About Copou Park (Grădina Copou)
At a glance: Parks and gardens in Iași, Iași County. Ticket: Free. The visit takes 1 – 1¼ hours. Information verified on 11 October 2026.
Copou Park, also called Grădina Copou, is the oldest public park in Iași and the largest in the central and northern part of the city, at about 10 hectares today (by the end of the 19th century it had reached 19). Copou hill had been a place for the boyars to stroll since the 17th century, and in 1834 Prince Mihail Sturza decided to make a public garden here; the city's Eforia set it up over the following years, on land bought one plot at a time from the owners. The layout mixes a Baroque-style central axis with a flower parterre and winding paths in the English landscape style, among lime, ash and maple trees.
At the centre of the park stands the Lions' Obelisk, raised between 1834 and 1841 to plans by Gheorghe Asachi, in Șcheia stone, as the "Monument of the Organic Regulation" (LMI code IS-III-m-B-04290). Beside it is Eminescu's Linden Tree, a monumental tree linked with the poet by the city's tradition; its age is given as between about 458 and 540 years, depending on the source. The park is bordered on its east side by Carol I boulevard, and its monumental fence is made of the same stone as the obelisk.
What you can see
From the main entrance, on Carol I boulevard, a wide avenue climbs past the flower parterre to the central square, with the Lions' Obelisk, almost 14 metres tall, and Eminescu's Linden Tree, held up by metal bands and props. Beyond them starts the Junimea Alley, with the busts of Eminescu, Creangă, Veronica Micle, Costache and Iacob Negruzzi, Nicolae Gane, Delavrancea and other writers and artists. In the park is the "Mihai Eminescu" Museum, a modernist building from 1989, with photographs, old editions and a collection of fine art, and beside it the "Mihai Ursachi" House of Culture. There are also a triple row of yews on the east side, a small spruce wood in the north, the acacia avenue and a children's playground.
Good to know
The park has been awaiting restoration for years: the feasibility study (about 24–26 million lei) provides for new paths, conservation of the linden, rebuilding of the bandstand and restoration of the fence, but no works have started and there is no execution tender. The Lions' Obelisk was restored separately, under a contract from 2022. In August 2024 the city hall announced that the park is to be entered in the List of Historic Monuments. No official access schedule is published: sources describe it as open non-stop, but the administrator does not confirm this.
- The Lions' Obelisk, from 1834–1841, in Șcheia stone, in the central square of the park.
- Eminescu's Linden Tree, a monumental tree supported by metal bands and props.
- The Junimea Alley, with the busts of Eminescu, Creangă, Veronica Micle and other Junimea members.
- The "Mihai Eminescu" Museum, with old editions, photographs and a collection of fine art.
- The triple row of yews on the east side, visible from Carol I boulevard too.
Good to know before you go
- Getting there
By car: the park is about 3 km north-west of the centre of Iași, on Carol I boulevard, which climbs from Piața Unirii towards Copou hill; the main entrance is on the long side facing the boulevard. There are four more entrances, from the university, from the Army Palace, from Macazului street and from Aurora street.
Public transport: the nearest stop is Triumf ("Super Copou"), served by trams and buses (according to Wikipedia, trams 1, 8, 9 and 13 and buses 28, 36, 42 and 52; check the current routes). From the centre you can also walk up Carol I boulevard in about 40 minutes.
- Where to park
The park has no car park of its own. In the Copou area you park on the surrounding streets, generally paid, and spaces fill up quickly at weekends and on festival days.
- Fees & discounts
Entry to the park is free. A ticket to the "Mihai Eminescu" Museum costs 11 lei (6 lei for pensioners, 2 lei for pupils and students, 8 lei per person in a group of over 9), according to the MNLR Iași tariffs; the museum is free on certain days announced on their website.
- Rules
Follow the signs in the park: pets only on a lead, do not pick the flowers or walk on the beds, do not touch the trunk of Eminescu's Linden Tree. In the museum, the rules for visiting and photography are those posted at the entrance.
- Facilities
paved paths · benches · playground · museum · "Mihai Ursachi" House of Culture · kiosks nearby · tram and bus at the Triumf stop
Frequently asked questions about Copou Park (Grădina Copou)
- How much is a ticket to Copou Park (Grădina Copou)?
- Admission to Copou Park (Grădina Copou) is free (free park, museum ticketed). Entry to the park is free. A ticket to the "Mihai Eminescu" Museum costs 11 lei (6 lei for pensioners, 2 lei for pupils and students, 8 lei per person in a group of over 9), according to the MNLR Iași tariffs; the museum is free on certain days announced on their website.
- How long does a visit to Copou Park (Grădina Copou) take?
- A visit to Copou Park (Grădina Copou) takes about 1 – 1¼ hours (+45 min with the museum).
- Can you visit Copou Park (Grădina Copou) with kids?
- Yes, Copou Park (Grădina Copou) is suitable for children (playground, wide paths).
- Where can I park at Copou Park (Grădina Copou)?
- There is paid parking at Copou Park (Grădina Copou) (on the surrounding streets). The park has no car park of its own. In the Copou area you park on the surrounding streets, generally paid, and spaces fill up quickly at weekends and on festival days.
- How do I get to Copou Park (Grădina Copou)?
- Copou Park (Grădina Copou) is located at Carol I boulevard (main entrance), Iași, Iași County. By car: the park is about 3 km north-west of the centre of Iași, on Carol I boulevard, which climbs from Piața Unirii towards Copou hill; the main entrance is on the long side facing the boulevard. There are four more entrances, from the university, from the Army Palace, from Macazului street and from Aurora street. Public transport: the nearest stop is Triumf ("Super Copou"), served by trams and buses (according to Wikipedia, trams 1, 8, 9 and 13 and buses 28, 36, 42 and 52; check the current routes). From the centre you can also walk up Carol I boulevard in about 40 minutes.
- When is the best time to visit Copou Park (Grădina Copou)?
- The best season for Copou Park (Grădina Copou): April – October (lindens in bloom in early summer).
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