Author: Stefan

IT architect at Kassel, from Göttingen, Germany. Addicted on travelling out of pure curiosity. Holder of a seasonal ticket of SV Werder Bremen; airbase Frankfurt (FRA). Collector of city maps, tourist guides, fridge magnets and coffee mugs.
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Moldova

Painted ruin, Chișinău

Moldova, a landlocked country in Eastern Europe bordering Ukraine and Romania, has a rich and complex history spanning from prehistoric times to modern independence. The territory was part of the Principality of Moldavia from the 14th century until 1812, when it was ceded to the Russian Empire by the Ottoman Empire. After briefly uniting with Romania in 1918, it became part of the Soviet Union in 1940 as the Moldavian SSR. Moldova finally emerged as an independent republic following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Since 2020, under the presidency of Maia Sandu, the country has pursued a pro-Western and anti-corruption agenda.

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Eternitate

Complexul Memorial Eternitate, Chișinău

The Eternitate Memorial Complex in Chișinău is a prominent monument dedicated to the Soviet soldiers who died during World War II, specifically in the second Jassy–Kishinev offensive. Inaugurated on May 9, 1975, to mark the 30th anniversary of the Soviet victory, the complex was designed by architect A. Minaev and sculptors A. Maiko and I. Poniatowski. It is located on P. Halippa street and serves as a central site for commemorations, with an honor guard from the Moldovan Army and regular wreath-laying ceremonies.

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Cricova

Winery, Cricova

Cricova Winery, located just north of Chișinău, is one of Moldova’s most renowned wine producers and a major tourist attraction, famous for its vast underground cellars that stretch over 120 kilometers beneath the surface. These tunnels, originally limestone mines, have been transformed since the 1950s into a subterranean ‘wine city’, complete with warehouses, tasting rooms, and even banquet halls, all kept at a constant temperature ideal for wine maturation. Visitors explore this underground labyrinth aboard electric busses, traveling through avenues named after the wines stored within, making the journey both practical and memorable.

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Orheiul vechi

Orheiul vechi, Orhei

Orheiul vechi is a remarkable historical and archaeological complex in Moldova, situated on a limestone bend of the river Răut. Its history spans multiple epochs, from Paleolithic and Eneolithic cultures to the Geto-Dacian fortress (6th–1st centuries BC), and later the 14th-century Golden Horde town Shehr al-Jedid. The site was a significant medieval Moldavian town until its decline in the 16th century when its fortifications were destroyed under Ottoman influence. Today, Orheiul vechi is recognized for its rich cultural layers and is on the UNESCO World Heritage tentative list due to its unique blend of natural landscape and archaeological significance.

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Mănăstirea Curchi

Mănăstirea Curchi, Orhei

Curchi monastery, located near the village of Curchi in Orhei district, is one of Moldova’s most beautiful and significant Orthodox monastic complexes. Set in the picturesque Vatici valley and surrounded by forests and orchards, the monastery is renowned for its peaceful atmosphere and striking architecture, making it a popular destination for both pilgrims and tourists. The ensemble includes five churches, monastic cells, administrative buildings, and a bell tower, all harmoniously integrated into the lush landscape.

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Cetatea Tighina

Cetatea Tighina, Bender

The fortress of Bender, also known as Tighina fortress (or Cetatea Tighina), stands as a remarkable example of military architecture on the right bank of the river Dniester in Bender, Moldova. Its origins trace back to the 15th century, with early fortifications likely made from earth and wood, later rebuilt in stone by the Ottomans after they conquered the area in 1538 under Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent. The renowned architect Sinan redesigned and expanded the fortress, transforming it into a formidable stronghold with bastions, towers, and deep defensive ditches, making it a key military outpost for the Ottoman empire and a frequent target for Moldavian, Russian, and Swedish forces throughout history.

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Tiraspol

Monumentul lui Lenin, Tiraspol

Tiraspol, the second-largest city in Moldova and the capital of the breakaway region of Transnistria, has a rich history dating back to the late 18th century. The city was founded in 1792 by Russian generalissimo Alexander Suvorov, who is considered the founder of modern Tiraspol. It was established as a fortress to guard the western border of the Russian Empire near a Moldavian village named Sucleia, and was granted city rights in 1795. Throughout its history, Tiraspol served various administrative roles, including being the capital of the Moldavian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic from 1929 to 1940. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Tiraspol became the capital of the self-proclaimed Republic of Transnistria, which has had its own state administration since 1991 but is not internationally recognized.

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Transnistrian ruble

Transnistrian ruble, Pridnestrovie

The Transnistrian ruble is the official currency of Transnistria, a breakaway region in eastern Moldova that is not internationally recognized. The ruble, divided into 100 kopecks, was first introduced in 1994, replacing provisional issues and old Soviet banknotes that had been stamped with local symbols. Early issues suffered from high inflation, leading to frequent overprints and the eventual creation of a local mint in Tiraspol in 2005. Today, the currency features both banknotes and distinctive polygonal coins made from composite materials, with designs often depicting historical figures like General Suvorov.

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Pridnestrovie

Dniester, Tiraspol

Pridnestrovie, also known as Transnistria or officially as the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (PMR), is a narrow strip of land located between the river Dniester and the Ukrainian border. This unrecognized breakaway state declared independence from the Moldavian SSR on September 2, 1990, following tensions that arose during the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The region has historically been a multiethnic borderland where Moldovans, Russians, and Ukrainians make up the majority of the population, and it has been ruled by various powers throughout history, including the Ottoman Empire, Russia, Ukraine, and the Soviet Union.

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Grădina botanică

Grădina Botanică, Chișinău

The Grădina Botanică in Chișinău, officially known as the National Botanical Garden ‘Alexandru Ciubotaru‘, is one of Moldova’s most significant green spaces and scientific institutions. Founded in 1950 and relocated to its current site in the Botanica sector in the 1960s, the garden spans over 100 hectares and was developed under the guidance of renowned botanist Alexandru Ciubotaru. It serves both as a center for botanical research and conservation and as a public park, featuring specialized zones such as a dendrarium, rose garden, rock garden, and several lakes.

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