Soroca Fortress

Soroca fortress stands on the bank of the Dniester where a ford once crossed it, founded as a wooden fort by Stephen the Great in 1499 and rebuilt in stone in the 1540s under Petru Rares in a shape unusual for the region: a perfect circle of walls with five bastion towers set at exact intervals, a geometry associated with Italian Renaissance military design and rare in eastern Europe. It has been restored and can be walked - the courtyard, the wall walk and the towers - with the river below and Ukraine on the far bank. The town above is also known for its Roma community and the extravagant houses built on the hill, some modelled on famous buildings.

What you actually see

• The circular walls - the fortress geometry and the five towers.
• The wall walk - the restored circuit above the Dniester.
• The Candle of Gratitude - the hilltop monument above the town with long river views.
• Soroca hill - the elaborate houses of the town's Roma quarter.

When to go

Late spring to early autumn gives comfortable weather and green river views. The fortress is open year round with reduced winter hours. Weekends bring local visitors and occasional medieval-themed events.

Honest expectations

The fortress is small and seen in an hour; the trip from Chisinau is three hours each way, so it usually pairs with the Candle of Gratitude monument and the town. Public transport is by marshrutka and slow. Signage in the fortress is limited and largely in Romanian. The town itself is modest with few facilities aimed at visitors.

Nearby

The Candle of Gratitude, Saharna monastery and the Dniester valley.