Rome of the East – Iasi

The cradle of Romanian culture

Iaşi / Jassy was the last capital of the province of Moldavia and it is often referred to as the actual cultural capital of Romania.

As a university center, home to numerous monuments, museums and important cultural sites, Iasi impresses its visitors by the many churches. Stephen the Great (Stefan cel Mare) founded the royal church of Saint Nicholas in 1492. In the immediate vicinity there is an absolute masterpiece of the Romanian Orthodox architecture: The Three Hierarchs Church (Biserica Trei Ierarhi), built in 1635-1639. Its walls are completely decorated with stucco and were once covered with a thin gold foil. A little further we can admire  the Metropolitan Church of Moldova, built in 1887, the “mother of all Moldavian churches.” No matter which way you look in this city, you can see a church steeple. The most interesting ones are Cetăţuia, Galata and Frumoasa.

The neo-Gothic Palace of Culture houses four of the most important museums in the city: The Art Museum, the History Museum, the Museum of Ethnography and the Museum of Technology.

 

MUSEUMS WE RECOMMEND

The Moldovan Ethnographic Museum

The Art Museum

The Moldavian History Museum

The Museum of Science and Technology

The Natural History Museum

The Theatre Museum

 

NOT TO BE MISSED

The Palace of Culture

The St. Paraschiva-Metropolitan Cathedral

The Three Hierarchs Church

The Roznoveanu Castle / Town Hall

The Alexandru-Bals house / Moldova Philharmonic House

The Golia Monastery

The royal church of Saint Nicholas

The Ticau District

The National Theatre

The Traian hotels

The Banu Church

The Old Castle University

The University at Copou Hill

The Central University Library

The Jewish Iaşi

 

IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

Ruginoasa Palace

Cotnari Vineyard

Neamt Fortress in Targu Neamt

Neamt Monastery

Agapia Monastery

Văratec Monastery

The Moldavian monasteries of Bucovina

Bicaz National Park

Ceahlău National Park