Iasi, Romania - the almost perfect city

Romania is situated in the south-eastern part of Europe.

It is a medium sized country, with a surface of 238 391 km² and about 20 million inhabitants.

Romania is a member of the European Union since 2007 and a NATO member since 2004.

Romania's neighbors are:

• Bulgaria to the South


• Serbia to the South-West


• Hungary to the North-West


• Ukraine to the North


• The Republic of Moldavia to the East


• The Black Sea to the South-East

In Romania you can find the Carpathians, the Danube and the Black Sea.

Iasi county is situated in the North-East part of Romania.

Iasi county has a number of 2 cities (Iasi and Pascani), 3 towns [Targu-Frumos (The Beautiful town, direct translation), Harlau and Podu Iloaiei] and 92 villages.

Iasi county has a number of 825 000 inhabitants, being the second most populated county in Romania, after Bucharest.

The almost perfect city might seem to be a false claim, but Iasi is the almost perfect city for me.

It has an optimum surface (94 km²) almost as big as Manchester, UK and an optimum number of inhabitants (about 400 000).

It is the city on 7 hills, just like Rome, Italy.

That being said let's move on to the things i find attractive in my city.

Iasi city was first mentioned in an official document in 1408, but in Iasi you can find buildings that are older than that, like The Armenian Church built in 1395. That being said Iasi had to be first inhabited around the year 1350. I believe it's pretty old considering the fact that New York, for example, was established in 1624.

In 1564, Iasi became the capital of Moldavia replacing Suceava. This change was made by Alexandru Lapusneanu, the ruler of Moldavia from that period. After 80 years, in 1640, the first Romania school and the first printing press were built in Iasi and therefore in 1643 the first printed book in Moldavia was released.
Iasi remained the capital of Moldavia until 1859 when Alexandru Ioan Cuza managed to unite Moldavia with Valahia(another region of what is today Romania) under the name The United Princedoms of Moldavia and Valahia. In this period, both Iasi and Bucharest were capitals. In 1862 it was changed to Romania and the capital-city became Bucharest.

During the First World War, Iasi became the Capital of unoccupied Romania in 1916 when Bucharest was captured by the Germans. In 1918, Transylvania united with Romania that became The Great Romania and the capital was reestablished in Bucharest.

If you ever visit Iasi, I promise you that you will never get bored.
The tourist attractions in Iasi can be divided into several groups, like:

• 1. Churches and monasteries


• 2. Museums


• 3. Memorial houses


• 4. The National Theater


• 5. The Opera House


• 6. Buildings filled with history


• 7. Monuments


• 8. Gardens and Parks


• 9. Me - because I can be your guide

PS: RedYellowBlue are the colors of the Romania flag.

The Golia Monastery is one of the most important Monastery in Iasi, being located in its central part.
The Golia Monastery was built by Ioan Golia somewhere in the 1500's like a typical medieval fortress. The old church was rebuilt by Vasile Lupu between 1650 and 1653 using an architectural style like never before used by typical Romanian orthodox churches.
The church has a height of 30m, a length of 30 m and a width of 13 m. It is surrounded by a high wall with towers at its corners and a bell-tower at the entrance. The bell-tower is 30m high and to reach its top you have to get pass 120 stairs. But if you do you will have a great view over Iasi.

The Metropolitan Cathedral is the biggest church in Iasi.
It was built between 1833 and 1887 during which the building suffered many unfortunate events, like the collapse of the central dome.
In 1889 the relics of Saint Parascheva were brought here and Saint Parascheva became the church's and Iasi's protector.

The Armenian Church was built in 1395.
This church testifies the existence of an important Armenian community in this parts of Romania.
The church is going through a massive renovation at the moment.

Saint Nicholas Church was built by Stephan the Great, one of the most important rulers of Moldavia. It was built between 1491 and 1492. It was rebuilt between 1884 and 1904 by the french architect André Lecomte du Noüy, being demolished and rebuilt on the same foundation and with almost the same shape as the original.
It was an important church in the past, here the Archbishop would give his blessing to the ruler of Moldavia.

What is really special about the edifice and makes it one of the most original creations of Moldavian art is the harmonious contrast between the well moulded and proportional architectural forms, as well as the carved adornments covering like a lace all the four facades, including the buttresses and the archvaults on each side and at the basis of the bell turret.
It stands in the heart of Iasi and it was built by Vasile Lupu one of the most generous and faithful Christian of all the rulers of Moldavia. He helped the Constantinople Patriarch and other Greek Orthodox churches. For his kindness, in 1641, the Constantinople Patriarch sent St. Paraschiva's relics to be placed in this church. The relics were moved in 1889 to the Metropolitan Cathedral.

