Husi, “the city among the vineyards,” mentioned in Dimitrie Cantemir’s Description of Moldova, boasts a centuries-old history and welcomes every Bessarabian crossing the Leuseni border. The project team “The Prut Valley – Cradle of Romanian Civilization,” funded by the Department for Relations with the Republic of Moldova (DRRM) within the Romanian Government, also visited the city. The name comes from the boyar Husul or Husea, who owned estates on both sides of the Prut River and is believed to have founded the settlement.
“Stefan cel Mare built his royal courts where the Episcopal Palace now stands. It is where he held royal judgments. Many rulers came to Husi for reflection and justice. Bogdan III the One-Eyed, died here at the Royal Court of Husi, Petru Rares, Ioan Voda the Terrible, and others all stayed here. Stefan cel Mare also built a chapel for the Court,” historian Costin Clit explains.
When Bessarabia was part of Greater Romania, the Husi Diocese played a key role in Romanian education on what is now the territory of the Republic of Moldova, as well as in the creation of a metropolitan see in Chisinau. The first printing press, which produced primers and the press of the time in Romanian, also came from there.
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Husi is the birthplace of over 300 notable figures, including Dimitrie Cantemir and Alexandru Giugaru. It is also the final resting place of Mina Dobzeu, the iconic figure in the history of the Romanian Orthodox Church, who was originally from Bessarabia.
Writer Lina Codreanu published data on remarkable people from Husi in a dictionary.
“First of all, we have a geographical connection. You can’t enter or leave Romania on this side without passing through Husi. Husi is the cultural hub between Chisinau and Bucharest. It’s a key location where most cultural figures from Chisinau have stopped by. I’m referring to Grigore Vieru, Nicolae Dabija, Efim Tarlapan, Mihai Cimpoi. In the Codreanu family, we have a chronicle—a salon chronicle. In our salon, there have been over a thousand visits from prominent personalities,” the author explained.
Writer Lina Codreanu and her husband, Teodor Codreanu, are passionate about the culture on the left bank of the Prut River. Teodor has published monographs about Grigore Vieru, Mihai Cimpoi, Victor Teleuca, and Nicolae Dabija, and five books about Bessarabia.
The folklore of the Prut Valley is preserved by the ensemble “Trandafir de la Moldova” from Husi, which has participated in hundreds of concerts over its 25 years of activity with various generations of artists. The performers frequently visit the Republic of Moldova and find inspiration among Bessarabians.
“We have represented Romania at many international and national festivals. We have been to France, Italy, Germany, and Switzerland, and we have visited Moldova several times. We are closely connected and draw inspiration from Moldovan folk music. We have many musician friends with whom we meet and exchange activities,” conductor Valerica Petraru shared.
The Husi municipal administration is always ready to meet the needs of the Republic of Moldova citizens and implements cross-border projects. For instance, approximately €900,000 has been invested in Hincesti, and the trade and cultural relations remain stable.
According to a survey conducted in Huși by the research company IMAS, commissioned by the Prut Valley project and funded by the Department for Relations with the Republic of Moldova (DRRM), over 78% of respondents believe that the political relations between Romania and the Republic of Moldova are good or very good, while 66% view the economic relations positively.
When asked if people from Romania and those from the Republic of Moldova are similar, 98% answered affirmatively. Residents of Husi also express a desire for at least one family member to be from Bessarabia. More than half of them cross the Prut River to visit relatives or friends, discover tourist attractions, or shop.