Tipova Cave Monastery

Above a bend in the Dniester, monks cut cells, corridors and a church directly into the limestone cliff, creating one of the largest cave monastery complexes in the region - parts of it are dated to as early as the eleventh century, with expansion over the following centuries. Rooms open onto the drop with the river far below, and the complex is reached by a steep path from the plateau. Local legend holds that Stephen the Great married here, and that the poet-king Orpheus is buried in the gorge, which is the sort of claim Moldova makes with a straight face and a shrug.

What you actually see

• The rock-cut church - the main carved chapel in the cliff.
• Cliff cells and corridors - monastic rooms opening onto the gorge.
• The Dniester views - the river bend far below the complex.
• The gorge waterfall - the cascade in the ravine below the monastery.

When to go

Spring and autumn give comfortable walking and the best light in the gorge. Summer is hot on the exposed path. Winter makes the descent icy and dangerous. Water in the gorge is strongest in spring.

Honest expectations

The path down is steep, rocky and unprotected in places - not suitable for limited mobility, and slippery when wet. There are no facilities at the site. The active part of the monastery expects modest dress and quiet. Getting here really needs a car; public transport reaches the village but leaves a long walk.

Nearby

Saharna monastery, Orheiul Vechi and the Dniester valley villages.