Iași and Stephen the Great
Stephen III, nicknamed Stephen the Great, came to lead in 1457 the historic province of Moldova after a battle against his uncle, Petru Aron. Like some scenarios worthy of the Game of Thrones, Ștefan cel Mare, helped by Vlad Țepeș, (cousins according to some sources) proceeds to Suceava accompanied by the army. On the throne of Moldova was Peter, who killed his stepbrother, Bogdan II - Stephen's father.
The ruler of Moldova for 47 years, Stephen the Great, was recognized internationally as one of the most important defenders of the Christian Orthodox religion, and in 1992 was canonized. The title "the Great" was first used in writing in an exchange of letters between Peter Rareș and King Sigismund I of Poland in 1531 in which Stephen was named: Stephanus ille Magnus. Historians believe, however, that Stephen the Voivode was nicknamed the Great from the time of his life, towards the end of his reign. The period in which he ruled is considered one of great cultural-ecclesiastical development.
Stephen the Great remains in the memory of all Romanians, and in Iasi the ruler is mentioned in various forms. The first and most important is represented by the Statue of Stephen the Great in front of the Palace of Culture and near the Church of St. Nicholae Domnesc, a holy place founded by the ruler himself. The statue is the work of the famous French sculptor Emmanuel Fremiet. Several patriots such as Alecsandri, Gane, Iacob Negruzzi were involved in the project of erecting and financing the statue, and Gheorghe Asachi sketched drawings according to which the French sculptor would have been inspired. The monument represents the ruler on horseback with a scepter in his hand, and in the pedestal of the statue are represented the Battle of Codrii Cosminului in 1497 and the Battle of Podu Înalt in 1475. Carol I also participated in the unveiling ceremony, donating two cannons. from the War of Independence that still flanks the statue today.
Ștefan cel Mare şi Sfant Boulevard is the richest cultural pedestrian area in the city. From the Palace of Culture to Unirii Square, the boulevard, which gathers most of the tourist objectives condensed in such a small area, is named after the man who was declared the greatest Romanian of all time. Near the municipality of Iași, in the forested hills in the southern part of the city, we find the last foundation of the ruler - Dobrovăț Monastery.
Other forms of remembrance of the famous voivode in Iași are the street Ștefan cel Mare from Copoului hill, the church from Aleea Rozelor street, the representation from the Statue Group of Voivodes or the statue in front of the 10th Army Corps.
