# Galata Monastery

[Romania](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/attractions) › [Moldavia](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/region/moldova) › [Iași County](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/county/iasi) › [Iași](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/city/iasi)

> A convent on Galata Hill in Iași, founded by Petru Șchiopul in the 1580s, with a stone-and-brick church, the first in Moldavia with two towers, and a walled enclosure with a fortress-like bell tower.

**At a glance:** Monasteries in Iași, Iași County. The visit takes 45 min. Information verified on 28 October 2026.

## Key facts

- **Opening hours:** Services daily at 5:30 and at 16:00; on Sundays at 7:30 and at 16:00; on Saturday evenings at 18:00, a vigil. Visits take place outside services.
- **Visit duration:** 45 min — church and grounds
- **With kids:** Yes — quiet in the church
- **Best season:** All year round — a clear day for the view
- **Address:** Strada Mănăstirii 4, Iași, Iași County
- **Coordinates:** 47.1463, 27.569
- **Phone:** +40 232 224 545
- **Website:** https://galata.mmb.ro/
- **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galata_Monastery
- **Wikidata:** https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5518002
- **Categories:** [Monasteries](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/monasteries), [Monuments and historic sites](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/monuments-and-historic-sites)

## About Galata Monastery

Galata Monastery is a convent on the hill of the same name in the west of Iași, with views over the city. It was founded by Prince Petru Șchiopul: the first monastery, down in the valley, collapsed soon after it was built, and in 1583 the prince began work on a second one, on the hill. The name comes from the Galata district of Constantinople, where the Moldavian princes stayed when they went to the Porte to receive the decree confirming their reign.

The church, dedicated to the Ascension of the Lord and built between 1582 and 1584, is made of dressed stone and courses of three bricks each, which give it its colour. It is the first church in Moldavia with two towers, its facade is divided by a belt course into two registers of blind arcades, and it served as a model for the churches at Aroneanu, Dragomirna and Trei Ierarhi. The enclosure wall, raised in 1735, and the bell tower at the entrance give the complex the look of a fortress.

The monastery was also a princely residence, and between 1923 and 1950 the abbots' houses served as a prison. Since 1990 it has again been a convent.

### What you can see

The church, with its stone-and-brick facades and two octagonal towers; inside, the burial chamber separated from the nave by three arcades on columns, and a fragment of the votive painting on the north wall of the nave, showing Petru Șchiopul, his wife and his daughter. The bell tower at the entrance, with the coat of arms of Moldavia in relief above the gate, almost worn away by time. The princely house, with ruins preserved at ground level and the rest rebuilt in the 1960s, which holds the chapel of the Apostle James, the monastery museum and the nuns' vestment-making and embroidery workshop. From the plateau on top of the hill there is a view over Iași.

### Good to know

The monastery is active, with daily services in the morning and afternoon; it is not open to visitors during services.

## Don't miss

- The church with two octagonal towers, the first of its kind in Moldavia, its facade divided by a belt course into two registers of arcades.
- The fragment of votive painting on the north wall of the nave, showing Petru Șchiopul, his wife and his daughter.
- The bell tower at the entrance and the enclosure wall, which give the complex the look of a fortress.
- The princely house, with its ground-level ruins, the chapel of the Apostle James and the monastery museum.
- The view over Iași from the plateau on top of Galata Hill.

## Good to know before you go

### Getting there

**By car:** the monastery is on Galata Hill, in the west of Iași, on Strada Mănăstirii, about 3.5 km (~6 min) from the Palace of Culture.

**Public transport:** from the centre, city transport reaches the Galata district, and the last stretch, uphill, is on foot.

### Rules

Modest dress: shoulders and knees covered, hats off inside. Quiet in the church, especially during services, when visiting and photography are not allowed. Ask at the entrance whether photography is allowed inside.

### Facilities

Monastery museum and chapel, in the princely house · the nuns' vestment-making and embroidery workshop

## Details

- **Construction period:** 1582–1584
- **Founder:** Petru Șchiopul
- **Dedication:** Ascension of the Lord
- **Denomination:** Orthodox
- **Architectural style:** Moldavian, with Wallachian influences
- **Historical period:** 16th century

## Frequently asked questions about Galata Monastery

**How long does a visit to Galata Monastery take?**

A visit to Galata Monastery takes about 45 min (church and grounds).

**Can you visit Galata Monastery with kids?**

Yes, Galata Monastery is suitable for children (quiet in the church).

**How do I get to Galata Monastery?**

Galata Monastery is located at Strada Mănăstirii 4, Iași, Iași County. More under “Getting there”.

**When is the best time to visit Galata Monastery?**

The best season for Galata Monastery: All year round (a clear day for the view).

## Nearby attractions

- [Palace of Culture in Iași](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/palace-of-culture-in-iasi) — Castles and palaces · Iași, IS · 30 lei · 2½ – 3 hours · Top 100 · 2 km
  The Neo-Gothic palace with a clock tower and carillon in the centre of Iași, built in 1906–1925 as a Palace of Justice; today it houses four national museums of art, history, ethnography and science.
- [Trei Ierarhi Monastery](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/trei-ierarhi-monastery) — Monasteries · Iași, IS · 45 min · 2 km
  Vasile Lupu's foundation of 1639 in the centre of Iași, its facades covered in lace-like stone carving; the tombs of Cuza and Cantemir are here.
- [Metropolitan Cathedral of Iași](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/metropolitan-cathedral-of-iasi) — Churches · Iași, IS · Free · 45 min · 3 km
  The cathedral of the Metropolis of Moldavia, consecrated in 1887 in the centre of Iași and home to the relics of Saint Parascheva, which draw hundreds of thousands of pilgrims every October.
- [Cetățuia Monastery](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/cetatuia-monastery) — Monasteries · Iași, IS · 45 min · 3 km
  A fortified monastery on a hill in the south of Iași, built by Gheorghe Duca in 1669–1672, with a church modelled on the Three Hierarchs, enclosure walls and a bell tower at the entrance.
- [Roznovanu Palace](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/roznovanu-palace) — Castles and palaces · Iași, IS · 30 min · 3 km
  A Neoclassical palace rebuilt in 1830–1833 on Bulevardul Ștefan cel Mare și Sfânt, home to the Iași city hall; the façade can be seen from the boulevard, and the interior is visited by appointment.
- [Vasile Alecsandri National Theatre](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/vasile-alecsandri-national-theatre) — Monuments and historic sites · Iași, IS · 2 – 2½ hours · 3 km
  The Iași National Theatre building, designed by Fellner & Helmer and opened in 1896: an Ionic portico façade and a rococo auditorium with 740 seats, shared with the Romanian National Opera.

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Last updated: 28 October 2026
Source: Pe Plaiuri (https://peplaiuri.ro/en) — Guide to tourist attractions in Romania