Fifty kilometres to the northwest of the Moldovan capital, Chișinău, lies the town of Old Orhei along the Răut River. Old Orhei (locally known as Orheiul Vechi) is a Moldovan historical and archaeological complex located in Trebujeni. The area around Orheiul Vechi contains traces of different civilizations over many centuries and has become a focus for archaeological excavations.
After World War II, archaeologists uncovered several layers of ancient buildings in this area, including a fortress built in the 14th century by Stefan cel Mare (also known as “Stephen III of Moldavia” and “Stephen the Great”). His fortress was later destroyed by the Tartars. They also uncovered the remnants of a defence wall surrounding the monastery dating back to around the 15th century. Some of their finds are on exhibit in Moldovan National History Museum in Chișinău.
About seven kilometres south, down a winding road, is an old Eastern Orthodox monastery, referred to as the “Cave Monastery of Orheiul Vechi” (Manastire in Pestera). The monastery is located in the limestone rock caves, eroded by the river over millennia. The caves are inside a cliff high above the gently meandering Răut River surrounded by a verdant valley.
According to legend, the caves were dug by Orthodox monks during the 13th century and remained inhabited up until the 18th century. Five years after Moldova declared its independence from the USSR in 1991, a few monks returned to the caves for the first time in a long period. They cleaned it up, moved in, and made this secluded location once again a place of worship.
The monastery is still inhabited by a handful of Orthodox monks who somewhat reluctantly welcomes the odd visitor who stumbles into their domain.
The monks seem to sleep on the pure bedrock in tiny stone nooks (called chilii), each opening up into a central corridor. There’s also a stone terrace, from where the views over the surrounding fields are beautiful.
It is easy to find the caves as the “windows” are clearly visible from the small winding road leading from the village located to the north of the caves. The cliff-face is dotted with many caves dug over the millennia by Geto-Dacian tribes from before Christ’s time. The cliffs here contains six complexes of interlocking caves, most of which are accessible only by rock climbers and are off-limits to casual visitors.
The monastery is marked by a small bell tower and a cross standing on the nearby rocks.
The cave monastery has a colourful history and contain an array of historical artefacts and even has some Old Church Slavonic inscriptions dating from the 1690s.
The monks also maintain a small chapel (the Church of Ascension of St. Mary) on the cliff for the local villagers, even though the caves also are still functional as chapels.
Google Maps: Search for “Mănăstirile rupestre din Orheiul Vechi, Moldova”
Getting here: Reaching the monastery by public transport is not easy, but is possible. In Chișinău, head over to to Piata Centrala (the Central Bazaar). At the backside of the bazaar are many marshrutka (shared taxis and minivans) that travel all over Moldova and even beyond its borders. Each marshrutka has a sign in the front windows indicating its end destination. Find the marshrutka with a sign “Butaceni” or “Trebujeni”. You need to take one of these destinations and not Orhei, as Orhei and Orheiul Vechi is not the same place – though not far apart. The cost is about US$3 one-way.
If you take the Butaceni bound marshrutka, get of at the last stop. However, if on the Trebujeni bound marshrutka, get off at the junction with a sign ” ‘Orheiul Vechi Complex’. From here, follow your Google Maps and walk to the monastery. Hitch-hiking works well. You most likely will find a willing driver to take you all the way to the monastery, wait for you, and take you back to the main road – for just a few dollars.
There are also old slow buses going north on the mainroad though I am not sure where they leave from. Get off at the juntion to Orheiul Vechi from where you can walk or hitch a hike. It’s quite a long walk so try your best to get a lift. In summers, it can get very hot, and snow is possible in winter.
Dress Code: The cave is a monastery which is a religious site. Please make sure to dress conservatively. Men should wear long pants and women should have their legs covered by trousers or an ankle-length skirt. Women must also wear a head a scarf upon entering the monastery and the church. There seems to be a small entrance fee to the monastery though I was not asked to pay as I was not even aware of the fee.
Views from the Cave Monastery over the Răut River and the valley Entrance tunnel down to the Cave Monastery Steps leading into the Cave Monastery Inside the Cave Monastery Inside the Cave Monastery Sleeping quarters of the monks
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Blog post and photos by Peter who has been travelling almost full-time since 2005 and has been to over 122 countries. He visited several countries, such as Japan, more than 20 times. Peter is Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of GlobeRovers Magazine, an independent travel magazine focused on intrepid destinations.