Tourist Attractions & Monuments Romania

This small family-run complex has been producing Marginea's famous black pottery for six generations. Not only can you buy home-made pottery, but you can also visit the workshop, with its lathes and kilns, and watch the potters at work (except on Sundays). At the front, an old wooden house houses a small restaurant, La Table du potier(Masa olarului). It serves excellent local specialties, prepared in clay pots, of course!

In Moigrad, 8 km northeast of Zalău, the Roman fortress of Porolissum was built on the site of a Dacian fortress and became the capital of the province of Dacia Porolissensis. Thanks to extensive reconstruction and restoration work, the ruins include moats, surrounding walls, baths, temples and an amphitheatre. From 106 AD, the fortress marked the northern frontier of Roman Dacia. It is thought to have had a population of 20,000, and many soldiers were housed in the city's two large stone forts.

It's housed in a handsome ^17th-century stone and brick building. Known as Hanul Domnesc ("The Prince's Inn"), it was originally the home of Miron Barnovschi, Prince of Moldavia at the time, who donated it to the town as a caravanserai. It has preserved many fine examples of medieval Moldavian architecture. The collections familiarize visitors with the folklore and popular art of the region. Costumes, furniture, carpets and various handicrafts are on display. The first floor is a reconstruction of an ^{18th-19th-century} inn.

It recreates the organization and activity of a traditional Bucovina village: firstly, there are the beautiful peasant houses of the region, mostly made of wood, whose interiors have been beautifully reconstructed. You'll see a wide variety of fireplaces, furniture, carpets, costumes... The museum also shows how rites of passage are lived (death, birth, marriage). You'll also see a church, a school, craftsmen's workshops and mills.

Founded in the 1920s by a couple of teachers, Samuil and Eugenia Ioneț, it is the oldest museum of its kind in the region. It exhibits a wide collection of traditional clothes, folk costumes, woollen blankets, carpets, icons and other typical handicrafts of the region. There will be beautiful black ceramics, decorated with colourful flowers or birds, a speciality of the village of Marginea, and a beautiful collection of painted eggs, as well as valuable old books and manuscripts.

The center's Soviet-style esplanade is dominated by the imposing Maison de la Culture and bordered by lively rue Nicolae Bălcescu. Head west along this street to rue Dimitrie Onciul, home to the synagogue (1870). To the south of the esplanade is the central park. To the north, rue Ștefan cel Mare will lead you to the pretty Sfântul Dumitru church, built by Petru Rareș. It dates from 1535, its bell tower from 1561. The original paintings are still visible, but rather poorly preserved. Right next door, there's a lively market.

Built at the beginning of the 20th century, this large building housed the Austrian prefecture at the time. The permanent exhibition, completely redesigned in 2016, has 27 rooms, which chronologically retrace local history, from the Paleolithic to the 1989 revolution, including of course the period when Suceava was the capital of Moldova, before the transfer to Iași marked its decline. Half of the rooms are dedicated to archaeological discoveries.

To the northeast of the town center, between the citadel and the ruins of the princely residence(Curtea domnească), stands the Mirăuți church, dedicated to St. George. Built between 1375 and 1391 by order of voivode Petru II Mușat, it is the oldest church in the town. In the early ^15th century, it became the first cathedral of the Moldavian bishopric. It was used for the coronation of the princes of Moldavia. Falling into ruin over the centuries, it was used as a warehouse for a time, before being restored at the end of the ^19th century and again in the 1990s.

The main museums are located on the outskirts of Piața Libertății. The Museum of Ethnography, housed in a beautiful neo-Romanesque mansion dating from 1924, evokes village life in every season. The art museum mainly exhibits works by local artists. It is housed in a former school built in 1930. Further south, the History Museum (bulevardul Eminescu, 10) displays relics from prehistory and the Middle Ages, particularly from the era of the Princely Court. A small museum dedicated to the latter has been set up in its ruins, Piața Libertății.

