Galata Monastery
Today, Alex presents the Galata Monastery :)
The construction of Galata Monastery was first mentioned in writing by the chronicler Grigore Ureche and dates back to about 1578. The ruler of Moldavia Petru Schiopul founded "Galata from the valley" which soon "scattered" being built on a swampy land near the place where the Beautiful Monastery is today.
Soon the ruler ordered the erection of a second church on a nearby hill. The positioning of the monastery ("Galata from the hill") was a strategic one to have an excellent perspective of observation from the north, south and east of the city.
The name Galata comes from the Turkish language and means "gate", and was most likely attributed to the holy place in the Galata district of Istanbul (then Constantinople) where the rulers of Moldova went to receive the signature of the sultan.
The monastery complex has undergone many changes over time. In 1735, the abbot Nectarie built the wall that still surrounds the Galata Monastery. In the same 18th century, the church caught fire, destroying the iconostasis and all the objects destined for the religious service. Prince Mihail Sturdza (1834-1849) added a floor to the bell tower. Between 1923 and 1950, the abbot's houses in Galata functioned as a prison.
During the communist period, services were held in the church only on Sundays, and since 1990 it has been operating as a nunnery, where there is also a liturgical garment tailoring workshop. The church is dedicated to the "Ascension of the Lord".
