STEFAN CEL MARE SECULAR OAK

Everyone in the region knows the centuries-old oak tree of Stefan cel Mare, the voivode prince who symbolizes courage, strength and resistance against Turkish aggression. He is the representative of Moldavia, an example for everyone and is the father of the Moldavian nation to which many legends are attached. One of these legends is that during his reign, in the 15th century, Stefan cel Mare emerged victorious from a battle against the Tatars here in Cobîlea. He decided to have a wooden church built here in 1484 next to an old oak tree. At that time the tree was 200 years old and had already been mentioned in 1456. Today, at over 750 years old, it is considered to be one of the oldest trees in Europe. It is a true natural monument protected by the state since January 8, 1975. This monumental tree is 17 m high, the diameter of its crown is 31 m and the diameter of the trunk is 2.44 m.

The church was rebuilt in stone in 1822 but is nevertheless considered to be one of the oldest religious buildings in Moldova. It is a massive church with a simple longitudinal plan but elegant. The site is also completed by a bust of Stefan cel Mare and, not far away, a war memorial dedicated to the fallen soldiers of the Second World War. This small village is an important and very touching stopover, in homage to this national hero present on all Moldavian banknotes!