In a beautiful neo-Brazilian style building, this unique museum, opened in 2005, presents an exceptional archaeological heritage, consisting of painted ceramics, statuettes and other objects from the Cucuteni culture. This refined Neolithic civilization, which extended over the present territories of Romania, Moldova and Ukraine, flourished around 5000 BC. Cucuteni is the name of the Romanian village where the first remains were discovered.

This all-white monastery was built in 1602 by the boyar Nestor Ureche and rebuilt in 1825 after a fire. The Church of St. John the Baptist is distinguished by the addition of Wallachian elements, a style accentuated by ^19th-century renovations. At that time, a veranda was also added and the enclosure reinforced. The site has been beautifully renovated, and you'll want to visit all the little monastic cells lining the flower-filled wooden balconies. Good news: you can even sleep in them! The museum exhibits embroidery, religious objects, carpets and old books.

25 km south of Târgu Neamț, in the direction of Piatra Neamț, this pretty monastery of monks is located in a secluded and superb spot, in the heart of the forest. The complex was founded in the 18th^century but extensively restored in 1867. Its imposing church features a blend of Byzantine, Moldavian and Transylvanian styles. Take a path through the forest and after 1.5 km you'll come to the Horaicioara hermitage and Lake Cuejdel, one of the country's largest natural dam lakes, formed a few decades ago by successive landslides.

This richly decorated monastery, which combines traditional Moldavian architecture and Renaissance style, was built by Vasile Lupu between 1650 and 1653. Its church contains remarkable Byzantine-inspired frescoes. The fortifications date from 1668. Destroyed by fire and earthquake in 1735 and 1738, the monastery was rebuilt in 1754. Gradually falling into ruin, it was not restored until 1947. Its imposing 30-metre-high tower offers a fine panoramic view. At the entrance, a small museum is dedicated to the writer Ion Creangă, who was a deacon here.

In the pretty district of Ţicău, this museum occupies the former home of the famous storyteller (1837-1889). It was in this modest bjodeucă (hovel) that he lived his last years, from 1872 onwards. It was here that he wrote his famous Souvenirs d'enfance(Amintiri din copilărie), an autobiographical account. In fact, he modelled the house on the one he grew up in. In the house, converted into a museum in 1918, you'll see documents relating to his life and work, as well as his friendship with Mihai Eminescu, with whom he briefly shared the premises.

Completed in 1671, it is the country's oldest synagogue still in use. Now surrounded by apartment buildings, it was once located in the heart of the old Jewish quarter of Târgu Cucului, where several other synagogues were located. In the 1930s, there were over a hundred synagogues in the whole city, and Jews made up a third of the population. Today, there are just a few hundred. A small obelisk commemorating the victims of the Iași pogroms of June 1941 stands in front of the recently renovated building.

For its size and influence, it is nicknamed "the mother of Moldavian churches". This imposing monument, the largest Orthodox building in the country (not counting the new cathedral in Bucharest), was built in two stages, between 1839 and 1886, in a Baroque and Neoclassical style. It features 4 towers and a columned façade. The interior paintings are by Tattarescu (1887). It houses the relics of Saint Paraschève, which attract many pilgrims.

This elegant neoclassical building was built between 1894 and 1896 by Viennese architects Fellner and Helmer. The hall features a monumental staircase. The 740-seat auditorium, with boxes and balconies, is decorated with sumptuous Baroque and Rococo elements. The institution has seen many illustrious representatives of national culture, including playwright Vasile Alecsandri (1821-1890), a founding figure of Romanian theater. His statue faces the building.

Not far from the Palace of Culture, a little lost on the edge of a wide boulevard lined with massive modern buildings, this brick and stone building, with its arcades, does not go unnoticed. Built in 1677, it housed the printing works of the nearby Orthodox metropolis. They were the city's second-largest printing works. Since 1970, Casa Dosoftei (named after the metropolitan under whom the printing works were founded) has housed the ancient literature section of the Romanian Literature Museum. Important manuscripts are on display.

