Fortresses, manors and monuments

Heritage

From the country’s only UNESCO site to medieval fortresses, noble manor houses and living traditions — the built and unwritten inheritance of the Republic of Moldova, gathered together.

UNESCO World Heritage Site

Moldova has a single entry on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

The Struve Geodetic Arc

inscribed in 2005

A chain of triangulation stations running from Norway to the Black Sea across ten countries, used in the nineteenth century to measure the shape of the Earth. The Moldovan station stands near the village of Rudi, in the north.

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Fortresses

Soroca fortress

16th c. · on the Dniester

One of the best-preserved medieval strongholds in the region. Its present circular form, with five towers, dates from the reign of Petru Rareș, son of Ștefan cel Mare.

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Tighina fortress (Bender)

on the bank of the Dniester

A stone fortress raised in the Ottoman period on the site of an earlier fortification, on the right bank of the Dniester, in the town of Bender.

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Orheiul Vechi

on the UNESCO tentative list

An archaeological and natural landscape on a bend of the Răut, with a cave monastery and traces of settlement from several periods. A candidate for the World Heritage list.

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Manor houses and castles

Castel Mimi

Bulboaca · 1893

The residence built by Constantin Mimi, the last governor of Bessarabia, now an estate with a winery, a restaurant and gardens — one of the most photographed buildings in the country.

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The Manuc Bei manor

Hîncești

A nineteenth-century noble estate built by the family of the merchant Manuc Bei, restored and open to visitors.

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Religious heritage

The Nativity Cathedral

Chișinău · 19th c.

The metropolitan cathedral in the centre of the capital, with its bell tower, a symbol of the city.

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The cave monasteries on the Dniester

Țipova, Saharna

Hermitages cut straight into the rock above the Dniester. Țipova holds the oldest cave hermitage in Eastern Europe.

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Curchi monastery

Orhei district · 18th c.

The largest monastic complex in the country, nicknamed the „Jerusalem of Moldova", and strikingly restored.

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See all the monasteries

UNESCO intangible heritage

Living traditions on the UNESCO intangible cultural heritage list, several of them jointly with Romania.

Men’s group carolling

2013

The winter carolling custom, recognised jointly with Romania.

The craft of the scoarță

2016

The hand-woven wall carpet, with geometric and floral motifs, recognised jointly with Romania.

Mărțișor

2017

The 1 March custom of red-and-white tokens, recognised alongside several countries in the region.

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The altiță-embroidered shirt

2022

The traditional blouse embroidered at the shoulder, recognised jointly with Romania.

Where to stay in Moldova — compare and book

Hotels, apartments and guesthouses on one map, with prices compared across Booking, Airbnb and other platforms.

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Frequently asked questions

Questions about Moldova’s heritage

How many UNESCO sites does Moldova have?

One on the World Heritage list: the Struve Geodetic Arc, inscribed in 2005, with a station near the village of Rudi. Orheiul Vechi is on the tentative list.

Which is the best-known fortress in Moldova?

Soroca fortress, on the bank of the Dniester, one of the best-preserved medieval strongholds in the region.

Which manor houses can be visited?

Castel Mimi at Bulboaca and the Manuc Bei manor at Hîncești, both restored and open to the public.

Which Moldovan traditions are recognised by UNESCO?

Men’s group carolling, the craft of wall-carpet weaving, Mărțișor and the altiță-embroidered shirt — all on the intangible heritage list, several of them jointly with Romania.