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A Special International Report Prepared byThe Washington Times Advertising Department
Published on April 22, 1999
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Advertisers (1) VictoriaBank
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A small country with many delights
A replica of the Roman wolf and the two abandoned children Romulus and Remus stands in front of the National History Museum. It is a souvenir Moldova's Dacian heritage. The Dacians, who first settled the territory of Moldova and Romania in 2,000 B.C., gave Moldova its farming tradition. The Dacians also were forced to learn and speak Latin by their Roman conquerors. This became the basis of the Romanian language. Subsequent Slavic invaders also helped form the language and converted the Dacians to Christianity. Chisinau Chisinau's bazaar is a colorful exhibition of the Orient which should not be missed. Here merchants noisily try to bargain with customers for Moldovan carpets, lamps, vases and clothing. The paintings and ceramics sold at the outdoor markets are done by highly skilled craftsmen. Often paintings worth hundreds of dollars at home can be bargained down to around $30. It is very hard to go to one of Chisinau's many restaurants and have a bad meal.
Jewish Chisinau One area well worth visiting is Chisinau's Jewish ghetto. The ghetto is almost like a time capsule of American Jewish life in the early part of this century. Children play sidewalk hopscotch and old women sit on their doorsteps gossiping with neighbors and gazing at passers-by. Today, ChisinauÕs Jewish community is witnessing a great renaissance. With the assistance of Jewish groups outside the country, Chisinau's Jewish community reopened a "Yeshiva" or Jewish school, which has been closed since World War II. It has also begun printing newspapers in Hebrew and started running Jewish education classes for adults. They also launched meals-on-wheels service and opened soup kitchens in Chisinau and Tiraspol. Jewish Chisinau, has a 66,000-strong population. But Jews are just one part of the population. Moldova is home to seven other ethnic groups including Russians, Ukrainians, Bulgarians, Germans, Gypsies and Gagauz Turkic Orthodox Christians. Romanians make up the majority of the population.
The Ministry of Culture is hoping to gain enough support from foreign investors to build a campground at Orhei Vechi so that campers can explore its caves and lunar landscape. Other points of interest include the Tipova monastery in Lalova and the Saharna monastery on the Nistru River near Rezina. Both resonate with history. Strategically positioned on the banks of the Nistru river, Soroca fortress was indispensable in the defense of Moldavia from invasion. Soroca part of a medieval ring of fortresses built by voievodes, Moldavian princes, between the 14th and 15th centuries. The current fortress was built by Moldavian prince Petru Rares (1527-38) on the same location of an older fortress. The fortress has four 60 foot-high towers and a 100 foot-long perimeter wall which is 9 feet thick. The battle-worn structure stands as historical testimony of the fortress's encounter's with bellicose Tartars, Ottoman Turks and Russians.
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Table of Contents (1) Moldova: a 'model of democracy' |
Although not well-known among holiday-makers, Moldova offers some
attractions that would surprise even the most seasoned traveller. Little Moldova has a landscape
covered with vineyards, pristine forests and lakes, medieval monasteries and fortresses, wine caves
stretch for miles, a rich history, eight ethnic nationalities and even the Arc de Triomphe. The
capital city, Chisinau, has many reminders of Moldova's turbulent past which has is marked by many
foreign conquests and occupations. A majestic statue of Stephen the Great stands at the entrance of
a park that also bears his name. The 15th century Moldavian prince remains among the most celebrated
of national heroes for his bravery in organizing a 55,000-man peasant force to rise up against the
Ottoman Turks. He was known as a patron of the arts and a religious crusader who constructed many
Orthodox Christian churches, the country's main religion.
The wide selection includes traditional Moldovan,
Georgian, Jewish and Asian foods. Most restaurants offer a pleasant decor and a typical three course
meal will not break anyone's bank account, costing around six dollars. For a festive night out with
traditional Moldovan costumes and dancing, Sanatate provides a happy atmosphere with excellent food.
Chisinau's buildings are among the more artful in the former Soviet Union. Even modern structures
were done in a tasteful manner. At the end of Chisinau's tree-studded Boulevard, Stefan cel Mare,
stands the Arc de Triomphe. It remains a graceful symbol of the city. It was built in 1846 and
restored in 1973. The Pushkin Museum, the cottage where Russian Poet Alexander Pushkin lived while
in exile during the 1820's, is a magnificent, though humble, memory to the man. The house remains
virtually untouched. A city of 850,000 inhabitants, Chisinau is well equiped for the performing
arts.
There are no less than 13 theaters where operas, ballets, philharmonics and plays are
performed. Many Moldovan musicians have studied at the world famous Kirov and Bolshoi in Russia.
They have performed in Munich, Saint Petersburg and a few cities in the United States. The Ministry
of Culture is hoping to have Chisinau host international music festivals in the future. "We really
want to showcase our tourist and cultural attractions. Moldova has great potential in these area but
we need investment to upgrade our facilities," says Ghenadie Ciobanu, Minister of Culture. The
minister hopes to refurbish several museums, theaters, hotels and other tourist facilities.
Monastic Cave Men Among Moldova's greatest wonders are its monasteries. Most famous and
extraordinary among them is the Cave monastery in Orhei Vechi with a view of the Raut river. This
13th century church was excavated from a limestone cliff by Orthodox Christian monks who believed
the cave would be resilient against invaders. Archaeologists have recently discovered ruins of
Turkish baths and a protective wall built in the 15th century which surrounds the religious complex.
Stefan the Great erected a fortress in Orhei Vechi in the 14th century. It was destroyed by Tartar
invaders in 1499. The Cave Monastery was inhabited until the 18th century. Closed during Soviet
times, it was re-opened in 1996, and services are now held regularly.
A visit to Moldova would not be complete without a trip to the
Moldovan wine country. Cricova is the world's largest cellar. It is actually a subterranean city
with winding streets extending for 60 kilometers. The street names orient visitors toward Str.
Cabernet, Str. Pinot or Str. Merlot. There are over one million bottles of white wines - 648 types
are stored in the cellars at a uniform temperature of 12 degrees Celsius. A tour of Cricova is one
of the best ways to sample the wide variety of Moldovan wines and champagne. The Moldovan wines are
gaining great popularity outside Moldova's borders, including in the United States. Drinking a
bottle of 1974 Cabernet Savignon - which costs six dollars - doubles the pleasure.