The municipality of Iași (historically Iassi, Іашии, Iașii) is the seat of Iași County and the main urban center in northeastern Romania. Iasi was the capital of Moldova between 1564 and 1859, one of the two capitals of the United Principalities between 1859 and 1862 and the capital of Romania between 1916-1918.
Iasi is the cultural, economic and academic center of Moldova. Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, one of the most prestigious academic institutions in Romania, operates here, as well as four other public and seven private universities. The city of Iași was mentioned for the first time in a commercial privilege issued in 1408 by the lord of Moldavia Alexandru cel Bun. However, since there were buildings older than this date (for example the alleged
Armenian Church built in 1395), the city is believed to be much older, at least by several decades, than this time.
In 1564, ruler Alexandru Lăpușneanu moved the capital of Moldova here from Suceava. In 1640, Vasile Lupu established here the first school in the Romanian language and a printing house in the Trei Ierarhi church. In 1643, the first book printed in Moldova appeared in Iasi.
The city was burned by the Tatars in 1513, by the Ottomans in 1538, and by the Russians in 1686. In 1734, it was affected by an epidemic.
Through the Peace of Iasi, the sixth Russian-Turkish war ended in 1792. In 1822, the Turks stormed the city, to quell the Greek revolutionaries of Eteria, led by Alexandru Ypsilanti.
Between 1565 and 1859, the city was the capital of Moldova, then, between 1859 and 1862, both Iasi and Bucharest were the de facto capitals of the United Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia. In 1862, when the union of the two principalities became complete, under the name of Romania, the country’s capital was established in Bucharest. To make up for the losses caused to the city in 1861 by changing the seat of government, it was voted to pay 148,150 lei to the city, but this never happened. After 1860, wooden and adobe buildings were gradually replaced by stone and brick, and the street network improved. New buildings were built, such as the Palace of Culture, the National Theater or the “Al.I. Cuza” University.
During the First World War, for two years, Iasi was the capital of unoccupied Romania, after Bucharest fell into the hands of the Central Powers on December 6, 1916. In November 1918, the city of Bucharest became the capital again. The Second World War represented a dark period in Iesian history. During the Antonescu regime, the Iași Pogrom of June 27-29, 1941 was among the worst events of its kind in the world, little known to the people of Iași themselves both before and after the Romanian Revolution of 1989. In May 1944, the city was the scene of heavy fighting between Romanian-German forces and the Red Army, days in which a large part of the city’s historic areas were destroyed. The famous elite Panzergrenadier division “Großdeutschland” achieved an important victory over the Soviets at the Battle of Târgu Frumos, near Iasi. In July, Iasi was occupied by Stalinist forces.
In the post-war period, the city continued to develop, with new neighborhoods and industrial enterprises being built. After the fall of communism, the city remained the most important cultural center outside the Carpathian arc, after Bucharest.
Through its expansion, Iașul is the legendary city of the 7 hills Cetătuia, Galata, Copou, Bucium-Păun, Șorogari, Repedea and Breazu, with altitudes varying between 40 m in Lunca Bahluiului and 400 m on Dealul Păun and Dealul Repedea. The main hills are Copou, Cetătuia, Tătărași and Galata. The city is also crossed by the Nicolina river and the Șorogari stream (called Cacaina in the Middle Ages, because garbage was thrown here); to the east of the city, the Ciric stream flows, on which three lakes are artificially created for recreational purposes.
Are you looking for a quick alternative to the traditional transfer or taxi service from or to Iasi or Moldova?
Talk 24/7 with a Cricos Rent consultant at 0768566672 for a personalized car rental offer with driver.