Things to see and do Glodeni District

This nature reserve created in 1993 covers 5,736 ha. A particularly rich flora has remained preserved thanks to the maintenance of the flood zones which encourage its development (strong presence of the Prut river and construction of a dam at Costești in 1975). 730 species of local flora, which were already present in the 13th century, are represented. 31 species of rare plants grow on the site. The majority of the trees are pedunculate oaks, willows, black poplars... For the fruit trees, there are walnuts, currants, wild vines, tulips, snowdrops... It is near the village Moara Dumnească that the most important grouping of secular oaks is found, most of them are 200 to 250 years old, but the oldest is 450 years old and reaches more than 30 m high. The fauna includes 47 species of mammals, 15 species of reptiles and amphibians, and 159 species of birds. In the forest, the fauna is characterized by deer, wild boar, wild cats, foxes, otters, martens, turtles, egrets, swans... Bison were also introduced into the reserve in 2006. From this reserve you can see the long ribbon of the river Prut and on the opposite bank you can see Romania.

In Cobani, a tourist pension was created in 2014 and allows you to immerse yourself in the beauty of this reserve while respecting the environment. The places will please nature lovers.

Part of the nature reserve at Pădurea Domnească is home to a poultry reserve with colonies of migratory birds, grey herons, black-crowned night herons and little egrets. The reserve extends over almost 1 ha and is made up of oak trees that shelter the birds' nests. The herons build their nests on the highest branches of the oaks, 20 m high. A very large number of birds concentrate on the site, from 500 to 1,000 birds are counted. The floodplain on the eastern bank of the Prut River provides a suitable environment for these birds to find shelter and food. The grey heron usually lives near various water sources: swamps, rivers and streams, lakes, sometimes even in urban areas. The water may be stagnant or salty, but the water must be shallow. It is noticeable by its greyish-white plumage and black feathered neck. Night herons feed at night (small fish, crustaceans, frogs, aquatic insects and small mammals). They have white bellies and grey or reddish wings. They build their nests on tree branches or on the ground in protected areas (islands or reeds). They lay three to eight eggs. The little egret is recognizable by its white plumage. It is a rather silent bird that emits a loud cry to warn its fellow birds in case of danger.

It is possible to hire the services of a guide from the inhabitants or from the Moldsilva administration of the Glodeni district.

Formed by the Prut River, the lake of Costești and its surroundings form a nature reserve stretching between Moldova and Romania. The lake is the second largest in Moldova, after the lake of Dubăsari, with an area of 59 km2. It flows up the Prut River to the village of Viișoara over a length of 70 km and can accumulate 1.285 billion cubic metres. Its maximum depth is 43 m. The dam built in the second half of the 1970s is 710 m wide. Its hydroelectric power plant has a capacity of 32,000 kWt. The Stânca Nature Reserve-Costești covers an area of 2,950 ha and 2,161 ha have the status of a special area for the protection of avifauna, which is home to 85 species of birds. The area includes wetlands, cereal growing areas and grasslands. They offer favourable nesting and feeding conditions for several migratory and sedentary bird species, some of which are protected at European level or are on the IUCN Red List. Among these bird species are herons, black-crowned night-herons, bald eagles, gulls, geese, ducks, egrets, storks... The reserve is also home to squirrels, wild boars, foxes and many other animals.

During the good times of the year, visitors can rest on the beaches of the lake, go boating, fishing... The places are perfect for beautiful walks.

The natural reserve of the Hundred Hills (Suta de movile) is located between the lake of Costești and Cobani. It is bordered to the west by Braniște, Răteni, Avrămeni and the Prut River which marks the border with Romania. The reserve covers 1,072 ha and is administered by the local authorities and an agricultural company. The environment is characterised by a covered steppe of 3 500 mounds of various sizes, ranging in height from 1.50 to 30 m (like the Gypsy hill), extending over a length of 8 km and a width of 2.3 to 1.7 km. The landscape is remarkable and undulating. It is part of the great chain of coral reefs extending to the north-west of the country. Scientists and geologists believe that these are ancient submarine reefs dating back 20 million years. For some, landslides also played a role. For a long time, many legends were linked to these hills. For some, they were burial mounds erected after battles. Dimitrie Cantemir mentioned this place in his book Discriptio Moldaviae from 1716. General Bauer indicated the place on his map of 1772.

The landscape is beautiful with its undulating steppe, small plains, plateaus, hills and terraces that invite to walk. The place is green with many oak and cherry trees. Herds of cows can be seen. At the top of some hills, you will have a beautiful panorama of the surroundings.

The "Prut reefs" or toltrels are concentrated in a small area covering the rivers Larga, Vilia, Lopatnic, Draghiste, Racovat, Ciuhur and Camenca, flowing into the Middle Prut area. Even though some of these reefs are very fragmented, the chain is joined together over a distance of about 200 km. Thus, the Prut toltrels are not located directly on the bank of the Prut but in the basin of the related rivers, a few kilometres from the left bank. These limestone reefs are formed from the remains of corals, shells, algae, animals and other sea creatures that are 10 to 20 million years old. These reefs have the same history as the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, except that the Great Barrier Reef is almost entirely underwater with cliffs emerging from the ocean 2 to 5 m high, while these land-based reefs can be over 100 m high.

Reefs of Buteşti: Creeks at Camenca have carved out the narrow chain of picturesque looking reefs called reefs of Buteşti, surrounded on three sides by the river and its tributaries. The reefs are 2 km long, 125 m wide and 40 m high. They are pierced by caves and caverns, serving as a refuge for large animals during the Ice Age and for man in the Paleolithic period. They owe their composition to the corals and skeletons of marine animals (molluscs, crabs, sea urchins, and more rarely seals and dolphins in limestone rock).

The Glodeni town hall is located in the centre of the town, 200 m south of the central park and the hospital. The building is distinguished by its typical Soviet architecture. Information about the locality and possible public events can be found on site or on the website. There are few attractions in the town. Places of interest are two Orthodox churches in the south-west and south-east and a monument to the unknown hero in the south-east of the town. There are a few hotels and three coffee shops (Mojito, La Gratar and Butoiaș).

This 32 ha bison reserve is part of the nature reserve of Pădurea Domnească (which covers 6,032 ha and was opened in 1993). You enter through a magnificent carved wooden gate. Originally, in 2005, the Polish government donated three bison to Moldova, one male and two females. By the 1920s, this species had almost disappeared. By 1947, only thirty-nine were left in the world and seventeen in Europe. Today there are 3,500, but that is still too few. There are seven in this reserve, two females and five males. These are fragile animals that require great care and special conditions. The director of the reserve must report regularly on the condition of his buffalo. The bison are not really wild because they are already accustomed to humans. They can grow up to 3.5 m long. Other animals living in the reserve include horses, badgers, deer, roe deer, wild boar, martens, mink, otters and feral cats. There is also a large colony of herons. A beautiful covered wooden bridge overlooks one of the plots and provides a good view of the bison. The bison reserve and the nature reserve at Pădurea Domnească will delight children and nature lovers. The places are magnificent and perfect to recharge your batteries in the peace and quiet of nature.

The bison's "cousin", the aurochs, appears on the national coat of arms of Moldova (in the coat of arms in the centre of the eagle).