Ciuflea Monastery – Moldavia youngest monstery
Ciufley Monster is in Chisineau itself, To get to there I walked all the way from the center, which is super easy: follow Stefan cel Mare si Sfant Boulevard to the intersection with Strada Ciuflea, a gigantic intersection that can be crossed by passing a pitch-dark underpass underneath.
The monastery’s onion-shaped shiny domes can be seen from afar, the perfect Russian-Byzantine church. Actually, over the years it grew into a whole compound of various buildings, including a small museum. The inside is equally striking, an overload of blue and golden frescos and orthodox icons, very baroque.
Ciuflea Monastery
The wealthy merchant Anastase Ciuflea financed the construction and him and his brother are buried there. It was finished in 1885, at that time, it marked the outer limit of the then city of Chisinau. Ciuflea is the youngest monastery in Moladvia and the only one inside of Chisinau.
Capriana Monastery – the cradle of Moldavian culture
Capriana Monastery – the cradle of Moldavian culture
After walking around Chisinau for day I felt like seeing something else. I consulted my host at Hotel Florence if they knew a person who would drive me to what Moldavia is very famous for – its many ancient monasteries. Of course, they did and so I got to see a cradle of Moldavian written language, music and architecture. It was not a long drive, 40km north-west of Chisinau. Arriving at Capriana Monastery is quite an experience, since the setting itself is so very beautiful. It was built in 1429 as a wooden structure, which makes it one of the oldest monasteries in Moldavia.
Monastery of Răciula – nuns territory
We drove further north— west, probably another 30km, which took us to the Monastery of Răciula founded in 1797. As soon as I got out of the car I was spellbound by the most beautiful singing. Naturally I had to find the source – a group of nuns inside the church. That’s when I learned that Răciula today is a convent for nuns. The last step of a turbulent history, including being closed under the Soviet regime for 30 years. In 1990 it was finally returned to the monks. But what struck me most was what happened after the singing – the nuns lined up to be blessed by a priest and then after lots of bending and turning kiss various icons. This was the summer of 2021, most of us were still wearing masks, at least in Austria. To see twenty women kissing the same icon in intervals of 20 seconds, left me speechless.
Condrita Monastery
My guide insisted to visit this third monastery, I was already a bit overdosed, but it was on the way back to Chisinau, so I agreed. And it was worth it, because it was very different.One building is rather ascetic, blocks of grey stone and a simple altar, most unusual where the wooden seats that line the semicircle and had to be tested of course. The other building was the usually rich baroque with lots of frescos and gold.
Condrita Monastery
Condrita Monastery
Condrita Monastery
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