Medieval Architectural Jewels Tour

Every year, in August in Soroca city, the medieval festival "The fifth tower" takes place. The event is organized in a fortress with great historical value for the Republic of Moldova - The Fortress Soroca, and it is destined for the Independence Day of the Republic of Moldova and the city holiday.

The visitors have the opportunity to admire armed knights, beautiful queens, a medieval atmosphere, competitions between knights with battles and duels, withdrawals from the arc, parades, authentic games, and many other interesting things.

Struve Geodetic Arc:

The Struve Geodetic Arc is one of the most remarkable scientific landmarks in the world—and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

What is the Struve Geodetic Arc?

The Struve Geodetic Arc is a chain of survey points (triangulation stations) that stretches over 2,820 km from Hammerfest in Norway to the Black Sea in Ukraine. It passes through 10 countries:

Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Moldova, and Ukraine.

It was established between 1816 and 1855 by astronomer Friedrich Georg Wilhelm Struve to measure the size and shape of the Earth.

Why is it Important?

At the time, scientists did not know the Earth’s exact shape. The Struve Arc helped to:

Prove that the Earth is flattened at the poles

Calculate the Earth’s radius with high accuracy

Improve mapping, navigation, and astronomy

Unite multiple countries in a shared scientific project

It was one of the first international scientific collaborations in history.

How Did It Work?

Struve used triangulation, a method where:

Distances between visible points (often on hills or towers) were measured

Angles between them were calculated

A long chain of triangles was formed across Europe

These measurements helped determine the Earth's curvature

The arc originally had 258 main triangles and 265 station points.

UNESCO World Heritage Status

In 2005, the Struve Geodetic Arc was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site because:

It represents a breakthrough in science

It shows peaceful international cooperation

It has lasting global significance

Itinerary:

Day 1: Arrival

Meeting the group at the airport and the transportation to Soroca. The visit of touristic objectives such as: the remote view of the outlaw cave "Bechir", the monument „The Candle of Gratitude”, the fortress Soroca and the Museum of Ethnography, the Roma hill, the open-air workshop of stonemasons craftsmen from Cosăuți, the monument "The paleolithic resort" from Cosăuți, and the Monastery Cosăuți.

Day 2: Struve Geodetic Arc

The visit to the Struve Geodetic Arc is a tourist objective protected by UNESCO, the Rusi Monastery, the fortress "Farfuria Turcului”, and the Monastery Călăreușeuca.

Day 3: Departure

Transfer to the Chișinău airport for the trip back home

Included Services:

Transport with air conditioning from/to the Airport;

Transport services throughout the program;

English-speaking specialized guide;

Entrance fees, according to the program.

3 nights accommodation with half board (breakfast + dinner);

Map;