WOODEN CHURCH SFÂNTUL ARHANGHEL MIHAIL

10 km south of Bălţi, take the road to Floreşti for 6 km, then turn right for the village of Hiliuţi. There you will find the Church of the Holy Archangel Michael, which was built in 1808 by Stroiescu. Built entirely of wood on a stone base, it is representative of the peasant architecture of the religious buildings of the time. The nave is rectangular and the same width as the pentagonal apse of the altar. The iconostasis was in Baroque style. Originally, the roof was topped by two cross bulbs, but with time these collapsed. The church is under the protection of the state but after years of neglect it is in a very advanced state of degradation. The church is surrounded by a cemetery with ancient tombs. Not far away, you will find another more recent church built in stone. The fate of this old wooden church is unfortunately also that of many other old churches that can be seen in the Moldavian countryside. Their very large number, the various states of degradation in which they are in and the limited funds available to restore them mean that many of these churches have disappeared.

If you take a walk in the surrounding area, you can discover a typical small Moldavian village, with its colourful houses and traditional architecture. To the northwest of the village there is a train stop that takes you to Bălți via Răuțel.