The Metropolitan Cathedra

l Bishop Veniamin Costache is the one who had the idea of building in Iasi a monumental church. The plan for this church was designed by the architects Johann Freywald and Bucher. The works took place first between 1833-1839 and then between 1880-1887, this time following the plans of the Romanian architect, Alexandru Orascu. The painting of the cathedral was done by Gheorghe Tattarescu.It was inaugurated on 23April 1887, at this event also taking part King Carol I and Bishop Iosif Naniescus.In 1889 the relics of Saint Paraschiva were brought from Three Hierarchs Church to the new cathedral.

Golia Monastery

Old foundation from the 16 century of chancellor Ioan Golia, the church was restored at other dimensions by sovereign Vasile Lupu between 1650-1653 and finished by his son, Stefanita Voda.The monastery is surrounded by a high wall, with spires at the corners raised in 1667 and a steeple tower restored in 1900.The tower of Golia is 30 m height. The visitor who wants to have a panorama of the city has to climb 120 stairs. The tower is one of city’s symbols.During 1943-1947 restoration works took place at Golia, the monastery’s church being reopened after that.In 1955, in two rooms on the Eastern part of the precinct, “Creanga” Museum was inaugurated, with documentary materials regarding the life of the great writer which was curate of monastery’s church.

Cetatuia Monastery was built by sovereign Gheorghe Duca between 1669-1672. At the beginning, the church was surrounded by high rock walls, with bulwarks and a guard road, entrance and corner towers.What makes Cetatuia unique is that it has maintained the whole ensemble of monastic architecture. On the Southern part of the precinct stands the Gothic Room “Doamna Anastasia”. The royal palace is a fortified building from the 17 century. The steeple tower and the massiveness of the walls are proving the fact that the monastery was conceived also as a refuge place, being in case of need, a real fortress.The monastery’s church is specific for the religious Moldavian architecture of the 17century.The monastic ensemble which was restored in the inter-war period at Nicolae Iorga’s request also includes a museum with numerous religious objects.

The church was built between 1579-1584 by prince Petre Schiopul.The first church of the monastery was ruined after a short time, this fact determining the founder to build a second church on the hill dominating Nicolina river valley, in 1583. As regards the name of the monastery, some historians believe that it comes from the name of Galata neighbourhood in Constantinople . The interior painting was destroyed in 1762 during a blaze and it was repainted in 1811 by Vasile Dubrovski.The palace founded by Petru Schiopu was kept in the monastery’s precinct in a good form after the restoration.

The first information concerning it dates from 1583 when a little church was built with the help of sprince Petru Schiopu. In 1625, boyar Enache Caragea built the present “Saint Sava” church, in Oriental style. Between 1676-1678, during prince Antonie Russet, the wall surrendering the monastery was built. Destroyed by time, the church was restored in two important steps: in 1820, when it was completely rebuilt and in 1844, when it was renewed. However, the monastery preserved its original Byzantine character of the 17, unique in the Moldavian architecture.

Today’s “Saint Spiridon” Church was built between 1805-1807 on the place of an older and smaller church which was seriously damaged by the earthquake on 26th October 1802 . according to the rotive in the church porch, written in Romanian with Cyrillic letters and dating from 1847, on this place were also built, in time, other three churches. These ones suffered either because of some natural phenomena, either because of foreign occupation. The steeple tower of the church dates from 1786. Its architecture was influenced by the decorative elements of the Russian Baroque. In the inferior part of the steeple tower there are two water pumps with the sovereign’s mark on their frontispiece.

The building of the old cathedral was first built from wood in 1753, on the place of an older church. Between 1782-1789, the church was rebuilt from brick and it remained so until these days. By the time, it suffered some restoration works, especially after the 1802’s earthquake and the blaze in 1827.In 1861, at the initiative of bishop Iosif Salandri, some new works of restoration and extension were made and the interior of the church was painted by Giuseppe Carta from Palermo . White marble altars and via cruces icons were also brought. Today, near the old cathedral, one can see a new church, a very modern building, circular and which has in its central part an oblong spire finished by a cross.