The \u021a\u00e2pova Landscape Reserve is a protected area, located near the village of the same name in Rezina district, Republic of Moldova.
\nIt covers an area of 306 ha.
\nThe object is managed by two organizations: the Orhei State Forestry Service of 204 ha and the Agricultural Enterprise “Lalova” of 102 ha.
\nThe area includes a complex of cliffs along the Dniester, a gorge, caves, cultural monuments, a rock monastery (11th century), waterfalls on steep slopes, forest of gorun, scumpie, hazel, hazelnut and other species.
\n\u021a\u00e2pova is surrounded by an aura of legends and myths.
\nThe worldly remains of the ancient singer Orpheus, who, according to legend, was buried in the cave of one of the local waterfalls, are still being sought here.
\n\u021a\u00e2pova is also unique in that only here, without human intervention, do fruit trees grow and continue to bear fruit.
\nAnd it’s not a question of wildness, the fruit grown here is no smaller or less sweet than in cultivated gardens.
\nAnd with taste they even surpass their cultural counterparts.
\nThis reminds you of the doctrine of permaculture, which states that when plants grow in a harmonious natural environment, they don’t need to be tended by humans and retain qualities of the best.
\nSituated on the banks of the Dniester River, the \u021a\u00e2pova Monastery stands out as a remarkable cave monastery, probably the most impressive in Moldova and one of the largest in Europe.
\nWith multiple levels stretching over a generous area, this monastery once housed over 700 monks in its hermitages, and today there are hundreds of monastery cells in the surrounding area.
\nThe origins of the monastic community date back long before the establishment of the feudal state of Moldavia.
\nSome of the monasteries are said to have been dug into the rocks on the banks of the Dniester as far back as the 10th-12th centuries, to protect against barbarian invasions from the Ukrainian steppes.
\nThe T\u00e2pova Monastery reveals a mesmerizing view of the Dniester riverbed, standing 100m above the water.
\nCarved out of limestone, the T\u00e2pova Monastery preserves the first rooms of the hermitage, originally located further north in a cliff above a steep bank.
\nThe anonymous craftsmen made the most of the relief of the site, transforming the rock mass into an architectural creation subordinated to their artistic vision.
\nThe monastic complex comprises three levels, housing several rooms, including two churches.
\nThe first church, built in the 13th-14th centuries, and the second church, built in the 16th-18th centuries, coexist with the bell tower, the cellars, the storerooms, the storerooms, the pantries and other spaces necessary for daily life, built in the 19th century.
\nT\u00e2pova Monastery, an architectural masterpiece of Moldavian cave architecture, is astonishing in its complexity.
\nWith more than 20 rooms connected by staircases and interior galleries, it is a treasure trove of connections and passages.
\nThe Church of the Assumption, with its generous space and basilica style, impresses.
\nThe plastered walls and hemispherical dome create an imitation of heaven.
\nWith the calming of the times, the monks went out over the bank and founded the hermitage and the present-day household.
\nParticularly after 1756, when the hermitage land was donated by Radu Racovi\u021b\u0103 to the Dobrov\u0103\u021b monastery in Vaslui County. In 1776, Monk Bartholomew Bartholomew, the founder of Saharna monastery, revitalized the hermitage, repairing the monastery’s khili and church, and restarting services.
\nThis year marked the beginning of the monastery’s expanding prosperity, with the cave church reconfigured for larger spaces.
\nThe waterfalls of \u021a\u00e2pova are significant natural features, bringing a sense of tranquility to the picturesque Moldovan landscape.
\nThe \u021a\u00e2pova stream gently curves towards the Dniester, forming a series of cascades ranging in height from 10-16 meters.
\nThese cascades not only offer a pleasant view, but were also of practical importance in the past, powering the water mills in the area.
\nFor those with a desire for adventure and exploration, access to these natural formations requires a short journey on a road that may not be exactly easy, but with each step, the discovery becomes more and more apparent.
\nOnce at the waterfalls, visitors can admire their size and beauty, as they are among the highest waterfalls in the area.
\nWith surrounding cliffs and attractive natural landscapes, the \u021a\u00e2pova waterfalls are a great place for nature, photography and adventure enthusiasts.
\nThis exciting part of Moldova is waiting to be discovered, offering a memorable experience amidst nature and its beauty. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The \u021a\u00e2pova Landscape Reserve is a protected area, located near the village of the same name in Rezina district, Republic of Moldova. It covers an area of 306 ha. The object is managed by two organizations: the Orhei State Forestry Service of 204 ha and the Agricultural Enterprise “Lalova” of 102 ha. The area includes…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":107716,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2855],"tags":[3096],"thb-sponsors":[],"class_list":["post-107713","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-rep-md","tag-nistru-en"],"article_style_override":"","post-style":"","post_via":"","post-top-image":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rhn.ro\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/107713","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rhn.ro\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rhn.ro\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rhn.ro\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rhn.ro\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=107713"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/rhn.ro\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/107713\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rhn.ro\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/107716"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rhn.ro\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=107713"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rhn.ro\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=107713"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rhn.ro\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=107713"},{"taxonomy":"thb-sponsors","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rhn.ro\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/thb-sponsors?post=107713"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}