The Galata Monastery is situated on one of the 7 hills of Iasi. It was built between 1582 and 1584.
The Galata Monastery assembly is part of the "Historical monuments of Iasi County" since 2004. This assembly has 4 major tourist attractions:

• The Galata Church - built between 1582 and 1583


• The Lords Palace - 1726-1728


• Its Walls


• The Bell Tower

Fumoasa Monastery was built in 1586 and was first rebuilt between 1726 and 1733 and again between 1836 and 1839.
The Frumoasa Monastery complex has the following:

• The Church


• The Palace


• The "Women" Palace's uins


• The Tower Bell


• The surrounding walls


• Grigore Sturdza Mausoleum

The Iasi synagogue is the oldest synagogue in Romania. It was built in 1682.
It has a simple exterior design but an sophisticated interior, with many ornaments and high value objects like chandeliers and others.
An obelisk was built in front of it in the memory of the victims of the Great Iasi Pogrom of 28-29 june 1941

In 1434 the old Citadel of the Lord was first built.
On its ruins the first Castle a Palace was built between 1806 and 1812. This structure was destroyed by a huge fire at the end of the XIX century and the actual building was finished in 1926.
Until 1955 the Palace of Culture served as the center of the County Court of Justice. In 1940 an earthquake managed to do some structural damage. During the Second World War it served as a German and the as a Russian garrison.
Now, the Palace is suffering some heavy consolidation and renewal operations.
The Palace of Culture is home of the National Museum Complex Moldavia which holds 4 separate museums:

• Moldavia's History Museum


• Moldavia's Ethnographic Museum


• The Art Museum


• "Stefan Procopiu" Science and Technology Museum

The west wing of the Palace is home of the "Gheorghe Asachi" County Library.

The Natural History Museum was opened in 1834 and it is the first museum of it's kind ever built in Romania.
The museum has many pieces of history like: woolly mammoth and woolly rhinoceros bones, the Indian elephant Gaba and many more.

Mihai Eminescu is the greatest poet in the Romanian history. The Mihai Eminescu museum is located in the Copou Garden (the green oasis of Iasi, Mihai Eminescu's favorite place, home of Mihai Eminescu's Linden Tree, etc.).
The Museum is divided into three halls:

• The Destiny Hall


• The Art Hall


• The Friendship Hall

This museum has a wide collection of Eminescu's books, ranging from the first edition in 1884 to more recent editions, monographic studies, written critics and many translations.
It is a place of great culture and history.

In 1859, the Moldavia and Valahia Princedoms elected the same ruler: Alexandru Ioan Cuza. Although this unification was not approved just then, on the 24 January each year we celebrate this unification.
The Unification Museum is located on the Lapusneanu Street in Iasi. The building was the residency of the ruler Al. I. Cuza. During the First World War, between 1917 and 1918 the building was the residency of King Ferdinand.
In 1959, celebrating 100 years from the Princedoms Unification, the Museum was opened. In this museum you can find many documents and objects belonging to Al. I. Cuza and his family and of the royal family.

Ion Creanga was a great Romanian writer established in Iasi. He lived between 1837 and 1889.
His Memorial House is located near the City's center but it's location and surroundings make you think you are somewhere deep in the countryside.
It is a great place to spend the afternoon in peace and quiet, far away from the crowded and loud city.

Mihail Sadoveanu was the greatest Romanian writer.
In the house that is now the Mihail Sadoveanu Memorial House used to belong to the great Romania historian Mihail Kogalniceanu. Since 1919, in that house lived only Mihail Sadoveanu and, since 1980, it became the Memorial House it is now.

The Vasile Alecsandri National Theater is the first National Theater in Romania and came into existence in 1840.
The old building was destroyed by a huge fire in 1888 and in 1896 the current building was finished, in the place of the old City Hall.
It is a splendid building.

The building in which the Opera House is located was built in 1815.
Sadly, because of the 1944, 1977 and 1990 earthquakes the building was severely damaged and now it's still under heavy consolidation and renovation processes. Half of it it's ready.
It still remains a great place to visit.

The Roznovanu Palace is now the the City Hall.
In 1832, when it was opened it was the residence of the Roznovanu-Rosetti family. In 1832 it was considered to be the most exquisite building in Iasi.
It has a major historical importance because between 1916 and 1918 it was the home of the Romanian Parliament, Bucharest being occupied by the Germans.
In time, the building suffered a number of changes, like adding a second level and refurbishing.

In 1860 the first University in Romania is being established in Iasi.
Today building was inaugurated in 1897 by King Carol and his Queen, Elisabeth.
The building is 130m long, has 3 big amphitheaters and 9 small ones, 9 laboratories and a 500 places auditorium.
Its Grand Entrance leads to the"Lost steps Hall", a huge hall filled with paintings.
I graduated the Business Faculty, part of the Alexandru Ioan Cuza University.
It's a really cool place to visit.

In 1859, in Iasi, the first Botanical Garden in Romania was formed near the today's city center.
A second Botanical Garden, near the first one was established in 1873.
In 1870 the Alexandru Ioan Cuza University tried to build a Botanical Garden of their own near the today's Med School, but it was not a good spot for it and the plan was to move it behind the Palace of Culture, but the project wasn't finished due to lack of funds.
in 1921, the Botanical Garden was established behind the University and lasted there for more then 40 years, when in 1963 was moved in the spot it is today, near the Copou Park.
A good choice I might add.

The Copou Park is the biggest and the most beautiful park in Iasi.
It is home of the oldest monument in Romania, The Lion Obelisk, Mihai Eminescu's Linden Tree and Mihai Eminescu's Museum.

OK. Now you are probably wondering why did I say Iasi is an almost perfect city when it seems PERFECT.
Well, although it is a beautiful city, it has it's problems.
There would be many, many other cool things to talk about, but I hope that this article managed to impress you and just say: "Yes, I would like to visit Iasi sometimes".