock climbers and therefore off-limits to most tourists.
After WWII archaeologists started uncovering several layers of history in this region, including a fortress built in the 14th century by Stefan cel Mare, later destroyed by Tartars, and the remnants of a defense wall surrounding the monastery complex from the 15th century. Some of their finds are on exhibit in Chisinau’s National History Museum.
In the 18th century the cave-church was taken over by villagers from neighboring Butuceni. In 1905 they built an additional church above ground dedicated to the Ascension of St Mary. This church was shut down by the Soviets in 1944 and remained abandoned throughout the Communist regime. Services resumed in 1996. On the main road to the complex you’ll find the headquarters where you can purchase your entrance tickets and visit the tiny village museum where several archaeological finds from the 15th and 16th centuries are presented. Guides can be arranged here, but only in Russian and Romanian. Ancillary attractions include remnants of a 15th century defence wall surrounding the monastery complex, an ethnographic museum in the nearby village of Butuceni and newly open caves across the valley.
Moldova - Cricova winery.
Cricova is a national treasure and the most well known wineries in Moldova. It is the second largest underground wine cellar in the country, after Milestii Mici.
Cricova boasts nearly 120 km of underground tunnels that are large enough for vehicles to drive through. At the deepest point, the tunnels are 100 m below the ground. The tunnels were created when limestone blocks were excavated to help build Chisinau. It was converted into an underground wine cellar in the 1950s.
The natural limestone helps to maintain a constant temperature of 12-14 C (54-57 F) and humidity of 97-98%, creating optimal conditions for storing wine. Half of the tunnels in the cellar are used for this purpose. The tunnels are named after the wines kept there.
Cricova has a huge collection of more than 1 million vintage wines, including French, Italian, and Spanish wines, and samples from many other countries.
Cricova also has a more limited collection of rare and unique wines, some of which are owned by famous people such as Russian President Vladimir Putin. The oldest wine is from 1902, Jewish Easter Wine, and the oldest bottle of liqueur, Yan Bekher Liqueur, is from the same year. Nazi General Goring’s private collection of wine is also there; brought to Moldova by the general during WW II to be close to him at the Eastern front.
At the heart of the cellar are lavishly decorated themed banquet halls and tasting rooms, all recently renovated. Here guests can enjoy fine white, rosé, and red wines, old collection wines, and sparkling wines, the pride of the winery. Cricova is the largest sparkling wine producer in Moldova, making it according to the traditional champenoise method. Cricova offers daily tours and tastings for visitors. Tour packages range from basic tastings with simple snacks to large tastings with a full meal and souvenir. It is difficult to visit unannounced, so guests should book their visit in advance. However, the winery recently opened a new restaurant, Orasul Subterean, that accepts walk-in guests.
Moldova - Cricova winery.
Cricova is a national treasure and the most well known wineries in Moldova. It is the second largest underground wine cellar in the country, after Milestii Mici.
Cricova boasts nearly 120 km of underground tunnels that are large enough for vehicles to drive through. At the deepest point, the tunnels are 100 m below the ground. The tunnels were created when limestone blocks were excavated to help build Chisinau. It was converted into an underground wine cellar in the 1950s.
The natural limestone helps to maintain a constant temperature of 12-14 C (54-57 F) and humidity of 97-98%, creating optimal conditions for storing wine. Half of the tunnels in the cellar are used for this purpose. The tunnels are named after the wines kept there.
Cricova has a huge collection of more than 1 million vintage wines, including French, Italian, and Spanish wines, and samples from many other countries.
Cricova also has a more limited collection of rare and unique wines, some of which are owned by famous people such as Russian President Vladimir Putin. The oldest wine is from 1902, Jewish Easter Wine, and the oldest bottle of liqueur, Yan Bekher Liqueur, is from the same year. Nazi General Goring’s private collection of wine is also there; brought to Moldova by the general during WW II to be close to him at the Eastern front.
At the heart of the cellar are lavishly decorated themed banquet halls and tasting rooms, all recently renovated. Here guests can enjoy fine white, rosé, and red wines, old collection wines, and sparkling wines, the pride of the winery. Cricova is the largest sparkling wine producer in Moldova, making it according to the traditional champenoise method. Cricova offers daily tours and tastings for visitors. Tour packages range from basic tastings with simple snacks to large tastings with a full meal and souvenir. It is difficult to visit unannounced, so guests should book their visit in advance. However, the winery recently opened a new restaurant, Orasul Subterean, that accepts walk-in guests.
