Rehabilitation Project - The Golia Monastery

The Golia Monastery has been founded by Vasile Lupu in the middle of the seventeenth century. Guarded by the seven hills, Iasi was and still is a garden-city. The bustle in lime blossom has a special charm, perhaps because of the spirit of them Iasi inhabitants or Moldovian hospitality scrupulously respected.

Proud of the age of their city, the inhabitants of Iasi evoke with pleasure its beauty, its famous people and especially its university, the oldest in the country. Wronged for Bucharest, Iasi has impressive monuments, known as the tourist potential in northern Moldova. Local authorities try to make tourism an engine for economic development zone, considered disadvantaged. Funds exists for the infrastructure development, but not for architectural heritage, and yet there are some cases in which money were obtained.

One of the symbols of Iasi is Golia Monastery, but the people have lost much hope of seeing this monument restored. Arrived in ruin after secularization in 1863, it was closed between 1900-1947, then became a parish church until 1992, when it was reopened as a monastery. Today hosts Trinitas printing and radio.

To receive funds for rehabilitation it has appealed to a trick. There was project made that included restoration of the whole area. Metropolitan Church of Moldova and Bucovina have agreed to donate Golia Monastery Iasi County Council. Reversible donations were necessary because European funds are not granted for restoration of religious heritage, but strictly for urban and rural infrastructure development.

The monastery yard has an irregular shape. The surounding wall's height is 5 m, their thickness varying between 1.20 and 1.50 m. The four corner towers were built during the reign of Gheorghe Duca, between 1667/1668. These round based towers have a ground floor and two levels. Floors are of oak planks and stairs are narrow stone made. The top level has vaulted brick, from which the watch went on the guard road. In the northwest tower, the top level is a chapel. Unfortunately, the guard road will not be restored, because money is not enough.

The current access is on the south side. On the left side of the entrance there is the first water house, with a Baroque-style fountain outdoors. The priory is in the west, a Moldovan-style building, which housed the State Archives for a period of time. Between 1977 and 1983 has been renovated, giving it the appearance is present. In the eastern part of the enclosure there is a building with arches of the eighteenth century, escaped from fire in 1822. Ion Creanga lived here, then being the monastery's deacon.

Early years

Hidden by thick and hight walls, door locked like a medieval fortress, this church richly endowed, combine three types of crafts: leşesc, Greek and mosque, as described in 1711 Peter the Great of Russia. The present church was preceded by a wood one and another one made of stone. From an inscription of 1564 is known only the stone church founders. Religious edifice named after Ioan Golae, high chancellor during the reign of Ioan-voda and Peter Schiopul, was its founder, with his whife, Ana. Ioan Golia died beheaded by Iancu Sasu Voda(1579-1586), son of Petru Rares. Golia was a parish church and it has been dedicated on 30 March 1606 by Ana, the widow of the steward Vatoped Monastery on Mount Athos. But in 1615 it was already a monastery, being rebuilded between 1650-1653 by Vasile Lupu and his son, Stefan.