Iași – Window on the World

Destination 》Europe 》Central and Eastern Europe 》Romania 》Iași

Year Visited: 2018 – August

I visited Iași during my five plus months backpacking journey across Central and Eastern Europe. After few days in Moldova, I took a marshrutka to Iași, the second largest city in Romania, located in the historical region of Moldavia. The city was the capital of the Principality of Moldavia from 1564 to 1859, was also the capital of Romania from 1916 to 1918.

Known as the cultural capital of Romania, Iași has traditionally been one of the leading centers of Romanian social, cultural, academic and artistic life. Home to the oldest Romanian university and to the first engineering school, Iași is also one of the most important education and research centers of the country, and accommodates over 60,000 students in 5 public universities.

Photos below are from my few days stay in this beautiful Historical capital of Romania.

Welcome Back to Romania! Welcome to Iași! A beautiful Manhole Cover with City’s Coat of Arms.

St. Paraschiva Metropolitan Cathedral, a 19th-century Orthodox church built in Italian Renaissance style. It is the largest historic Orthodox church in Romania.

Mănăstirea Trei Ierarhi (Monastery of the Three Hierarchs), erected between 1637 and 1639, in honor of three saints. The Church is renowned for the extraordinary lacery in stone which adorns the facades. In 1640, the first printing press in Moldavia was set up here. Many Romanian royal figures are buried inside the church including Alexandru Ioan Cuza, the first ruler of the united Romanian principalities.

A window inside Monastery of the Three Hierarchs

Biserica Sfântul Nicolae Domnesc (Saint Nicholas Princely Church), a Romanian Orthodox church established by Stephen the Great after the 1485 Battle of Cătlăbuga.

The Iași National Theater (or Vasile Alecsandri National Theater) founded on 15 May 1840, as the Great Theatre of Moldavia.

Mihai Viteazu, known as Michael the Brave, considered one of Romania’s greatest national heroes. Since the 19th-century Michael is seen as a symbol of Romanian unity, as under his reign was the first time when all principalities inhabited by Romanians were under the same ruler.

Palace of Culture, One of the most impressive building, built during 1906 – 1925 in flamboyant neogothic style, stands partly on the ruins of a medieval royal court dating from 1434. Today, the 365-room palace houses a library and four of the city’s museums.