Orheiul Vechi and the villages Trebujeni an Butuceni.
Ten kilometers to the southeast of Orhei city lies Orheiul Vechi (Old Orhei; marked on maps as the village of Trebujeni).
This is arguably Moldova’s most fantastic sight. The chimerical Orheiul Vechi Monastery Complex is carved into a massive limestone cliff in this wild, rocky, remote spot. Getting here ain’t easy (forget about public transportation), but it’s well worth the effort. The Cave Monastery (Manastire in Pestera), inside a cliff overlooking the modest Raut River, was dug by Orthodox monks in the 13th century. It remained inhabited until the 18th century, and in 1996 a handful of monks returned and began restoring it.
Shorts are forbidden and women must cover their heads inside the monastery. A small, moody chapel is part of the complex, which acts as a church for three neighboring villages, as it did in the 13th century. Adjacent is the area where up to 13 monks lived for decades at a time, sleeping on pure bedrock in tiny stone nooks (chilii), opening into a central corridor. There’s also a stone terrace, from where views of the entire cliff and surrounding plains are nothing less than breathtaking.
The cliff face is dotted with additional caves and places of worship, dug over the millennia by Geto-Dacian tribes from before Christ’s time. In all, the huge cliff contains six complexes of interlocking caves, most of which are accessible only by experienced rock climbers and therefore off-limits to most tourists.
After WWII archaeologists started uncovering several layers of history in this region, including a fortress built in the 14th century by Stefan cel Mare, later destroyed by Tartars, and the remnants of a defense wall surrounding the monastery complex from the 15th century. Some of their finds are on exhibit in Chisinau’s National History Museum.
In the 18th century the cave-church was taken over by villagers from neighboring Butuceni. In 1905 they built an additional church above ground dedicated to the Ascension of St Mary. This church was shut down by the Soviets in 1944 and remained abandoned throughout the Communist regime. Services resumed in 1996. On the main road to the complex you’ll find the headquarters where you can purchase your entrance tickets and visit the tiny village museum where several archaeological finds from the 15th and 16th centuries are presented. Guides can be arranged here, but only in Russian and Romanian. Ancillary attractions include remnants of a 15th century defence wall surrounding the monastery complex, an ethnographic museum in the nearby village of Butuceni and newly open caves across the valley.
is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, located between Romania to the west and Ukraine to the north, east and south.
In antiquity, the territory of the present day country was part of Dacia, then fell under the influence of the Roman Empire. In the Middle Ages, most of the present territory of Moldova was part of the Principality of Moldavia. In 1812, the eastern part of this principality was annexed by the Russian Empire and became known as Bessarabia. Between 1856 and 1878, two southern counties were returned to Moldavia, which in 1859 united with Wallachia to form modern Romania.
Upon the dissolution of the Russian Empire in 1917, an autonomous, then independent Moldavian Democratic Republic was formed, which joined Greater Romania in 1918. In 1940, Bessarabia was occupied by the Soviet Union, and was split between the Ukrainian SSR and the newly created Moldavian SSR. After changing hands in 1941 and 1944 during World War II, the territory of the modern country was subsumed by the Soviet Union until its independence on August 27, 1991. Moldova was admitted to the United Nations in March 1992.
In September 1990, a breakaway government was formed in Transnistria, the strip of Moldova on the east bank of the river Dniester. After a brief war in 1992, it became de facto independent, although no UN member has recognized its independence.
The country is a parliamentary democracy with a president as head of state and a prime minister as head of government. Moldova is a member state of the United Nations, Council of Europe, WTO, OSCE, GUAM, CIS, BSEC and other international organizations. Moldova currently aspires to join the European Union, and has implemented the first three-year Action Plan within the framework of the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP). About a quarter of the population lives off of less than US $2 a day.
