Saharna

Situated at the 110 north to Chisinau and 10 km from the tourist pension Hanganu's Inn”, on the right Nistru border, the Monastery "Saint Three" from Saharna it by right way considered one of the biggest centers/places for all christian-ortodox pelerines from Moldova. This is the only place where are the Pious Macarie the last part of his body, and also here are the only rock in Moldova where God’s Mother left her – left mark, as said one of the many local legends. The old people of this places said that one day one monk from the old monastery (as said some documents sheets from XVII-XVIII century, the monastery is open since X-XII century) on one of the rocks around the monastery the God’s Mother came in real image to him. Coming to the rock all monks discovered the feet mark on the rock, sign considered as a divine sign but also as testimonies of the purity of this God’s place. Soon after this event, more close to the defile, was built a new church from woods and called the "Saint Three" (1777). Later, on the place of this wood church is built another one from stone in the old Moldavian style, rich decorated with different biblical scenes as wall painting.

The natural Reservation Saharna is located on the Nistru elevation in a tourist zone very popular not just in Moldova, but all over the world. Two little rivers – Saharna (10km) and Stohnaia (6 km) intercross the east part of the plateau, describing together a massif natural amphitheatre. Both of rivers made on the inferior part of their itinerary the little canyon that are amazing beautiful, their depth are almost 160 m, but there are some places with depth 175 m, and many waterfalls and little lakes. The little river Saharna has almost 22 waterfalls; the biggest of them are almost at the last turning point of the river to east. The biggest waterfall is called the “Gypsy hole” /”Groapa Tiganului” that has 4, 5 m height and 10m depth.

These amazing places were always lived during the history. In the VIII -VI BC century here were many geto-dacs tribes. Their activities testimonies in these places are all over and can be meet practically every where are appropriated places, enough good for living like the top of the hill where were discovered the ruins of the geto-dacs fortress. Actually, in this place is built a monument in honor of all great men of this country. In addition, here at Saharna is the monastery that is dated from XVII century (the monks activities have been begun in these places much earlier, as a testimony are the Monastery digger in a rock, that is from VII AD century). The period between the XII and the XVII and about the life that had all the monks was written just a little in their archive. Thanks to the hermitage (Monastery built-up in the rock) became enough little for all desiring monks coming to the saint place, the abbot decided to build a bigger monastery, helped by the God’s Mother he find the place blessed for the monastery building, in 1776, when beginning the building of the monastery “The Saint Three”, this building was realized during two century, at the finished being destroyed by the evil forces of people, the monastery was closed in 1969.

From the upper side of the Saharna rocks zone can see very special landscapes: and rocky defile and wooded of the Saharna river borderers (longer 16 km) that have more than 30 dam stone and waterfalls.

Here also, can be find a archeological station/campus very important with very important discovers from the Iron Century X-VIII BC century, and also a geto-dacs fortress from IV-III BC century, on of the most preserved here in Republic of Moldova. But the with the God help and some people help with a great faith, in 1991, after more than 30 years of true bleeding, the light coming throw the history and come to highlight again the monastery and divine place is again open for all people. Today, the Monastery is working having a big staff composed from 20 men, the monastery manager is the archimandrite Adrian Baciul. The Religious service in the monastery is performed during the day: morning: 5:00 - 8:00, afternoon 12:30 - 13:00, and evening 17:00 - 19:30. Until 1971 in the Saharna place extract stones for constructions, therefore why until now there are many abandoned mines that compose together deep galleries in the rock. These galleries have many kilometers distance and bore the rock by both sites.