Drochia District: Manor Houses, Museums and Nature

In Drochia District, manor houses, ethnographic collections and protected natural monuments offer different perspectives on the region. Festivals also provide insights into local traditions—with dates and content specific to particular editions. When planning your trip, you can first consider whether architecture, museum objects, landscapes or an event date should be the main focus.

Manor Houses and Museums

The Ion Hasnaș manor house in Sofia was built in 1848 by Italian, French and Swiss craftsmen, commissioned by the boyar Hasnaș. The building housing the Muzeul de Istorie și Etnografie Sofia largely retains its original appearance. Notable details include ornamentally decorated terracotta stoves and striking ceilings. The exhibitions show the economic, social and cultural development of the locality across different historical periods. Nine rooms are devoted to subjects including archaeology, peasant life, heroes and weaving; the exhibition layout may change.

In Nicoreni, the two exhibition rooms of the Muzeul de Istorie și Etnografie focus on different subjects: village life and local crafts. The ethnographic collection includes textiles, embroidery, carpets and icons, as well as old suitcases, sewing machines and wooden boxes. The collection may change. Those interested in everyday agricultural and household items will find old carts and tools at the open-air Muzeul Fermierului in Cotova, some of which are up to 200 years old. The collection contains more than 2,000 agricultural and household items.

Manor houses also tell the story of the area. Vila Mândâc, the Oganovici family’s country manor, was built in 1896 on a 14-hectare estate with a garden. Vila cu Parc Mândâc is a branch of the National Museum of Ethnography and Natural History. In Cotova, Conacul „Russo“ was restored as part of the „Satul European“ program. The restoration was completed in October 2024; a craft workshop and a center for developing and promoting rural tourism were established as part of the work. In Nicoreni, the monastery is dedicated to the Holy Prophet Elijah. Catedrala „Adormirea Maicii Domnului“ in Drochia was built in the Novgorod style, with five towers.

Natural Monuments and Landscapes

The protected natural monuments differ considerably in type. West of Chetrosu, on the Drochia–Soroca road, lies Aflorimentul Chetrosu, a state-protected geological and paleontological natural monument. Izvoarele din Cotova is a hydrological natural monument near Cotova, at the foot of the left slope of the Căinari River. Parcul Mândâc, in turn, is protected as a natural monument of landscape architecture and lies between the villages of Mândâc and Iliciovca. Together, these sites span geological and water-related features as well as a landscaped park.

Festivals and Trip Planning

Festival dates also provide a timeframe for your trip. Mîndîc hosted the eighth edition of the „Ziua Portului Popular și al Pâinii“ festival on August 9, 2026. In 2024, the Festivalul Etniilor „Unitate prin diversitate“ reached its fifth edition in Drochia; it included workshops and exhibitions of ethnic foods and objects.

The „GurmanIA“ national cuisine festival in Țarigrad is traditionally held on the last Sunday in July. The 2024 edition featured, among other things, Sarmale, Baba neagră, Plăcinte, Mămăligă, Friptură, fish soup, traditional pastries and boiled corn; the food on offer may vary by edition. Check the festival dates before your trip. To choose a focus, you can compare the options: historic architecture and museum collections, protected landscapes or a festival with a specific date. This can help you tailor your trip to the interests you would most like to explore in Drochia District.

Discover more destinations: Drochia, Edineț District, Dubasari, Rezina, Causeni, Soroca District, Călărași District, Transnistria

Go to the main travel overview: Moldova.