Thanksgiving Candle, Soroca, Rep. Moldova

Soroca (Independence Street parking lot) (55 m) - Bechir's Chilia (85 m) - parking lot (55 m) - Thanksgiving Candle (120 m) - Soroca (Independence Street parking lot) (55 m)

About Thanksgiving Candle

Thanksgiving Candle is a monument erected on a cliff south of Soroca. The monument is dedicated to all the destroyed monuments of Moldavian culture, it is a tribute to the anonymous heroes and to the memory of the anonymous poet of the ballad "Miorița". The monument was erected on the initiative of the Moldovan writer Ion Druta, who also named it Thanksgiving Candle. In the hilltop monument is a 30-meter high candle-shaped chapel.

About the route

The route is a short one, but it requires some effort. It has 2 stages. First you go from the parking lot at the highway to the Bechir's ravine, in which is dug Bechir's cell back to the parking lot. Then up 657 flights of stairs to the Thanksgiving CandleWe visit the chapel and admire the Dniester, then return to the parking lot. The way up to and down from the monument is by stairs.

Route map

(click on objectives for extended version)

Technical box

Difficulty: medium - difficult

Duration / distance: 45 min / 1 km

Bookmark: unmarked

Water sources: drinking water is not

Minimum altitude: 55 meters, at the entrance / exit of the trail

Maximum altitude: 120 meters above sea level, at Thanksgiving Candle

Level difference: +110 m / -110 m

Comments: accessible all year round

1. Parking lot (55 m) - Bechir's ravine - Bechir's cell (85 m) - parking lot (55 m)

From the parking lot, follow the path upstream along a stream until you reach 2 boulders. On the right you can see Bechir's ravinea steep, limestone cliff wall. The ravine is a geological monument of nature. From the boulders it climbs steeply to the right, on slippery ground, to below the cliff where we see Bechir's cell or Bechir's cave or Bechir's cave. The brave can climb vertically up the cliff to enter the cell. Several climbing holds are carved into the rock, and a thick rope helps climbing. It is a rock hermitage from the 6th-8th centuries, attested in the 19th century. We descend with great caution. Back to the parking lot. Time needed 10-15 minutes.

through the woods to the ravine

slippery and steep path

Bechir's cell

warning

the landmark boulders where it climbs steeply

Are you going up to Bechir's Chilia?

2. Parking (55 m) - The Teacher's Fountain - Ion Druță's Tomb - Thanksgiving Candle (120 m)

This section of the route is equipped with 657 stairs. They facilitate the climb up to the monument. There are several rest stops along the way. Up to the top we will pass The Teacher's Fountain and besides tomb of Ion Druța. The climb takes 10-20 minutes.

parking

Teacher's fountain

tomb of Ion Druță

Ion Druță's little orchard

up the stairs

scale 1

3. Thanksgiving Candle (120 m) - parking lot (55 m)

Monument Thanksgiving Candle is shaped like a candle and has a chapel inside, a place of prayer. Surrounding the monument is a viewing platform offering 360-degree views. The view over the Dniester and across the border into Ukraine is superb. An arrow points nearby to the icon of Our Lady of Miracles. We return up the stairs to the parking lot. The descent takes 10-15 minutes.