This splendid house near the university houses a museum of literature. It belonged to Vasile Pogor (1833-1906), founder of the Junimea literary society in 1863. Some of Romania's greatest writers and poets met here, including Caragiale, Rosetti, Creangă and Eminescu. The creation of Junimea, the presence of these writers and the publication throughout the ^19th century of numerous literary journals show just how central Iași was to Romanian cultural life in the late ^19th and early ^20th centuries.

It was founded in 1860 by the sovereign whose name it bears. It is the country's leading institution of higher education. Today, it is home to over 24,000 students. Inaugurated in 1897, the monumental University Palace on Copou Hill was built by Swiss architect Louis Blanc in a French eclectic style. The building contains several gems: the long salle des pas perdus with its surrealist murals, the former aula with its Baroque ornamentation and, finally, a superb library combining Baroque and Neo-Gothic styles.

It has several sections (science, art...). Among the most interesting, the history museum (currently under renovation) traces the history of the region from prehistory to the present day. In particular, you'll see the remains of the Cucuteni culture, a rich Neolithic civilization. We also recommend the Ethnography Museum (bulevardul Eminescu, 50), to discover the folklore and crafts of this part of Moldavia: textiles with symbolic motifs, costumes, decorated eggs... The section dedicated to New Year customs is particularly captivating.

It occupies a superb 1806 palace in the Empire style. It was here, between 1859 and 1862, that Alexandru Ioan Cuza, then ruler of the United Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia, lived. Between 1916 and 1918, this palace was also home to King Ferdinand and Queen Marie, who came to seek refuge in Iași during the war. The museum displays objects that belonged to Cuza and others involved in the union. It also presents documents on Romania's ethnic, linguistic and territorial unity. The main attraction is the building, with its richly decorated interiors.

The "beautiful" monastery was built in 1586, restored between 1726 and 1733 by Prince Gheorghe Ghica II and rebuilt again between 1836 and 1839. It was one of the richest monasteries in Moldova until secularization in 1863, after which it served as a parish church, but also as barracks, prison and nursing school. Reinstated in 2002, it is now occupied by nuns. Its church has Ukrainian-style bulbs and a classical façade, with a high Doric portico supported by four columns.

The birthplace of the great composer, pianist and violinist George Enescu (1881-1955) is located in the village that bears his name, some 50 km north of Botoșani. Renamed after the artist's death, the commune was formerly called Liveni. The small house with a painted wooden porch houses a museum in honour of the musician. You will see objects from his childhood: a piano, a toy violin, coloured pencils, drawings, but also photos, scores, etc.

A stop in the shop of the Cotnari wine estate is a must, especially to taste its sweet white wines bursting with sugar, produced in the region since the reign of Ștefan cel Mare, at the end of the 15th century! Various tasting formulas are proposed. Some of them include a visit to the fifteen cellars of the estate, which extend over more than 2 km. They contain old vintages, the oldest dating back to 1957. Get there early: tours end at 3:30.

This wooden monastery lies on the road between the villages of Lepșa and Soveja. Pretty and flowery in summer, it offers a magnificent view over the beautiful green hills of the surrounding area. Quite new, it dates from the 1930s and was built in place of an older church dating from the ^18th century. It's even possible to rent rooms here in summer. The road between Lepșa and Soveja can be rough in places, but you'll pass through some beautiful woodland. Each village has its own small timber mill, the region's main industry.

Located southeast of Fălticeni, this fortified monastery was built in 1530 by Petru Rareș, who is buried here. The church's interior and exterior paintings date from this period. The state of preservation of the exterior frescoes is precarious, particularly on the west and north facades. Scenes from the life of St. Nicholas, the church's patron saint, can still be seen. The Apocalypse of John is depicted in its entirety, with the theme of the Last Judgment omnipresent. The vaults are decorated in a Baroque style.

The Unesco-listed monastery of St. John the New(mănăstirea Sfântul Ioan cel Nou) dates back to 1522. The interior paintings of its imposing Saint-Georges church date from the same period, while those on the exterior have largely disappeared, except on the south façade. Note the aurochs' head, Moldavia's emblem, above the porch. The complex houses the relics of St. John the New, an Orthodox martyr, to whom a pilgrimage is dedicated every year on June 24.

