Routes prepared with the assistance of Explore Moldova

www.explore-moldova.comwww.moldovaholiday.travel Competitiveness Enhancement andEnterprise Development II(CEED II)

Starting pointnear the museum

Defence Wall

BIKE ROUTE 3. OLD ORHEI

Circular cycle route through the cultural and historical landscape of “Old Orhei”. An area of outstanding natu-ral beauty, shaped by River Raut as it cuts into the high rocky hills of central Moldova. In medieval times, the river Raut served as a travel route for merchants bringing international commerce from as far away as Medi-terranean Greece. It was this river trade which led to the success of Orhei as a medieval city. The historic sites at Old Orhei (locally called “Orheiul Vechi”), have recently been included in the UNESCO “Tentative List of World Cultural Heritage”. If selected, Old Orhei will be the �rst site in Moldova to gain World Heritage Status.

Distance from Chisinau (capital of Moldova): 60 km to the start point. Transportation time: 1 hour, one way.

Di�culty: Medium, with some more di�cult sections. The paths are mostly �at, but there are some hills. Some parts o�er little cover in full sun, other parts, in the forest, are more shaded.

Distance: 27 km

Total time cycling: 2 hours

Estimated total time for the trip: allow 6 hours, including biking, visiting the museum, rural village museum and open air historic sites, the cave monastery, lunch, sightseeing and photography.

Refreshments and water supply: There is only one café on the path – in the museum building. It is also possible to buy provisions from small private shops (’alimentara’) in the villages. In villages it is customary to help yourself to water from the wells, though the water should ideally be boiled before drinking. The route is gener-ally arid in summer but there is one fresh water spring with good quality drinking water at the half way point. Along the route there is a traditional food restaurant at “Butuceni” Rural Pension. In the summer heat you can rest and picnic in the shade of high hills, near the Turkish Bath, at the old abandoned cave monastery or on the grass areas along the hill tops.

Amenities: Toilet facilities are available at the museum, and at the museum’s rural peasant’s household. There is also a toilet near the church on the hill above Butuceni village. For any toilet stops in natural areas, please move a distance from the path and 60 m from any streams and lakes. Please ensure that all solid human waste and toilet tissue is buried in a ‘cat hole’ to a minimum depth of 15cm then disguise the hole.

To minimize damage to Moldova’s natural areas and to allow everyone to enjoy these trails, please follow these simple ‘Leave No Trace’ guidelines for outdoor activity.• Visit in small groups when possible, consider splitting larger groups.• Repackage food to minimize waste. Pack it in and pack it out. Inspect your rest areas for trash or spilled food. Take away all trash and left over food. • Where fires are permitted use established fire rings, fire pans or mound fires. Keep your fires small, only use sticks from the ground that can be

broken by hand. Ensure that your fire is completely extinguished before you leave. Ideally avoid fires by using a lightweight stove for cooking.• Keep to existing trails, even when wet or muddy. Walk in single file, in the middle of the trail.• Preserve the past: examine, but do not touch, cultural or historic structures or artifacts. • Leave Plants, rocks and other natural objects as you find them.• Observe wild life from a distance, do not follow or approach them. Do not feed wildlife, this damages their health and alters natural behaviors.

Control pets at all times, or leave them at home. • Respect other visitors and protect the quality of their experience. Be courteous, yield to others on the trail. Let natures sounds prevail, avoid loud

voices and noise.

2000 ft500m

Fortherss

Caravan-Sarai

Cave monasteryMuseum

of the peasant household

Remains of a Defence Wall

Defence WallTurkish Bath House

Fresh water springBridge

Directions: The route starts near the museum, where there is ample parking space. Inside the museum there is an exhibition of archaeological finds and a small souvenir shop. Most of the exhibits date from medieval times, when nearby Orhei was booming as a city. From the museum, the route leads over the bridge, along the road into Butuceni Village. The village has little changed in generations and you can see local rural architecture and traditional ways of life.

About 1 km after the museum, on the left hand side of the road, there is a traditional peasant house, maintained by the Orhei museum. With your museum ticket, you can enter the building and see how villagers lived before electricity, telephones or television. After the museum house, continue along the same road through the village for several hundred meters until you turn left onto the path which brings you to the top of the hill. Just below a small bell tower, you will find the entrance to the Cave Monastery. Entry is free and you are welcome to go inside, but please respect the privacy of the Monk who occupies the monastery during the day. There is a small chapel inside the monastery.

Cave Monastery. Church above Butuceni.

Outside again, climb up to the rock cross, on the cliff above the Monastery. Take care along the cliff top, (especially on a bike). Continue on the ridge towards the church. Behind it you will find the site of archaeological excavations, an ancient fort has been discovered with the remains of a defensive wall.

Our route continues along the cliff top, with beautiful scenery looking down over the horse shoe shaped valley, where the city once stood. Further on it is possible to see another defensive wall with a ditch Defensive wall and ditch. The valley of the Raut.

Below in the valley you will see an open field near the river. Each August this site hosts the Gustar ethno-folk music festival.

From the defensive earthworks, continue along the path. You will eventually come into Trebujeni village. When you reach the intersection with a main road (gravel road) you turn left downhill. After several hundred meters the road becomes quite steep and rocky. Take extra care.

Eventually you will arrive at a tarmac road (main street), turn left, go all the way through the center and exit the village. Cross over the bridge and immediately, on your right hand side, you will see the remains of a Turkish Bath House. The bath house drew its water from the river here, the spot is also popular with local fisherman, you may be fortunate and see them fishing with nets from small boats.

Continue on the main road uphill for about 800 meters. In the field on your left, largely hidden by bushes and trees, lie the remains of a medieval Caravan-Sarai. Further along the path enters the remains of a fortress.

The thick walls served as protection for the wealthiest and most important inhabitants. Many archaeo-logical artifacts have been discovered within the walls.The settlement needed protection from Turkish and Tartar invaders. In addition to the fortress, earth walls were constructed along the narrow surrounding hills. Two of these walls have already been passed along the route and a third can be seen on the hill beyond the fortress. Part of this wall was leveled when the modern road was built. It is possible to climb the remaining (eastern) half to enjoy a 360 degree view of the surrounding area.

The rest of the path now skirts the forest, (on your right hand side) which covers the high slopes above the river. The path continues for over 3km, along the edge and then through the forest.

When you exit the woodland, in a small valley, turn right and follow the dirt road along the river, heading downstream. After about 2.7 km, cross over the small bridge to the left bank and follow the path beneath the high rocky slopes. The scenery here is very dramatic as the rock has been exposed by relatively rapid river erosion (Geologically speaking). The limestone bedrock was formed over millions of years, in the warm shallow Sarmatian Sea. Limestone is eroded chemically as well as mechanically by water, a process which has formed these steep sided valleys. The cave monasteries, excavated ancient buildings, and the houses that you see in Old Orhei, were all constructed using locally quarried rock.

Follow the path as it curves left to follow the river, (which will be on your right hand side). The path takes you back into Trebujeni Village. As you enter the village follows the lower streets (closer to river).The road here is a combination of dirt road and a rock, and it is uneven. Near to the center of Trebujeni, you will reach tarmac again, continue back along the road which you followed earlier, back towards the Fortress. When you come back again to the Fortress, turn left downhill and go back to the start point at the Museum.