About 35 kilometres southwest of Chișinău, surrounded by hills and vineyards, lies Hîncești, a town of around 15,000 people.
It is one of those Moldovan towns where you can easily drive through, stop for something to eat or buy a few things, and continue your journey without giving it much thought.
And that would be a pity.. Because Hîncești has more to show than you might
think and expect.
The town has been here for centuries, first mentioned in the early 1500s, and you can still find traces of different times standing almost side by side.
There are churches with green and golden domes, old buildings, small gardens and streets where everyday life just continues without much concern for the history surrounding it.
Some places are well maintained, others could use a little attention, but together they give the town its own appearance and soul.
Then there are the mosaics.
Large, colourful pictures on the walls of buildings, showing people, traditions and scenes from another time.
Cars are parked outside, people pass on their way to work or shopping, and the pictures remain still there, quietly telling something about the years that have passed.
It is easy to overlook such things when you are in a hurry, but they are worth stopping for.
People live here, work here, raise their families and go about their lives and among all that ordinary life, there is quite a lot to discover..
There is something pleasant about leaving the main streets of Hîncești and looking further around.
The houses become more scattered, gardens appear between them, and the hills begin to take over the view.
From outside the town, vineyards stretch across the foreground while houses and apartment buildings rise in the distance.
It is a view that says quite a lot about this part of Moldova.
The countryside is never very far away and back in town, the churches stand among the trees, their domes visible above the rooftops.
On a sunny day, the white walls and golden crosses are difficult to miss.
Not far away are monuments remembering people who lost their lives during some of Moldova's most difficult years.
They are part of Hîncești too, and a reminder that the town's history has not always been peaceful.
And of course, there is Manuc Bey...
The historical complex is probably the best-known place in Hîncești, with its old buildings, grounds and a history reaching back into the 19th century.
It deserves a visit, and there is enough to discover for a separate story.
But it would be a shame to visit Hîncești only for Manuc Bey and then just drive
away again
Take a walk through the town, look at the buildings, the mosaics, the churches and the smaller things along the streets and you may not find something remarkable around every corner, but that is not the point.
Sometimes it is enough to spend a some time somewhere, see how people live, and discover a place that you otherwise would have passed without stopping.
Hîncești is worth that time.
Hîncești este cunoscut pentru Conacul Manuc Bey, un important complex
arhitectural și istoric, legat de comerțul și diplomația secolului al XIX-lea.
Va urma...
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Hîncești is known for Manuc Bey Mansion, an important architectural
and historical complex connected to 19th-century trade and diplomacy.
To be continued...