In the village of Pătrăuți, 10 km northwest of Suceava, this 1487 church is one of the very first built by voivode Ștefan cel Mare, and the oldest preserved. It is therefore considered a blueprint for his future constructions. Listed by Unesco, the building is admittedly simpler than those that were to succeed it, but the paintings are already remarkable and will serve as a model for the Moldavian school. The interior frescoes have recently been restored. The dominant color is golden ochre, the "yellow of Pătrăuți".

This church on the northern outskirts of the town was founded in 1496 by the voivode Ştefan cel Mare, who regularly visited Botoșani. Its architecture is representative of the Moldavian style, a mixture of Byzantine and Gothic elements. The interior paintings, partly original, are of great artistic value. The decorations on the façade are also remarkable. The site became a monastery in the 18th century, initially housing Greek monks.

Renowned for its paintings and sculptures, it was founded in 1552 by Elena, the wife of voivode Petru Rareș, on the model of that of Popăuți. It was rebuilt in 1725 by voivode Mihai Racoviță, then restored on numerous occasions, notably after the great fires that struck the city in 1810 and 1887 and severely damaged the building. The classical-style bell tower dates back to 1819. For those who come to Botoșani to follow in Mihai Eminescu's footsteps, it's worth noting that he was baptized in this church in January 1850.

This church, unique in the country, never fails to amaze, with its finely chiselled exterior walls, like stone embroidery, once gold-plated and largely preserved in its original form. The motifs are inspired by Romanian tradition, but also borrow from Turkish, Arab, Georgian, Armenian and Persian cultures. The Church of the Three Hierarchs(biserica Trei Ierarhi) was built between 1637 and 1649 by Vasile Lupu, prince of Moldavia and lover of the arts and the Christian faith. Damaged by Tatars and earthquakes, it was renovated at the end of the ^19th century by the French architect Lecomte du Nouÿ, who restored many religious buildings in the country. Inside, you'll find the tombs of princes Vasile Lupu, Dimitrie Cantemir (1673-1723) and Alexandru Ion Cuza (1820-1873). The Carrara marble iconostasis, decorated with mosaics and enamels, dates from the late ^19th century. In the ^17th century, the monastery housed a printing press and an educational institution. It was also here that the relics of Saint Parasceva were first collected, donated by the Patriarchate of Constantinople to Vasile Lupu in gratitude for his financial support. They were later transferred to the Metropolitan Cathedral. Closed in the 1970s, the monastery was revived in 1994. The adjoining Gothic hall houses a museum dedicated to the arts and ecclesiastical history.

Close to the ruins of the princely court, of which it was once a part, the Church of St. John the Baptist(biserica sfântul Ioan Botezătorul) was built around 1498. In traditional Moldavian style, very compact and beautifully decorated, it is one of the few churches from this period to have retained its original form. The bell tower, or Ștefan cel Mare tower, was added a year later, a few meters further on. At 19 meters high, it is the symbol of the town.

Located 10 kilometers west of the city, in a pretty hilly landscape, this monastery was erected in 1402 by Alexandru cel Bun, Prince of Moldavia, and rebuilt by Ștefan cel Mare, who added a tower in 1498. The buildings you'll see date in part from 1554, during the reign of Prince Alexandru Lăpușneanu. The monastery was a well-known cultural center (calligraphy, illumination) where important religious works were written in the Middle Ages. It houses a rich museum of feudal art (icons, books) and the tomb of its founder, Alexander the Good.

On the north-western edge of the town, this walled complex comprises a church, a bell tower and a building with a chapel, which marked the entrance to the monastery. The tower, built in 1606, is well preserved, with its pointed roof, square base and sculpted façade. The surrounding walls were built by the Polish army in 1690 to resist Turkish attacks. It was the most important religious edifice built by the Armenian refugee community in Suceava.

