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You are here because you want to read articles about the places you can visit while you're traveling to and through Romania. Enjoy your stay and have a look through our articles about the Romanian culture, history and tourist attractions.
We hope you're going to find our site useful and you'll consider to travel Romania.
- Articles
- Targoviste – A Capital’s CharmDrobeta Turnu Severin – A Bridge Across The AgesSearching For Tranquility Around BucharestCalimanesti, Olanesti, Govora – Oltenia’s Health SpringsAlba Iulia and Codex AureusIasi – A City Imbued With History and CultureThe Deva Fortress – Active Witness to Transylvania’s HistoryRupea Stronghold, The Core of Brasov CountyScarisoara Cave, Glacier Chill in Summer TimeMuierilor Cave, Symbol of Fertility and HolinessOrsova – Heavy Industry Meets the Roman EmpireThe Heaven of Cherry Orchards, in CetateleCurtisoara Museum – a Cradle of SpiritualityBaile Felix – a Balneary Resort for All AgesIzei Valley – Maramures Finest Traditions and LocationsHarman – A Small Part of Brasov’s CultureMuseums and places to visit in OradeaVidraru Dam and Lake, a Wonder of Nature, Confined by ManAncient Cities in the Constanta AreaSfantul Ioan Domnesc Monument-Church – The Shadow of Stefan cel MarePutna Monastery – The Spiritual Center of MoldaviaOcnele Mari: Salt Mines, Spa and Rich HistoryBaile Govora – One of The Oldest Romanian SpasCraiova – The Heart of OlteniaRules for Visiting the Protected Nature AreasArad – One Millenia on the Banks of MuresTargu Jiu and the Endless ColumnBucura Lake – The Largest Glacier Lake in RomaniaTraveling to Sfantu GheorgheLipscani – “The Old Leipzig” of BucharestCule – Strange Strongholds of a Riotous PastVatra DorneiCluj NapocaDobrudja and the Danube DeltaBucharest – an european capitalBrasov – Part of the “Heart” of RomaniaTimisoara, Little ViennaRosia MontanaPeriam “Rock la Mures” FestSinaiaVama VecheSighisoara, medieval heavenHunedoaraSighisoaraSibiu – modernity with a German touchA visit in Piatra-NeamtVama Veche versus MamaiaThe mountain tourism in RomaniaA trip to Muntii ApuseniAn incursion in legends – BranTrips and winter sports on Valea PrahoveiTransilvania – The medieval land of StrongholdsBucovina and Northern MoldaviaMaramures – A Land From TalesTan and Fun at the Black SeaA wild land – The Danube Delta
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Iasi – A City Imbued With History and Culture
If one searches another place, except Bucharest, that contributed decisively to the Romanian history and culture, that can only be Iasi, capital city of the Iasi county and the most important city from the historical province of Moldavia.
Iasi is situated in Eastern part of Romania, in the Plain of Moldavia, on the river Bahlui and it consists of several hills (like in Rome), such as Cetatuia, Copou, Tatarasi and Galata. With a population of aproximately 400.000 inhabitants, it is the second largest city in Romania.
Iasi was first mentioned in 1408, in a document from the age of Alexander the Good (1400 – 1432), an illustrious ruler of Moldavia (a separate country that time). Its role since the medieval period to modern times has been overwhelming. It hosts the oldest university in Romania, the ”Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University and was the capital city of Romania between 1916 – 1918, during World War I, when Bucharest was occupied by German troops.
To get to know and enjoy Iasi throughly would take plenty of time, and, if you don’t have too much, you would have to be extremely selective. So, in order for you to leave Iasi with a compelling urge to come back again, there are a couple of places you should definitely see.
The Culture Palace is an impressive building situated in the city center. It was inaugurated in 1926, during the reign of king Ferdinand I (1865 – 1927, king of Romania from 1914 to his death). The place where it is built was not accidentally chosen, beacause it is the site where the residences of the Moldavian Voevods (rulers) used to be. Alexandru Morudzi (1806 – 1812) also built a palace here, but it was destroyed by a fire at the end of the XIXth century and, thus, the decision to raise an even more impressive building was taken.
The architect that supervised the construction of the Culture Palace was I. D. Berindei and he chose to employ a Neogothic style for the exterior, characterised by various decorations, which closely resemble a medieval bestiary – statues representing a two-headed eagle, a dragon, a griffin and a lion guard the entrances silently and mercilessly from above.
Despite its classic facade, the interior of the palace benefited from advanced materials and construction techniques. The building had electricity, central heating, ventilation systems; bearing in mind that the previous palace suffered because of the lack of fire prevention, the main architect used a fireproof material named orniton for the wooden parts of the attic and asbestos for the roof. The great Romanian scientist Henri Coanda invented a special kind of concrete, named bois-cement, which immitated the oak wood, that was used to decorate several rooms.
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