As I took my first steps toward Orheiul Vechi, the ancient city, I felt like I was strolling through the pages of a history book come to life. This place, nestled in the protected area of the Parcul Național Orhei, is a time capsule carefully guarded by nature. With each step along the winding paths, I felt the modern world behind me shrinking and I delving deeper into the past.
The landscape around me was breathtaking - a harmonious interplay of natural beauty and the traces of ancient civilizations. The earth itself seemed to tell stories, from the Paleolithic to the Eneolithic to the Iron Age. I couldn't help but wonder what secrets lay hidden here, beneath my feet.
As I reached the site that once housed the Geto-Dacian Fortress, I scanned the ruins and tried to imagine what life might have been like here thousands of years ago. The remains of the earthen and wooden fortresses that once proudly dominated the landscape spoke of a time so far away and yet tangibly close.
My journey continued to Mănăstirea Peştera, the cave monastery, which nestled in the landscape like a hidden jewel. The sight of the hermitage carved into the rock was simply magical. It was as if time stood still here, a sacred place of peace and reflection that has been attracting pilgrims and hikers alike since the 14th century.
I sat down on one of the rocks and let my gaze wander over the vastness of the landscape. From up here I could see the remains of the Golden Horde fortress and the Moldovan town of Orheiul Vechi. The history of this place is multi-layered and complex, a mosaic of different civilizations that have left their mark.