A year spent in a new place, in a city unknown until now. This happened to me, and now, after I returned to my house, in my hometown, Bucharest I realize that I am missing it.
The only way I see now to detach myself a little from this city is to remember it, to consume my memories. That's what I'm doing now ...
In a few words about Iasi. Located in the northeast of Romania, this is one of the big cities, a city with a history and great importance in this country. There are three major regions in Romania: Transylvania, where the city of Cluj is the most important; Muntenia where Bucharest is the first city, and is also the capital of Romania; ... and Moldova where Iasi, the city we are talking about is the largest and most important.
Both the inhabitants and the tourists, mixed in a beautiful harmony, are seen on the boulevard Stefan cel Mare and Sfant. A boulevard that half its length is exclusively pedestrian. This is a very good and wise choice of city management because here are many of the most important objectives in the city. Objectives sought by tourists who inform themselves before visiting something. The Internet is a great help for those traveling. The boulevard starts (or ends, depending on which direction you come from) on the square of the palace of culture..
This boulevard has everything, everything a traveler might be interested in. Many old buildings, built hundreds of years ago. This, for example, is a high school, it is called Gheorghe Asachi. Asachi was a nineteenth-century personality who developed higher education in Romania.
This is where the story begins ... the walk. The gaze is drawn everywhere, to buildings, to stalls, to flowers, to people. People are the most interesting.
This is where the story begins ... the walk. The gaze is drawn everywhere, to buildings, to stalls, to flowers, to people. People are the most interesting.
What is shining attracts and distracts us from other things. Whoever arranged this route knows this and put some shiny cars in our path. Nobody can miss taking pictures!
Always walking and the different emotions, inevitable when you are more on unknown streets, in an unknown city, cause hunger. The food has to be handy and it really is, even if you have to stand in line for it.
Just a snack, a pie or a donut are enough to charge the batteries and move on.
Thus, with the restored powers, one can go to the most important part of this route through the city center. Viewing of monuments, historical buildings.
Dosftei House. The Museum of Literature.
Here we can see buildings from different eras. Blocks built in 1970-80, Dosoftei House built in 1677 and Sf. Neculai Domnesc church, built in 1491! This can be seen frequently in Iasi and other cities in Romania, areas in which there are very old buildings among contemporary buildings. Unfortunately, during the communist period many old and valuable buildings were demolished.
Here, in Iasi, this mix between the old and the new has managed to be harmonious.
The Church of the Three Hierarchs
The Church of the Three Hierarchs was built between 1637-1639 and is one of the most beautiful churches in Romania. Inside it are buried two important rulers of Moldova and the first ruler of Romania, Alexandru Ioan Cuza.
Metropolitan Cathedral
The Metropolitan Cathedral is the most important religious center in the country in terms of pilgrimages. Every October there are hundreds of thousands of people gather to worship the relics of Saint Paraskeva.
Romanian National Theater and Opera Iasi
Built between 1894 and 1896, by Viennese architects Ferdinand Fellner junior and Hermann Helmer. It is considered the most beautiful theater construction in Romania ... and among the most beautiful in Europe.
In this part of the boulevard, in the area of the cathedral and of the theater, the pedestrian area ends. A flower barrier separates the two parts.
Usually, people come back and walk in the opposite direction, to the Palace of Culture, There are many more to see. Now I look at people ... there are many churches nearby and it is impossible not to have a priest or a nun.
Some get tired faster and need to take a break for coffee and rest.
I forgot about the flowers. The flowers are not missing from the boulevard to the joy of those who love their fragility and beauty.
Another place highly appreciated by tourists is the area at the end of the boulevard that we have talked about so far, namely the area where the Palace of Culture, the park and Palace Mall. There are many restaurants and terraces that offer good quality food and one of them is my favorite.
Staropramen restaurant
Staropramen is a well-known Czech beer brand. A very good beer, especially unfiltered beer. I often drink beer here and I can say that I am a loyal customer. I warmly recommend this restaurant.
Now I have to remember the aspect of travel in Romania. The costs. A great advantage for those who come here are still low prices. The wages and purchasing power in Romania are low (as in many of the former communist states of Eastern Europe) and because of this the prices are relatively low and advantageous for the tourists from the west.
This small snack (sausage and bruschetta) next to two beer cans costs about $ 14.
The restaurant terrace is on the edge of the Palace of Culture Park. A very beautiful and perfect park for walking and relaxing.
This staircase leads from the park to the Palace of Culture market. The place where we started our walk through the city center of Iasi from Romania. A city where chances are very high to feel good, so I recommend you try, if you are close, to visit it.
By far the Palace of Culture is waiting for visitors ...
... and a flower waiting to be discovered.
 @bluemoon | ||
|---|---|---|
