Catedrala Mitropolitana (Metropolitan Cathedral), Iasi (must see)

Catedrala Mitropolitană is the main Orthodox cathedral of Moldavia, the seat of the Metropolitan of Moldavia and Bucovina, and the largest historic Orthodox church in Romania. Its design combines neoclassical and late Renaissance influences, with balanced façades, four corner spires, and a spacious interior created for major religious services. The cathedral was consecrated on April 23, 1887, in a ceremony attended by King Carol I and Queen Elisabeth, whose support helped complete the building.

The cathedral stands on a site with a much older sacred history, where two earlier churches once existed: the 15th-century White Church and the 17th-century Stratenia Church. Inside, visitors can still see portraits of King Carol I and Queen Elisabeth on the western wall, recalling the royal role in the cathedral’s completion. The stained-glass windows were made in Munich, adding colored light and fine decorative detail to the cathedral’s interior.

The cathedral is best known as the resting place of Saint Parascheva, one of the most venerated saints in Eastern Orthodoxy. Her relics have been preserved here since 1889 and attract hundreds of thousands of pilgrims each year, especially during the October religious festival. This pilgrimage is one of southeastern Europe’s largest and sometimes includes relics brought from abroad.

Inside, the cathedral contains frescoes, carved iconostases, chandeliers, icons, manuscripts, liturgical objects, and church treasures linked to Moldavian religious history. The interior paintings were created by Gheorghe Tattarescu between 1885 and 1887, combining Orthodox iconography with Western academic realism. Beneath the cathedral, the Metropolitan Museum includes six thematic underground halls and a Neo-Byzantine baptistery.