Varzareshty Jewish Cemetery

According to legend, the monastery of Hîncu was built by the Moldavian boyar Mihalcea Hîncu (17th century) after he and his daughter Paraschiva escaped from the Tartars. During his escape, he had sworn to build a monastery if they escaped. The monastery is now in the place where the escape succeeded. It was not until 1835 that the monastery, until then mainly made of wood, was equipped with stone buildings. From 1956 to 1990, the monastery was closed by the Soviet Union and the site was used as a recreation centre by the Ministry of Health. Since its reopening, the monastery has undergone extensive repairs.

Căpriana monastery is one of the oldest monasteries in Moldova, mentioned for the first time in the 1420s. Having the status of a royal monastery, the monastery establishment has benefited from the care of several rulers of Moldova including Stephen III of Moldavia (1457-1504), Petru Rareș (1527-1538). The first stone church, dedicated to the Assumption, was built during the reign of Alexander the Good, around 1425. In 1840, a second church of the monastery was built, dedicated to Saint George, and in 1903 a third church was dedicated to Saint Nicholas. In 1962, the monastery was closed: a sanatorium for children with tuberculosis was opened in the cells. It was only in 1989 that the monastery reopened.

The exact period of the cemetery’s foundation is unknown, but it can be found marked on a map of the region from the 1860s. The cemetery was most likely in use until WWII. There are between 100 - 200 tombstones.