Hirjauca Monastery

Culture · The Codru Forests

Another religious pearl in the heart of Moldova is Hirjauca Monastery, built in 1740. In the beginning it consisted only of monks’ quarters and churches, but by the 19th Century it included an excellent library and school. The monastery was transformed into a spa during Soviet times – a move that reflected communism’s contempt for religion – but it became a religious complex again after the U.S.S.R. collapsed in the early 1990s. The woods surrounding the monastery are a relaxing place to recharge your batteries. Make sure you taste the water from the monastery’s Fantana Tineretii, or Fountain of Youth, which is said to have curative properties.