The name of the town: reality and myth

1. In Targu Frumos , the custom called “Capra” (the Goat) is the most appreciated by children who compete in dramatic interpretation of roles with great joy, always prompting smiles from the audience and cultivating their love of folklore. SORCOVA is a custom met at the Bulgarians, as well, which consists in going from house to house, in the first morning of the New Year. People carry in their hands some green branches, that are decorated with colorful papers and bows. The Bulgarians use a very strong type of wood, in order to symbolize physical force. Also, this is the tree that is the first to blossom, thus symbolizing youth and joy, and its fruits ripe late in autumn, which showns logevity. Romanians use lines taken the custom of Sowing. Goups of boys and girls tell these lines in the morning of the New Year. This is a pre-Christian custom, connected to the magic practice of awakening nature to life.

2. In Targu Frumos, there is a group that celebrates Lipovan traditions, songs and dances (Katinca), and a group of Roma dances and songs – Romano Sumo. Garabet Ibraileanu School has 3 groups of singers: Trubadurii, Dorulet and Stelutele (which belongs to the Lipovan children - 2007). Ion Creanga School has the Mugurasii Ensamble, which was created in 2005, with pupils from primary classes. The blessing of the apples is a customs of the Lipovan Russians, which consists in the blessing the apples and grapes, one week before the celebration of Saint Mary, in the middle of the month of August. A very important celebration for the locals is that of the Healing Spring, when the priests hold a service in the memory of the deceased, in the cemetery. The relatives of the dead offer food to the poor.

3. The customs of the Lipovan-Russians of Targu Frumos are derives from various religios aspects. The calendar they are using is unchanged, thus it differs by 13 days from the new calendar. Taking part in religious sermons, held every Sunday or on special holidays is the unwritten rule of this community. Also, they always use the sign of the cross before eating of drinking anything.

4. The name of the town: reality and myth Many people that studies th history of this town asked themselves why it was called Targu Frumos (The Beautiful Bourg). Although the correct answer is to be found in documents, many used other explanations, taken from the local folklore. Thus, Neculai Dărângă, the author of the first monography dedicated to this settlement (1915), found a series of hypotheses, with no scientific backgound. These are: 1. Before this settlement appeared there was only one pub in the area, a resting place for the travellers. Because the alewife was extremely beautiful, the place was called “the tavern of the beautiful alewife”, and the place received the same appreciation of “beautiful” 2. That was the place where Steven the Great was meeting the mother of Petru Rares, who was a beautiful tradeswoman from Harlau 3. The land of this settlement belonged to lady Ruxanda, Petru Rares’ daughter, who was of a rare beauty, so the town was called “the land of the beauty”, or the “the bourg of the beauty” 4. This was the place where beautiful animals, cattle and pigs caught the attention of trademen from various places 5. The surroundings of the bourg were very beautiful, hills and forests full of flowers, with a pleasant natural environment, so the place was called the Beautiful Bourg.

5. The ceramics of Cucuteni Culture is unique in Europe, some similitudes were found to a special neolythic type of ceramic from China. However, the one in China appeared one millenium later. Al. I. Cuza Memorial Museum “Close to Targu Frumoos there are the beautiful lands of Ruginoasa. The guests can forget their problems here, people are very hospitable. They are transported, by magic, in a castle describe by Walter Scott… ” – these are the words of C. Negruzzi (1837), speaking of one of the most beautiful buildings Moldavia had at the time.

6. Religious Attractions Maicuta Church In 1856, Serafima, a nun, managed to build, using her own resources, the church called “The Decent of the Holy Ghost”, or Maicuta Monastery. The shape of the Lipovan Chruch is close to that of the Orthodox Church, with a semicircular shrine, oriented towards East. The novelty element is that of the Cross with 8 corners. It is known as The Lord Church and it was built in 1540, when Petru Rares was the ruler. It is the most important historical monument of the town. The church is built on a ground of stone and it has the shape of an ark, with a semicircular shrine, a 29 metres length, a 9 metres width and a height of 20 metres. The existing tower was added in the 18th century. This was the place where Ion Creanga, a famous writer, was made deacon, in 1858. The church is the most important builing for the Lipovan community. This church was common elements with other Orthodox churches, but also some particularities. The interior spaces are the shrine, the nave and the prenave, followed by a space similar to the one found at the entrance of other churches, where there are also painted images of saints and people can pray. Sf Parascheva Church

7. In the cemetery there is a large common grave (25 metres in length, 2,5 in width, and 2, 5 in height), made after the Iasi pogrom took place, when the bodies were discharged from the first “death train”, which was headed towards Calarasi. Next to this grave, there is a memorial stone, built in the communist era, which contains an inscription in Romanian and Hebrew : “In the memory of the 640 Jews burried here, vistims of the fascist crimes, in the death train – June, 29th-30th, and July, 1st 1941. Let us not forget the fascist crimes!” The culture of this town is sustained by the schools and highschool, by the ethnic identities, the TownHall, the Culture House, The Museum “Mihai Constantin”. There are several traditions that celebrate the town, many book launches, festivities organized by various folklore ensambles. All these create a complex cultural landscape, fitted for all ages. The first library was created in 1924, at the initiative of Lumina cultural centre and it had 1800 scientific and litarary items. In 1968, when Targu Frumos became a town, the library received the status of a “town library”.