The Armenian Church of the Holy Trinity (biserica armeano-gregoriană Sfânta Treime) was built in 1795, rebuilt in 1832. It was built on the site of a former 16th century Armenian monastery. Its belfry dates from 1816. Reputed to be the most beautiful church in Botoșani, it has lost some of its splendour, fallen into disrepair after the departure of the Armenians. It is surrounded by old marble tombstones, engraved with inscriptions in Armenian.

The Armenian church (biserica armenească Sfânta Născătoare) is said to be the oldest in the city. It dates from 1395 according to an inscription found during major renovations carried out in 1803. It is considered that this inscription represents the date of birth of the town and proof of the presence of an important Armenian community, which had sufficient means to build a church. Right next to it is the church of St. Sava (strada Costache Negri 44). Dating from 1583, it has an unusual silhouette with its domes and massive appearance.

Perched atop the hill of the same name, surrounded by an almost round enclosure, it was erected at the end of the ^16th century by Prince Petru Şchiopul (Peter the Limping). Its name derives from the eponymous Istanbul district, Galata meaning "gate" in Turkish: it was here that Moldavian princes lodged on their way to the seat of the Ottoman sultanate to receive their decree of appointment. The church combines Wallachian, Moldavian and Byzantine architectural styles. Its frescoes were destroyed by fire in 1762. The monastery now houses a convent.

This wide square on the left bank is surrounded by remarkable buildings, including the Black Eagle Palace(Vulturul Negru), a vast 1908 Secession complex with an asymmetrical façade. It is crossed by a covered passage decorated with floral friezes and a stained-glass eagle window. Also note the Moskovits Adolf Palace (1905), with its geometric motifs, on the corner of Rue Alecsandri. The town hall is neoclassical (1903). The superb Greek-Catholic Episcopal Palace, in Renaissance, Baroque and Rococo style (1905), suffered a serious fire in 2018.

It was developed from the ^18th century onwards, with the establishment of various factories. More popular than the center, but just as colorful, it's a true neighborhood. Its Poporului park is pleasant and lively. Nearby stands an imposing Secession-style synagogue dating from 1897. Further east, Piața Traian, surrounded by beautiful buildings, is the heart of the district. Piața Romanilor, more intimate, is the entry point to the Millenium Catholic Church (1896). A vast program to renovate the district is due to begin in 2024.

The great Romantic poet Mihai Eminescu (1850-1889) was born in the village of Ipotești, 10 km west of Botoșani, in magnificent countryside. His birthplace and the surrounding estate have been transformed into a vast center dedicated to his memory and research around his work. You can visit his parents' home, furnished with beautiful period furniture and objects. Some of it original, it recreates the atmosphere of the thirty years during which the poet's family lived there, from 1848 to 1878. Nearby, you'll see two churches: one dating from the early ^19th century, which served as a place of prayer for the Eminovici family (Eminescu's original name). Next to it are the graves of the artist's parents and two brothers. The other, dating from 1906, post-dates the family's presence. It was the village church. The estate also includes a Moldavian-style peasant house with a magnificent carved wooden porch and elegant interiors. There's also an amphitheater, a national poetry library and a museum dedicated to Eminescu's work, which regularly hosts temporary exhibitions.

Regular buses with a change in Suceava will take you as far as Ipotești. You can even sleep on site: villas have been built within the estate to accommodate tourists. A project to modernize the complex has been under consideration for some years, but no decision has yet been taken.

It was in the village of Flămânzi, 30 km south of Botoșani, that the first insurrections against landowner domination took place in 1907. The revolt then spread throughout the country, as monuments in many villages remind us. These were the last peasant uprisings in Europe. Recently renovated, the Peasant Revolt Museum(muzeul răscoalei țărănești) is dedicated to these events and to life in the countryside at the time.

This is the house where the great Romanian historian and politician Nicolae Iorga lived between 1876 and 1880. You will find a large number of books, manuscripts, diplomas obtained in the most prestigious European universities (Sorbonne, Cambridge...), as well as photographs of the scientist, at various periods of his life. The interiors, typical of the period, illustrate the modest means available to his family, but also his illustrious ancestry.

