Romania - Eastern Europe - page 559

sit and compose his finest poems; look for a bust of the writer near the main entrance,
and then find that of his lover, Veronica, facing him from a distance.
Palatul Culturii (Palace of Culture) Formerly housing the city's government,
this massive neo-Gothic fairy-tale castle was built between 1906 and 1925; on this site
are also some of the remains of the 15th-century princely court. The palace entrance
is marked by a late-19th-century equestrian statue of ! tefan cel Mare, and there's a
memorial to local heroes who died in the 1989 revolution. Fabulously ornate bal-
conies, stairways guarded by stone-sculpted birds of prey, stained-glass windows, and
massive tapestries (look for those by Liviu Suhor) make the Palace worth a visit in its
own right, but it also hosts a number of museums, galleries, and temporary exhibi-
tions. Prioritize the Muzeul de Arta (Art Museum), with its fine survey of several
important Romanian artists, notably Nicolae Grigorescu, who excelled at rendering
pale, impressionistic scenes of village life. More modern works include those by Nico-
lae Tonzita (1886-1940), ! tefan Dimitrescu (1886-1933), and the fabulous Theodor
Pallady (1871-1956), who seems to have favored nudes and still-life paintings. Also
in this building are an Ethnographic Museum, dealing with aspects of village life,
and a History Museum, which focuses on Moldavia's past.
B-dul !tefan cel Mare @i Sfânt. & 0232/21-8383. Art Museum entrance is L2.50 (90¢/50p). Fri-Wed 10am-5pm.
Metropolitan Cathedral Completed as recently as 1839 (although started in
1761), Catedrale Metropolitana Sf. Parascheva—the country's biggest Orthodox
cathedral—is virtually always busy with believers who've come to worship, receive
blessings, or meditate; never more so than in October on the day of its patron saint,
Paraschiva, when many complete the journey on their knees or lie completely pros-
trate. Paintings by Gheorghe Tattarescu adorn the vast interior.
B-dul !tefan cel Mare @i Sfânt.
Biserica Sfin$ilor Trei Ierarhi Dedicated to three saints, the vividly deco-
rated Church of the Three Hierarchs mingles various architectural styles—eastern ele-
ments play off against Renaissance and western Gothic forebears, generating a look
that is quite original and fantastic. Prince Vasile Lupu built it between 1637 and 1639;
to make doubly certain of his place in heaven, he adorned the exterior with silver,
gold, and lapis lazuli. In the church are the tombs of Lupu and his family, as well as
the Moldavian princes Dimitrie Cantemir and Alexandru Ioan Cuza, who first uni-
fied Moldavia and Wallachia in 1859. Now part of a monastic complex, the church
grounds include a museum featuring frescoes of the 17th century.
B-dul !tefan cel Mare @i Sfânt. Admission L2 (70¢/40p). Museum Tues-Sun 10am-4pm.
WINE-TASTING NEAR IA! I
Another reason to be in Ia @ i is to visit the 15th-century vineyards of Cotnari, just
54km (33 miles) away. Home to some of the country's most famous grapes, Cotnari
produces huge quantities of a dessert wine that was much loved by Stephen the Great.
Visit Cotnari Winery ( & 0232/73-0393; www.cotnari.ro) for wine-tastings, tours,
and—on September 14—harvest celebrations. Bucium winery is only 7km (4 1 ⁄ 3
miles) south of Ia @ i and is popular for its champagne.