ddd+ Being extremely rich in monasteries the XIXth century Basarabia was named a "Southern Thebaide". The uniqueness of spatial compositions of Basarabian monasteries is owed to the various architectural and landscape patterns combined with the maximal use of relief forms, aquatic resources and green plantations. According to the researches performed by the researcher Luminita Ilevitchi, monasteries of Basarabia may be divided into three distinct groups: the core group, which is the most numerous, comprising 14 monasteries; Northern group, which includes 6 monasteries and the last group, located along the rivers Dniester and Raut, composed of 5 monasteries. By the dint of history vicissitudes southern part of the Republic of Moldova is poorer in terms of monastic settlements. Written records attest the fact that the greatest part of current monasteries initially existed under the forms of cells with tiny wooden churches or rupestral dwellings, which were digged in rock. Some time later, these wooden edifices or rupestral cells were replaced by stone or brick constructions. The greatest part of Basarabian monasteries includes either summer or winter churches, refectories, chattels, monks' cells and other household annexes. Certain monasteries include agricultural tracts, vine terraces, gardens and irrigation systems and, quite seldom, artesian fountains. The history of Basarabian monasteries was the dramatic one. Apart from invasions of Turks and Muslim Tartars in past, these hearths of Christian spirituality had a lot to suffer even after the World War II - a period, when communist authorities, who everywhere imposed the so-called "scientific atheism", closed the greatest part of dwellings and Basarabian monasteries, transforming them into storehouses, sanitary and curative institutions and correction schools etc.
The most renowned Basarabian monastery is the one from Capriana, mentioned for the first time during the reign of Alexandru cel Bun, in 1420, under the name of "Chiprian's glade, donated to the Councilor Oana". Its current aspect is owed to the Bishop Gavriil Banulescu-Bodoni, who substantially rebuilt an old summer church "Assumption of the Virgin" within 1819-1820, built of stone during the Petru Rares ruling (1545).
Even older than Capriana monastery is said to be the Varzaresti monastery, attested already on 25th of April 1420 by a deed of confirmation of boyar Venea's estate, but it was completely devastated by Tartars in the XVII-XVIIIth centuries, having been rebuilt only after 1770 by virtue of Constantin Macarescu's efforts.
Successor of Moldovan architectural traditions, the Rudi Monastery (Rughi) is one of the most significant architectural ensembles in the north of Basarabia. Having been situated in a picturesque vale of the current reservation Rudi-Arionesti on the banks of the river Bulboana, the Rudi locality is mentioned already in 1495. The cell and the church are dated more recently, having been founded in 1777, according to the data provided by the priest A.Protenco. The monastery church has a trefoil plan and disposes two rows of blind niches that surround the edifice perimeter. Owing to this blind arcade, specific to Moldovan medieval architecture, the monotony of church walls is enlivened by rich plays of light and shadow.
The Harbovat monastery is erected on the Ichel bank, not far from the village with identical name, having been founded in 1730 by the boyar Constantin Carpuz,ddd although there are certain versions stating that it might have been older. The above-mentioned monastery is renowned due to the Holly Virgin Miracle Worker icon from Harbovat, - an icon found at this monastery approximately in the XIXth century was ordered in Saint Petersburg by the wife of a Russian colonel, N.Albaduiev, who died at the end of the XVIII at Harbovat.
The Saint Trinity monastic complex is situated within one of the picturesque gullies in the neighborhood of the village of Saharna. The old historic core of the monastery represented a rupestral cell in Saharna dating from the XVI-XVIIth centuries. The Saharna Monastery (wall) was founded in the second half of the XVIIIth century by the Monk Bartholomew and is located on three succeeding each other terraces. Local monastic constructions were surrounded by gardens on the territory of which there were 22 cascades, harmoniously integrating the architectural ensemble within a scenic landscape.
The Harjauca monastery was founded in 1740, but it was demolished subsequently due to Tartar invasions. Current Harjauca ensemble is executed within the XIXth century in a style close to Russian neoclassicism. Just like the Saharna monastery, the Harjauca monastery houses a park-garden crossed by springs and endowed by fountains, protected by small decorative pavilions.
The monastic ensemble of Curchi stands in the heart of the Republic of Moldova and was founded in 1765, according to documentary sources. The court and monastic constructions are located on two constructions, surrounded by stonewalls cornered by turrets.
In the northeastern part of Moldova, on Dniester bank the Japca monastery with the temple "God's Ascension" is located. Having been initially founded in the middle of the XVIth century as a cell by the monks of Deleni, a village situated in Moldova after the river Pruth, the first Japca church was digged into rock. In the course of time, the monastery expands, occupying a terrace of the Dniester bank, where approximately in 1825 Constantin Andronic constructed a summer church. The aforementioned church was demolished and another huge summer church was constructed on its site in 1915 - an unusual eclectic edifice, which dominates the entire monastic ensemble.
The last monastic ensemble, constructed on the territory of the Republic of Moldova within the Tsarist period is the New Neamt Monastery in Chitcani. The history of this monastery is closely connected with the history of Neamt monastery located on the right side of Pruth, a famous center of medieval Moldovan culture. After secularization of monastery patrimony during the reign of the ruler Alexandru Ioan Cuza, a part of monks from Neamt went to Basarabia, lands belonging to them since Stefan cel Mare times and founded in 1859 the New Neamt monastery. The monk, Teofan Cristea and the celibate priest, Andronic Popovici, used to be the founders of the aforementioned monastery, who along the half of the century (1865-1912) erected four churches, a hospital, a refectory and two-storied cells. A belfry with an altitude of 74 meters was constructed in 1912 to act as an entrance to the monastery. Today it dominates the entire architectonic ensemble.
The fact of transportation of the old library, belonging to Neamt monastery to the New Neamt monastery, which included invaluable masterpieces of the medieval miniatures and precious books - first printed works, a part of which was unfortunately lost during the XXth century, is extremely notable for the history of Moldova.
Among many important monasteries of Basarabia, is worth to mention the following:
- The Hancul Monastery, located in Judets of Ungheni and founded by the High Steward Mihail Hancul in 1678, was reconstructed from the foundation in the XIXth century;
- The Condrita Monastery, founded in 1783 by the celibate priest Iosif, arrived to those places from the Capriana monastery;
- The Cuseleuca (either known as Coseleauca) Monastery was founded in 1786 by the pious freeholder from the village of Costiujeni, Maria Tocanos;
- The Suruceni Monastery, founded in 1785 by the celibate priest Iosif and purveyor Casian Suruceanu;
- The Tiganesti Monastery, founded in 1725 by the boyar Lupu Dencu and freeholders from the villages of Cobalca and Tiganesti;
- The Dobrusa Monastery, founded in 1772 by the monk Ioasaf, arrived from the Probota monastery;
- The Tabara Monastery, founded in 1784 by Gheorghe Russo, according to some sources. Other sources state that it was the Bailiff of the Russo-Darie Carp estate, who founded it in 1779.
To conclude with the review of monasteries located on the territory of the Republic of Moldova, it should be emphasized that the greatest part of these monasteries takes roots in the remote past. The aforementioned monasteries were founded and existed before 1812, a year, when Basarabia was occupied by the Tsarist Empire. Although in the XVI-XVIIIth centuries Basarabia, as an integral part of medieval Moldova, is under the vassalage of the Ottoman Gates, the monks of these monasteries took part and enriched the Christian spirituality of the country.