History
Please go to
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Moldova
Geography
Please go to
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Moldova
Other info
Oficial name:
Republica Moldova / Република Молдова
+ gag: Moldova Respublikası / Молдова Республикасы
rus: Республика Молдова (Respublika Moldova)
ukr: Республіка Молдова (Respublika Moldova)
Independence:
Date August 27, 1991
- Finalised December 25, 1991
Area:
33.843 km2
Inhabitants:
5.000.000
Languages:
Română
Bulgarian [bul] 394,688 in Moldova. Classification: Indo-European, Slavic, South, Eastern
More information.
Gagauz [gag] 138,000 in Moldova (2000). Population total all countries: 150,000. Cultural center is Kishinev. Also spoken in Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Romania, Ukraine. Alternate names: Gagauzi. Dialects: Bulgar Gagauzi, Maritime Gagauzi. Close to Turkish, but uses Russian Orthodox Christian religious vocabulary in contrast to the Islamic vocabulary of Turkish. Classification: Altaic, Turkic, Southern, Turkish
More information.
Moldova Sign Language [vsi] Classification: Deaf sign language
More information.
Romani, Balkan [rmn] 12,000 in Moldova (1993 Johnstone). Moldova; Crimean Peninsula, Ukraine. Alternate names: Gypsy. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Central zone, Romani, Balkan
More information.
Romanian [ron] 2,664,000 in Moldova (1979 census). Moldova, and throughout the country. Alternate names: Moldavan, Roumanian, Rumanian. Dialects: Moldavan (Moldovian, Moldovean), Muntenian (Walachian, Muntean), Banat, Bayash, Chrishana, Maramuresh, Oltenia-Lesser Wallachia (Oltean). Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Eastern
Capital city:
Chisinau
Meaning country name:
From the Moldova River in Romania, possibly from Gothic Mulda (dust, mud) via the [[Principality of Moldavia (Moldova in Romanian).
Description Flag:
The national flag of Moldova is a vertical tricolor of blue, yellow, and red, charged with the coat of arms of Moldova (an eagle holding a shield charged with an aurochs) on the center bar on the obverse side only. The flag ratio is 1:2 .Along with the flag of Paraguay and the flag of Saudi Arabia, the flag of Moldova is one of the few national flags with differing obverse and reverse sides.Although the reverse of the flag is officially stated as not containing any coat of arms, Moldovan flags with a backwards version of the coat of arms printed on the reverse are also used
Coat of arms:
The coat of arms of Moldova consists of a stylized eagle holding a cross in its beak and a sceptre and a branch in its claws. It is based on the coat of arms of Romania.
The chest of the eagle is protected by a shield that bears the traditional insigns of Moldavia: an aurochs head with the sun among its horns. It also contains two rhombi, a five-petal flower and a moon in a crescent phase. Everything on the shield has one of the three traditional colours: red, yellow, blue.
Motto:
" Limba noastră-i o comoară "
National Anthem: Limba noastră
Limba noastră-i o comoară
În adâncuri înfundată
Un şirag de piatră rară
Pe moşie revărsată.
Limba noastră-i foc ce arde
Într-un neam, ce fără veste
S-a trezit din somn de moarte
Ca viteazul din poveste.
Limba noastră-i numai cântec,
Doina dorurilor noastre,
Roi de fulgere, ce spintec
Nouri negri, zări albastre.
Limba noastră-i graiul pâinii,
Când de vânt se mişcă vara;
In rostirea ei bătrânii
Cu sudori sfinţit-au ţara.
Limba noastră-i frunză verde,
Zbuciumul din codrii veşnici,
Nistrul lin, ce-n valuri pierde
Ai luceferilor sfeşnici.
Nu veţi plânge-atunci amarnic,
Că vi-i limba prea săracă,
Şi-ţi vedea, cât îi de darnic
Graiul ţării noastre dragă.
Limba noastră-i vechi izvoade.
Povestiri din alte vremuri;
Şi citindu-le 'nşirate, -
Te-nfiori adânc şi tremuri.
Limba noastră îi aleasă
Să ridice slava-n ceruri,
Să ne spiue-n hram şi-acasă
Veşnicele adevăruri.
Limba noastra-i limbă sfântă,
Limba vechilor cazanii,
Care o plâng şi care o cântă
Pe la vatra lor ţăranii.
Înviaţi-vă dar graiul,
Ruginit de multă vreme,
Stergeţi slinul, mucegaiul
Al uitării 'n care geme.