This vast square consists of a large central park, surrounded by beautiful, colorful old buildings. Among these is the flamboyant Hotel Dacia, with its facade richly decorated with floral sculptures. Built in the early ^20th century in the Hungarian Secession style, it has fallen into disrepair in recent years. The main points of interest are grouped around piața Libertății.

To the north, via strada Ștefan cel Mare or a tiny street past the Firemen's Tower (45 m high and dating from 1904), you'll reach the Hungarian Reformed Church(Biserica reformată). Also known as the "Chain Church"(Biserica cu Lanțuri), it is a Baroque building, completed in 1802, with organs dating from 1814. In strada Horea, you'll find the Théâtre du Nord(Teatrul Nord), a handsome neoclassical monument dating from 1889.

To the south, between piața Libertății and the river, the Civic Center displays its sad 1980s concrete constructions, with the classic Maison de la culture, prefecture, etc. In strada Decebal stands the large Moorish-style synagogue, built in 1889 for the city's once-large Jewish community: over 12,000 people at the beginning of the ^20th century. Most were deported in 1944, after being confined in a ghetto.

To the east, in strada 1 Decembrie 1918, the Greek-Catholic Church of the Archangels Michael and Gabriel, built in the 1930s, boasts beautiful eclectic architecture influenced by Byzantine and neo-Romanesque styles.

Coming from Piața Unirii via rue Lăpușneanu, you'll first arrive at piața Mihai Eminescu. In the center of this square surrounded by libraries stands the statue of the poet. Not far away, a group of statues represents the various princes of Moldavia, from Dragoș (1353) to Dimitrie Cantemir (1693). Boulevard Carol I takes you to the universities, in the heart of the Copou district. It's a pleasant place to wander. As are those of neighboring Țicău, a pretty residential district with trees, slopes, views and beautiful old houses.

It has several sections. The history and archaeology section, which occupies a beautiful late 19th century residence, exhibits archaeological finds and old maps.

The ethnographic section, located in the forest of Petrești, north of Focşani, consists of a small village museum. Much less prestigious than its counterparts in Bucharest and Sibiu, but interesting to know the local architecture, on the road lined with pretty houses leading to it, you may notice an old abandoned Jewish cemetery, overgrown with wild grasses.

Classic, but a pleasure to visit. This museum, divided into several sections in different buildings around the town, features archaeological remains, both prehistoric and ancient, unearthed in the region. Among them, Neolithic objects from the Criș culture or from the Roman colony of Tirighina-Bărboși. You'll also see Paleolithic objects, coins, stamps, old books, decorative arts or ethnographic items... Cultural events, including book launches, are organized here.

It prides itself on being the country's first museum of contemporary art, inaugurated in 1967 at the foot of a boulder. Its collections include Romanian works of art from the second half of the ^19th and ^20th centuries (Aman, Grigorescu, Baba, Brauner...). But most of the works on display were produced after 1967, by renowned Romanian painters and sculptors such as Horia Bernea. Cultural events are organized on a regular basis (concerts, exhibitions, screenings...). A new headquarters is currently under construction in Rizer Park. It is due for completion by the end of 2025.

Part of this salt mine, which is still in operation, is dedicated to tourism. At a depth of 240 meters, the leisure center features sports fields, billiards tables, children's playgrounds and even a go-kart track. There's also a salt museum, a church and an auditorium. There's also a saltwater lake and a waterfall. It's also a treatment base for respiratory illnesses, staffed by specialists. An above-ground saltwater swimming pool is open in fine weather.

The building housing the Museum of History and Archaeology (as well as the Museum of Natural Sciences) dates from 1730, and features a collection of artifacts from the Maramureș region, from the Paleolithic to the 20th century. Its Bronze Age section is one of the most important in the country. There are also collections of weapons, stamps, coins and photographs, providing precious evidence of the history of Maramureș in the 20th century.