Things to see and do Central

The monastery of Căpriana is located in the Codrii forest region and is a symbol of Moldavian history and identity. It was founded in 1429, during the reign of Alexandru cel Bun (Alexander the Good) who placed it under the protection of his wife Princess Marina. Under Ștefan cel Mare, repair work was undertaken after the earthquake of 1471 and the wooden church of the Assumption of the Virgin was built from 1491 to 1496 (rebuilt in stone in 1545). Petru Rareș ordered the restoration of the monastery from 1542 to 1545 after the destruction committed by the Turkish invaders. It was preserved and fortified during the reign of Alexandru Lapușneanu (1552-1568) and then under Vasile Lupu. In 1698 the monastery was placed under the supervision of the Zograph Monastery of Mount Athos. It experienced a renaissance in the 19th century thanks to Metropolitan Gavril Bănulescu-Bodoni (1746-1821) who had the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin restored. The "winter" church of St. George was built in 1903 in a neo-Byzantine style, based on a chapel dating from 1840. In 1962, during the Soviet period, the cloister was transformed into a sanatorium for tubercular children, St. Nicholas' Church into a village club and St. George's Basilica into a storehouse. The monastery was returned to the monks in 1989 and its restoration began in 2003.

In the monastery you can see the largest religious library in Moldova and the relics of Metropolitan Gavril Bănulescu-Bodoni. The place is serene, with a small lake in front of the monastery.

The oldest scientific nature reserve in the country is located near the village of Lozova, 50 km from Chișinău. Named Codrii in the Codru region, it was recognized as a national park on 27 September 1971, on 5,009 ha. It is divided into three zones: a strictly protected zone, a buffer zone and an intermediate zone. Scientists are fascinated by the abundance of nature, in flora and fauna, some species of which are unfortunately close to extinction. Here you can admire the noble deer, the wild cat, the badger, the marten, the weasel. Among the protected birds are the great spotted eagle, the buzzard, the harrier and the bee-eater. Nearly 1,000 species of plants are listed, half of the flora specific to Moldova, with 43 species of mammals, 145 birds, 7 reptiles, 10 fish, and more than 8,000 species of forest trees, not counting insects. The sumptuous oaks and beeches are the masters of Codrii. This area plays an important role as a true sanctuary of biodiversity, with centuries-old forests of rare beauty. The perimeter of the reserve includes a representative grassland area and a nature museum. The museum lists the fauna and flora present in the reserve as well as detailed maps of the area (many stuffed animals: wolves, wild cats, deer...).

It is possible to sleep on site, some rooms are provided for this purpose.

Protected by the State since 1975, this nature reserve was officially created on 12 March 1992 to ensure the conservation of biodiversity and natural ecosystems. Its total area is 5,642 hectares, of which 4,639 hectares are occupied by forest (beech, oak, lime and hornbeam), but the landscape nevertheless offers great diversity with narrow ridges and deep valleys, steep slopes (consequences of landslides), water sources and small lakes.
Wildlife once included deer, bears, reindeer, martens, wolves and wild boar, but the expansion of arable land has greatly reduced the amount of woodland and thus the number of plants and animals. The uncontrolled hunting of bears has also contributed to the disappearance of deer, lynx and wolves. Today, 49 species of mammals (deer, wild boar, foxes, badgers, weasels, wild cats, martens, rodents, squirrels and bats) are registered. There are 140 species of birds (including 7 of green woodpeckers) that live in a favourable environment, 8 species of reptiles (marsh turtle, viper, hazel snake) and 12 species of amphibians. There are 909 species of local flora, including 151 species of mushrooms and 48 species of lichens. This reserve is a museum of nature, it reveals an enchanting landscape of great beauty. It contributes to the conservation and renewal of plant and animal species.

The town hall of Călărași can provide you with practical information about the city, its attractions and the surrounding area. The city is ancient and is said to have been named after horsemen whose function was to protect the region from Ottoman and Tatar invaders. During the Soviet era, the city underwent industrial development. Nowadays, the town is twinned with Villefranche-sur-Saône: the love of wine and the French-speaking world unite these two localities. Tourist information is available in the library.

The town hall of Vărzărești can provide some practical information about the surroundings.

Ungheni Town Hall can provide you with information on local attractions. A number of celebrities are from Ungheni: Shmuel Cohen (composer of the Israeli national anthem), A. L. Diamond (Oscar winning screenwriter in 1960), Lidia Hlib (children's writer), Ilie Cojocaru (plastic artist), Victor Cobzac (plastic artist), Dumitru Verdianu (sculptor), Ion Zderciuc (sculptor), Valeriu Curtu (cartoonist), Victor Crudu (plastic artist), Valentina Delion (athlete), Dana Marchitan (singer), Ioana Isac (poet)..

Zubrești is a small village in the district of Strășeni. It has a high school, a church, a stadium, a hospice, a post office and a distillery. Founded in 1994, this small local wine factory is known for its fortified wines and white table wines. The production is made from local vines with indigenous and other more common varieties. In order to find out if it is possible to visit the premises, it is recommended to contact this establishment. The wine from Zubrești can be purchased locally, in local or nearby shops.

The locality was first mentioned in a document in 1545. It developed strongly in the 20th century to become an important industrial centre in the country. The town hall of Strășeni stands out for its salmon-pink colour and its architecture typical of the public buildings of the Soviet period, with its pediment with columns. Information about the town and its surroundings, places to visit and public events can be found on site or on the town hall's website. The Ghidighici lake is 5 m to the south-east.

This winemaking company was founded in 1994 but the factory itself dates back to 1944. The estate owns 320 ha of vines and produces about 3 to 3.5 million bottles a year. Production includes dry, sweet and sparkling wines exported to Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bosnia, Croatia, Serbia, China, the United States, Israel, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Belarus and Ukraine. This wine company has modern equipment, technologies and production methods.

The town hall can provide you with practical information and places to visit in the surrounding area. Criuleni was already mentioned in a document of 1607 mentioning its purchase by Nicoară Donici. A wooden church was built in 1796 and a stone church in 1814. In 1836 the town hosted two big markets on the occasion of St. George's Day (23 April) and the Feast of the Intercession of the Mother of God (¹ October). In the middle of the 19th century, the town had four wool dyeing factories, an alcohol factory, an inn and a tavern.

The Codri Nature Reserve was created in 1926 by a group of nature lovers who wanted to protect the environmental heritage of the area. These early environmentalists created thirteen forest areas, including the Lozova Forest and Căpriana. The Council of Ministers of Romania (Moldova was then called Bessarabia and was reunited with Romania in 1918) decided on 19 July 1937 to classify these places as "natural monuments". During the Soviet era, the protection of the sites continued with the creation on 15 April 1946 of a nature protection commission within the Moldovan branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences. On 27 September 1971, the Codrii State Forest Reserve was established and the total area of all protected sites was 2740 ha, with a strictly protected area of 723 ha. In 1975 other wooded areas were placed under protection, extending the area to 5,009 ha. During the Soviet period, members of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova, the State University of Chișinău and the State University of Tiraspol, carried out a great deal of on-site research, such as the mapping of the hydrological network in 1977. Today the reserve is divided into a strictly protected area of 720 ha, a buffer zone of 4,455.8 ha and a transition zone of 12,300 ha. The reserve is home to various species of fauna and flora that you can observe while walking in these enchanting places.