Strângeţi piatra lucitoare
Ce din soare se aprinde -
Şi-ţi avea în revărsare
Un potop nou de cuvinte.
Răsări-va o comoară
În adâncuri înfundată,
Un şirag de piatră rară
Pe moşie revărsată.
English translation
A treasure is our language that surges
From deep shadows of the past,
Chain of precious stones that scattered
All over our ancient land.
A burning flame is our language
Amidst a people waking
From a deathly sleep, no warning,
Like the brave man of the stories.
Our language is made of songs
From our soul's deepest desires,
Flash of lighting striking swiftly
Through dark clouds and blue horizons.
Our language is the language of bread
When the winds blow through the summer,
Uttered by our forefathers who
Blessed the country through their labour.
Our language is the greenest leaf
Of the everlasting forests,
Gentle river Nistru's ripples
Hiding starlight bright and shining.
Utter no more bitter cries now
That your language is too poor,
And you will see with what abundance
Flow the words of our precious country.
Our language is full of legends,
Stories from the days of old.
Reading one and then another
Makes one shudder, tremble and moan.
Our language is singled out
To lift praises up to heaven,
Uttering with constant fervour
Truths that never cease to beckon.
Our language is more than holy,
Words of homilies of old
Wept and sung perpetually
In the homesteads of our folks.
Resurrect now this our language,
Rusted through the years that have passed,
Wipe off filth and mould that gathered
When forgotten through our land.
Gather now the sparkling stone,
Catching bright light from the sun.
You will see the endless flooding
Of new words that overflow.
A treasure will spring up swiftly
From deep shadows of the past,
Chain of precious stones that scattered
All over our ancient land.
Internet Page: www.moldova.md
Moldova in diferent languages
eng | cor | fao | fin | glv | jnf | kal | kin | lin | lld | nor | ron | run | swa | vor | wln: Moldova
bre | ina | ita | jav | roh | rup | scn | spa: Moldova; Moldavia
ast | eus | glg | sqi: Moldavia
cat | oci | srd: Moldova; Moldàvia
crh | kaa | uzb: Moldova / Молдова; Moldaviya / Молдавия
ces | slk: Moldavsko
dsb | hsb: Moldawska
frp | fur: Moldavie
gag | mol: Moldova / Молдова
ind | msa: Moldova / مولدوۏا
lim | nld: Moldavië
ltz | nds: Moldawien / Moldawien
sme | tet: Moldávia
afr: Moldova; Moldawië
arg: Moldoba; Moldabia
aze: Moldova / Молдова; Moldaviya / Молдавија
bam: Mɔlidɔwa; Mɔlidawi
bos: Moldavija / Молдавија
csb: Mołdawiô; Mòłdawskô
cym: Moldofa; Moldafia
dan: Moldova; Moldavien
deu: Moldawien / Moldawien; Moldau / Moldau
epo: Moldavujo; Moldavio
est: Moldova; Moldaavia
fra: Moldova; Moldavie
fry: Moldaavje
gla: A’ Mholdobha; Moldòbha; Moldàibhia
gle: An Mholdóiv / An Ṁoldóiv
hat: Moldavi
hrv: Moldavija
hun: Moldva; Moldova
ibo: Mọldevia
