Discover Soroca District: Fortress, Museums and Nature

In Soroca District, distinctive buildings, museums and landscapes meet diverse cultural traditions. To plan your trip, consider choosing places based on your interests: Soroca Fortress and the Candle of Gratitude each offer something distinctive, while museums and natural areas reveal other sides of the district.

Museums and Architectural History

The Soroca History and Ethnography Museum has been open for more than a century. The Cosauti History and Ethnography Museum is housed in the village’s first secular school, a historic monument dating from 1896, and remains active. Its permanent exhibition includes archaeological, geological, numismatic and ethnographic objects. These offer two different perspectives: the museum’s long institutional history in Soroca and a museum whose building itself is part of the village’s history.

Visitors can find information about attractions at nine museums in the district. These include institutions in Soroca, Cosăuți, Cremenciug, Șolcani, Bădiceni, Vasilcău, Vădeni, Stoicani and Dubna. If you have a particular museum in mind, check with it in advance about visiting options.

Fortress and Viewpoint

Soroca Fortress was first built of wood in the 15th century by Stephen the Great. In the 16th century, Petru Rareș had it rebuilt in stone. Its perfectly circular layout and five defensive towers give the structure a distinctive architectural form; its history also spans two centuries and different building materials.

The Candle of Gratitude stands on a high hill overlooking the Dniester and is shaped like a giant candle. Built from Cosăuți stone, it is almost 30 metres tall and contains a small chapel. There are 657 steps to the top, where panoramic views of Soroca and the surrounding area await. The number of steps is a useful detail to consider when planning the ascent as part of your day.

Nature Between River Landscapes and Gorge

The Unguri-Holoșnița Ramsar site offers opportunities for nature observation, as well as ecotourism, rural tourism and active tourism. It complements visits to historic sites with nature-based activities.

Rudi Monastery lies on the right bank of the Dniester, surrounded by ancient forests and steep cliffs. The Holy Trinity Church there was built between 1770 and 1777 in the medieval Moldavian architectural style. Another natural site, the Rudi–Arionești Gorge, is part of the Rudi–Arionești Landscape Reserve and is suitable for hiking and photography. Piatra Țiganului and the Stânca Răutului viewpoint are located in the gorge. The church, riverbank and gorge offer different points of interest for those drawn to culture and nature.

Festivals and Religious Traditions

Soroca hosts the National Apple Festival every year. Visitors can see exhibitions of fresh apples and products made from them. The 14th edition, held in 2025, brought together apple producers, food-processing businesses and folk artisans. The festival thus combines the display of local produce with opportunities for different local professional groups to connect.

Religious traditions also feature in the cultural calendar: at the Icoana Maicii Domnului «Bucuria tuturor scârbiților» Monastery in Inundeni, the icon of the Virgin Mary is celebrated every year on November 6. The district is also part of the cross-border cultural and tourist route, Voivode Stephen the Great and Saint. These cultural connections add recurring events and a route extending beyond the region to the architectural and nature experiences.

Discover more destinations: Soroca, Ștefan Vodă District, Balti, Chisinau, Orhei District, Făleşti, Straseni, Anenii Noi

For the overview of the wider region: Moldova.