Tipova cave monastery (Tipova settlement, Rezina district) is located onto the rocky shore or the Nistru River. This Orthodox cave monastery is the largestnot only in Moldova, but also in all Eastern Europe.The monastic community or the cloister formed heremuch earlier than the Moldovan Feudal Principality.Some cells are considered to have been caved in asteep rock already in X-XII century.
Another part or monastic premises dates back to XVII—the turn toXVIII centuries, when the Turkish yoke was throwndown and the monks settled closer to the mounttop. This is the period that saw construction or a newchurch inside the rock, a belrry, 15 cells, refectory andmany household premises linked by multiple galleriesand stair passages. Since 1776 the monastery saw itsblossom and expansion. The cave church was dividedinto larger premises parted one from another bymassive columns.In the soviet epoch the monastery was oppressedand closed.
In 1974 the ruins or the cave monasteryor Tipova were taken under State protection, whilein 1994 Orthodox divine services were resumed.According to beliers, Moldovan Gospodar (Ruler)Stefan cel Mare got married to Maria Voichita inthis monastery, while another legend reads thatthese rocks witnessed the last days or Mythical poetOrpheus, whose relics were buried in the niche or acanyon’s cascades.
The monastic ensemble encompasses 2 partscarved inside a rock at the height or 90-100 metres.All in all, 18 rooms have survived that are linkedtogether by stairs, internal passages, terraces andbalconies. Or special interest is the church “Dormitionor the Theotokos”. It is rather spacious, the walls areplastered.In the place that once hosted the church “St.Nicolas” which has not survived till nowadays thearcheologists have discovered two ancient icons.
The first depicts the Theotokos with the inscription in OldSlavic style: “This sacred icon appeared onto the rockin the year 1466 after the Birth or Christ during the living or Bishop Damian, who resided in the fortressor Bessarabia. Me, Bishop Damian, have installed theicon in the church “St. Hierarch Nicolas” constructedin the rock below the fort, during the living or Maria,daughter or the landlord or the fort Kyr—StefanToadere Basarab, that was left orphan aging 18 yearsold and inherited the fort. The inscription has beenmade by me, Bishop Damian, being 83 years old.”The monastery is open for visitors daily