isl: Moldóva; Moldovía
kmr: Moldavî / Молдави / مۆلداڤی; Maldavî / Малдави / مالداڤی
kur: Moldavya / مۆلداڤیا
lat: Moldovia; Moldavia
lav: Moldova; Moldāvija
lit: Moldova; Moldavija
mlg: Môldavia
mlt: Moldova; Moldavja
mri: Morotowa
nrm: Basse-Môldavie; Moldova
pol: Mołdawia
por: Moldávia; Moldova
que: Mulduwa
rmy: Moldova / मोल्दोवा
slo: Moldovia / Молдовиа
slv: Moldavija
smg: Moldavėjė
smo: Moletova
swe: Moldavien
szl: Moudawjo
tgl: Moldabya
ton: Molotova
tuk: Moldowa / Молдова; Moldawiýa / Молдавия
tur: Moldova; Moldavya
vie: Môn-đô-va
vol: Moldovän
wol: Moldaawi
zza: Moldawya
alt | bul | kir | kjh | kom | krc | kum | rus | tyv | udm | ukr: Молдова (Moldova); Молдавия (Moldavija)
mon | xal: Молдав (Moldav)
abq: Молдова (Mołdova); Молдавия (Mołdavija)
bak: Молдова / Moldova; Молдавия / Moldaviya
bel: Малдова / Małdova; Малдавія / Małdavija
che: Молдова (Moldova); Молдави (Moldavi)
chm: Молдова (Moldova); Молдавий (Moldavij)
chv: Молдовӑ (Moldovă); Молдави (Moldavi)
kaz: Молдова / Moldova / مولدوۆا; Молдавия / Moldavïya / مولداۆيا
kbd: Молдовэ (Moldovă); Молдавие (Moldavie)
mkd: Молдавија (Moldavija)
oss: Молдовӕ (Moldovä); Молдави (Moldavi)
srp: Молдавија / Moldavija
tat: Молдова / Moldova; Молдавия / Moldaviä
tgk: Молдова / مالداوه / Moldova; Молдавия / مالدویه / Moldavija
ukr: Молдова (Moldova); Молдавія (Moldavija)
ara: مولدوفا (Mūldūfā); ملدوفا (Muldūfā); مولدافيا (Mūldāfiyā); ملدافيا (Muldāfiyā)
fas: مولدووا / Moldovâ; مولداوی / ملداوی / Moldâvi
prs: مولداویا (Mōldāviyā)
pus: مولداويا (Moldāwiyā); مولداويه / ملداويه (Moldāwiyâ); مولداوي (Moldāwī)
uig: مولدوۋا / Moldowa / Молдова; مولداۋىيە / Moldawiye / Молдавия
urd: مالڈووا (Mālḋovā); مولڈووا (Môlḋovā); مولڈاویا (Môlḋāviyā)
div: މޯލްޑޯވާ (Mōlḋōvā)
syr: ܡܘܠܕܘܒܐ (Mōldōbā); ܡܘܠܕܦܝܐ (Mōldapiyā)
heb: מולדויה (Môldavyah); מולדאוויה (Môldâvyah); מולדביה (Môldaṿyah); מולדובה (Môldôṿah); מולדובא (Môldôṿâ)
lad: מולדוב'ה / Moldova
yid: מאָלדאָװע (Moldove); מאָלדאַװיע (Moldavye)
amh: ሞልዶቫ (Moldova); ሞልዳቪያ (Moldaviya)
ell: Μολδαβία (Moldavía); Μολντόβα (Molntóva)
hye: Մոլդովա (Moldova); Մոլդավիա (Moldavia)
kat: მოლდოვა (Moldova); მოლდავეთი (Moldaveṭi)
hin: मोल्दोवा (Moldovā); माल्डोवा (Mālḍovā); मोल्डाविया (Molḍāviyā); मोल्दाविया (Moldāviyā)
ben: মোলদোভা (Moldobʰā); মোল্দাভিয়া (Moldābʰiyā)
pan: ਮੋਲਡੋਵਾ (Molḍovā)
kan: ಮಾಲ್ಡೋವಾ (Mālḍōvā)
mal: മൊള്ഡോവ (Moḷḍōva)
tam: மோல்டோவா (Mōlṭōvā); மால்டோவா (Mālṭōvā)
tel: మాల్డోవా (Mālḍōvā)
zho: 摩爾多瓦/摩尔多瓦 (Mó'ěrduōwǎ)
jpn: モルドヴァ (Morudova); モルドバ (Morudoba)
kor: 몰도바 (Moldoba)
mya: မုိဒုိဗာ (Modoba)
tha: มอลโดวา (Mɔ̄ndōwā)
lao: ມົນດາເວຍ (Môndāviya)
khm: ម៉ុលដូវ៉ា (Muldūvā); មូលដូវា (Mūldūvā)
chr ᎼᎸᏙᏩ / Molvdowa
Moldova - Cricova winery.
Cricova is a national treasure and the most well known wineries in Moldova. It is the second largest underground wine cellar in the country, after Milestii Mici.
