If this year you have made a goal out of traveling throughout our country, you need to put Iasi in your top-to-visit city list. Iasi is not just one of the most important cities from a cultural, economic, and political standpoint, but also one of the oldest and most imposing ones. Once in Iasi, you will follow in Stefan the Great’s footsteps and you will be able to visit Mihai Eminescu’s most treasured locations, that inspired his beloved poetry.
Iasi provides you with many tourist attractions and well-arranged spaces, that will charm you from the very first moment and that you will want to see again and again. Here is a list of what you can visit during your stay in Iasi:
One of the most popular and powerful symbols of Iasi is the Palace of Culture. The work of I. D. Berindei was created between 1906-1925, inaugurated by King Ferdinand the 1st of Romania. This impressive construction hosts numerous prestigious cultural institutions and was recently rehabilitated. You will discover four museums here, that will help you understand the Romanian history and culture: Moldavian History Museum, Ethnographic Museum, Art Museum, and the Science and Technology Stefan Procopiu Museum.
As for the Palas Shopping Mall, we believe you have already found out that it is the most beloved architectural project accomplished in Iasi, not only because of the plenty of stores for the fashion lovers but also because of the charming garden that surrounds the mall. The green spaces allow you to relax, leave your worries at home, and lures you into a dream. The terraces surrounding the green spaces represent the perfect place where you can spend quality time with your loved ones.
Copou Park manages to surprise you right as you walk in. Mihai Eminescu’s statue, located near the famous poetry linden tree and Ion Creanga’s statue, will make you feel like you’re in the past, where the great artists will charm you with their unspeakable talent. Other alleys of this park hide moments dedicated to Ion Luca Caragiale, George Toparceanu, Octavian Bancila, and Ciprian Porumbescu.
It is the first university garden and the largest in Romania at this time. Over 9000 vegetal taxons from different geographical regions can be admired inside and outside. The work on the garden over the years allowed for the creation of excellent conditions for exotic plant preservation and recreation, so that their extinction can be avoided.
One of the oldest in Romania and one of the most beautiful in Europe. Its elegant and beautifully decorated interior was inspired by baroque and rococo architectural styles, one of its roofs painted by the famous Austrian painted Alexander Goltz. Its curtain was also painted by hand, symbolizing the 3 stages of life and an allegory for the unification of Romania. The numerous plays that are famous nationally and internationally are played here frequently.
The Gheorghe Asachi library was designated as being the most beautiful in the world, in an online competition in which famous names around the world were a part of, like Trinity College Library of Dublin, Royal Portuguese Library of Buenos Aires, and the National Library of Prague. With over a million books journals and technical documents, this study space provides a true spiritual load for humankind.
If you are impressed and want to stop at „Alexandru Ioan Cuza” university, you have to visit the Hall of Lost Steps. The color palette chosen by the famous Sabin Balasa and the original theme he tackled reflects the youth of the soul, symbolizing archaic poetry throughout those 19 unique murals.
If you are a history lover and want to visit past-inspired locations, Ion Creanga’s small house is ideal for that. Considered and designated the first memorial house of Romania, it carries the fingerprints of the past and unique talent of the great storyteller Ion Creanga, who took us throughout a story of unending mischief and funny events from his childhood.
The city of Iasi offers numerous history, culture, and art lessons to those interested in discovering the symbols of archaic life in Moldavia, priceless for the entire country. In Iasi, you will never be bored. It offers not only contemporary ways of having fun, but it also provides the chance to taste Moldavian food served in traditional restaurants, where you can also enjoy wines made around the area of Iasi that go hand in hand with the food.