Hâncu Monastery

Hâncu was founded in 1678 by a boyar whose daughter, according to the tradition attached to it, wished to enter religious life after the family fled a Tatar raid, and it has been a convent for most of its history. Two churches stand in the enclosure, one of the eighteenth century and one of the nineteenth, in a wooded valley with a spring the water from which is bottled and sold. It was closed under Soviet rule and reopened in 1992. The monastery was closed twice, once in the nineteenth century and again under Soviet rule, which is unusual even by the standards of Moldovan foundations.

What you actually see

• The two churches - buildings of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
• The valley setting - the wooded fold the convent sits in.
• The spring - the water source in the grounds.
• The foundation story - the boyar's daughter the tradition attaches the founding to.

When to go

April to October is the pleasant season. Services restrict access at times. Feast days are busy.

Honest expectations

Restoration has replaced much of the historic fabric. Dress rules apply and are enforced. The road in is narrow.

Nearby

Chișinău is east, and Plaiul Fagului reserve is northwest.