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Location:
A historical-geographic region situated in eastern Romania, organically integrated into the ensemble, Moldavia measures approximately 400 kilometers from north (the boundary with Ukraine) to south (the Milcov river, a symbolical boundary) and maximum 200 kilometers from west (the Oriental Carpathians) to east(the Prut river, the border with the Republic of Moldova).
History:
Moldova's Latin origins can be traced to the period of Roman occupation of nearby Dacia (in present-day Romania, Bulgaria, and Serbia), ca. A.D. 105-270, when a culture was formed from the intermingling of Roman colonists and the local population. After the Roman Empire and its influence waned and its troops left the region in A.D. 271, a number of groups passed through the area, often violently: Huns, Ostrogoths, and Antes (who were Slavs). The Bulgarian Empire, the Magyars, the Pechenegs, and the Golden Horde (Mongols) also held sway temporarily. In the thirteenth century, Hungary expanded into the area and established a line of fortifications in Moldova near the Siretul River (in present-day Romania) and beyond. The region came under Hungarian suzerainty until an independent Moldovan principality was established by Prince Bogdan in 1349. Originally called Bogdania, the principality stretched from the Carpathian Mountains to the Nistru River and was later renamed Moldova, after the Moldova River in present-day Romania.
The Moldovians were subjected to vassal status by the Ottoman turks after their hard fought conquest of Wallachia. The greatest Moldavian, aptly named Stefan cel Mare (Stefan the Great) with his army of Boyars and retainers fought of invasions from the Turks, the Polish and the Tatars. Stefan fought 36 major battles and only lost 2. At the end of his reign, Moldovian independence was secured and no more Moldovian gold went to turkish hands as tribute. Moldova then experienced a "slump." Weak kings let incompitent boyars rule the state and not pay taxes, bankrupting the state. Moldova succumbed to Ottoman power in 1512 and was a tributary state of the empire for the next 300 years. In addition to paying tribute to the Ottoman Empire and later acceding to the selection of local rulers by Ottoman authorities, Moldova suffered repeated invasions by Turks, Crimean Tatars, and Russian
In 1792 the Treaty of Iasi forced the Ottoman Empire to cede all of its holdings in what is now Transnistria to the Russian Empire. An expanded Bessarabia (after the name of Wallachian king Basarab I) was annexed by, and incorporated into, the Russian Empire following the Russo-Turkish War of 1806- 12 according to the terms of the Treaty of Bucharest of 1812. In 1859 Moldovan territory west of the Prut River was united with Walachia. And in the same year, Alexandru Ioan Cuza was elected prince of Walachia and the part of Moldova that lay west of the Prut River, laying the foundations of modern Romania.
Touristic sights:
The scenery in the mountains is very similar to Switzerland. You will be impressed by the Gorges of Bicaz, Zabalei and Zugreni, by the so-called "Rocks of the Dacians", by the spectacular waterfalls Duruitoarea and Putna.
The lakes (Bistritza, Siret, Uz, Lacul Rosu) - natural or man-made - represent other worth seeing attractions, places where you can take a good rest, admire nature, fish and hunt: Bistrita, Siret, Uz, Lacul Rosu.
Mineral and thermal springs cure various diseases and affections in well known spas: Vatra Dornei, Poiana Negrii, Slanic Moldova, Vama, Strunga, Bicaz, Targu Ocna, Baltatesti, Oglinzi, Campulung Moldovenesc, Durau, Izvoru Muntelui, Targu Ocna, Soveja.
Moldova is very rich in cultural and religious traditions. T
In Moldavia it is proven one more time that the Romanians cannot live their daily life without having an artistic pursuit. To understand this suffice it to see the ion of spoons in the town of Campulung Moldovenesc, the painted eggs at Sucevita monastery, the carpets of Humor, the black ceramics of Marginea, the flower ceramics of Radauti or the brown one of Dumesti, the Tarpesti or Nereju masks, the monastery weavings of Agapia, Varatec, the carved stone and wood of Grozesti on the Casin Valley, and even the smoked trout artistically dressed in fir rind served on the Oituz valley, or the bed spread made in the area. The Museums of Folk Art and Ethnography of Piatra Neamt, Iasi, Focsani, Soveja provide an overall image. The already mentioned Ceahlau Festival has already become traditional, being held yearly in the resort of Durau, and including a lot of merry-making, dancing and parades of folk costumes from all over the country.
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