Cricova boasts nearly 120 km of underground tunnels that are large enough for vehicles to drive through. At the deepest point, the tunnels are 100 m below the ground. The tunnels were created when limestone blocks were excavated to help build Chisinau. It was converted into an underground wine cellar in the 1950s.
The natural limestone helps to maintain a constant temperature of 12-14 C (54-57 F) and humidity of 97-98%, creating optimal conditions for storing wine. Half of the tunnels in the cellar are used for this purpose. The tunnels are named after the wines kept there.
Cricova has a huge collection of more than 1 million vintage wines, including French, Italian, and Spanish wines, and samples from many other countries.
Cricova also has a more limited collection of rare and unique wines, some of which are owned by famous people such as Russian President Vladimir Putin. The oldest wine is from 1902, Jewish Easter Wine, and the oldest bottle of liqueur, Yan Bekher Liqueur, is from the same year. Nazi General Goring’s private collection of wine is also there; brought to Moldova by the general during WW II to be close to him at the Eastern front.
At the heart of the cellar are lavishly decorated themed banquet halls and tasting rooms, all recently renovated. Here guests can enjoy fine white, rosé, and red wines, old collection wines, and sparkling wines, the pride of the winery. Cricova is the largest sparkling wine producer in Moldova, making it according to the traditional champenoise method. Cricova offers daily tours and tastings for visitors. Tour packages range from basic tastings with simple snacks to large tastings with a full meal and souvenir. It is difficult to visit unannounced, so guests should book their visit in advance. However, the winery recently opened a new restaurant, Orasul Subterean, that accepts walk-in guests.
Orheiul Vechi and the villages Trebujeni an Butuceni.
Ten kilometers to the southeast of Orhei city lies Orheiul Vechi (Old Orhei; marked on maps as the village of Trebujeni).
This is arguably Moldova’s most fantastic sight. The chimerical Orheiul Vechi Monastery Complex is carved into a massive limestone cliff in this wild, rocky, remote spot. Getting here ain’t easy (forget about public transportation), but it’s well worth the effort. The Cave Monastery (Manastire in Pestera), inside a cliff overlooking the modest Raut River, was dug by Orthodox monks in the 13th century. It remained inhabited until the 18th century, and in 1996 a handful of monks returned and began restoring it.
Shorts are forbidden and women must cover their heads inside the monastery. A small, moody chapel is part of the complex, which acts as a church for three neighboring villages, as it did in the 13th century. Adjacent is the area where up to 13 monks lived for decades at a time, sleeping on pure bedrock in tiny stone nooks (chilii), opening into a central corridor. There’s also a stone terrace, from where views of the entire cliff and surrounding plains are nothing less than breathtaking.
The cliff face is dotted with additional caves and places of worship, dug over the millennia by Geto-Dacian tribes from before Christ’s time. In all, the huge cliff contains six complexes of interlocking caves, most of which are accessible only by experienced rock climbers and therefore off-limits to most tourists.
After WWII archaeologists started uncovering several layers of history in this region, including a fortress built in the 14th century by Stefan cel Mare, later destroyed by Tartars, and the remnants of a defense wall surrounding the monastery complex from the 15th century. Some of their finds are on exhibit in Chisinau’s National History Museum.
In the 18th century the cave-church was taken over by villagers from neighboring Butuceni. In 1905 they built an additional church above ground dedicated to the Ascension of St Mary. This church was shut down by the Soviets in 1944 and remained abandoned throughout the Communist regime. Services resumed in 1996. On the main road to the complex you’ll find the headquarters where you can purchase your entrance tickets and visit the tiny village museum where several archaeological finds from the 15th and 16th centuries are presented. Guides can be arranged here, but only in Russian and Romanian. Ancillary attractions include remnants of a 15th century defence wall surrounding the monastery complex, an ethnographic museum in the nearby village of Butuceni and newly open caves across the valley.
Family of Vasile Craitamindra 44 y.o. and his wife Viorica Tovaru Craitamindra and their three sons Vasile, Bogdan and Calin. Vasile is a stay at home father looking after their three sons and the houshold since his wife is working overtime as a journalist and activist. Vasile is cooking mamaliga (Moldovan traditional dish) with lamb in tomato sauce. Chisinau, Moldova. November 2016.
Photo: UN Women Europe and Central Asia/Rena Effendi