Capriana Monastery

The Capriana monastery and its surrounding village - some other beads in the Moldovan historical monuments chain, are situated in the immensity of green forests of the picturesque Codri region.

 The Capriana Monastery is one of the oldest monasteries in Moldova. In the first decades after the founding of the Moldova Country, in 1359, historical documents prove the existence of a monastery dedicated to the "Assumption of the Virgin" in the secular Lapusna forests.

 This seat is found a century later, with the name of the Cyprian's Monastery or the Capriana Monastery.

 It would become the Royal Monastery in 1429, when Alexander the Good, marrying the daughter of one of the monastery's local founders, disposed, by royal decree, the new status and privileges of the monastery.

 Stephen the Great linked his name with the monastery by raising here a stone church dedicated to the "Assumption of the Virgin".

 The first half of the XVII century was a hard time for the monastery, falling into ruin. The monastery's poor condition determined Petru Rares, in his second reign, to rebuild it between 1542 and 1545.

 Over the decades, the Capriana monastery suffered several natural disasters (earthquakes, fires), but it revived every time, as a Fenix bird from the ashes. This was due to the many rulers of the country, who were among the founders of the monastery.

In February and April 2003, there was organized a fundraising radio-telemarafon for the monastery's reconstruction.

 Presently, the monastery is brilliant again and has opened doors for everyone willing to visit it. You can see three churches, a two floors house and monks' cells within the monastery.

 Also, there are some other interesting things to see close to the monastery: the "Capriana-Scoreni" landscape reserve, the Stephen the Great's Oak, the "Rachula" Monastery and the "Cojushna" wine factory.