Discover Moldova with #MOLDPRES: Varatic Strait - natural monument harmoniously uniting paleolithic period with present times

In the today’s material, we refer to the Varatic Strait from north Moldova.  

A monument of nature of the geological or paleontological type

The Varatic Strait is a monument of the nature of the geological or paleontological type in the Rascani district of Moldova. It has an area of 21.3 hectares, according to recent measurements.

The Varatic Strait appeared during several hundreds of thousands of years, under the action of the small river Cuihuret, a tributary of the Ciuhur river. A reef massif of Badenian age is at its basis, made up of coral skeletons, foraminifera, mollusks, algae-lithothamnia and other water organisms.       

Several caves and artificial grottos are on the slopes of the reef. Some of them, such as the Casoaia cave, has also a spring, contain traces of people from the Paleolithic and eneolithic ages.     

Three waterfalls were formed on the river, with the height of 1.5, 2.5 and 3.5 metres.  

The Varatic Strait is placed in the northern region, nearby the Costesti-Stanca Lake and the strait and grottos of Duruitoarea – places which can be visited on the same day.  

The entire strait is a picturesque area with a lot of landscapes

The Varatic Strait is surrounded by slopes – areas getting above the canyon, from which special views open.

The strait nearby the Varatic village is quite picturesque also due to the abundance of grass and flowers. One hundred of hillocks, with the highest peak (30 metres) – the hillock of the gypsy, is a protected area nearby the Prut river, placed between the villages Braniste (Rascani district) and Cobani (Glodeni district).   

The object was taken over under the state’s protection under the Decision by the Soviet of Ministers (government) of the Moldovan Soviet Socialist Republic (RSSM) from 8 January 1975 and the status of protection was reconfirmed through the Law No 1538 from 25 February 1998 on the fund of the state national protected areas.

The protected area is of educative interest and can be included in both national and international tourist routes.   

Modern approaching of the strait

For several years, the Varatic Strait has been part of the Redescoperă Moldova (Rediscover Moldova) project. This is a project financed through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), with the financial support of the Foreign and European Affairs Ministry of Slovakia, implemented by the North Regional Development Agency (ADR Nord), in partnership with the PRO4CE Slovakian Company.    

At a request by MOLDPRES, sources of ADR Nord said that ‘’the concerns about the dynamic of the development of tourism in north Moldova intervene in a context characterized through a long string of expectations related to the improvement of the economic situation and the prosperity of the country.’’    

Correspondent: Lilia Grubii