Orhei District

Orhei is a district (Romanian: raion) in central Moldova, with its administrative center in the city of Orhei. On 1 January 2011, its population was 125,900.

History

The Orhei region has been inhabited since the Stone Age. Settlements included the ancient city of Getae (located near modern Trebujeni). Getae stood from the eighth to the second century BC and was abandoned after an invasion by a Germanic tribe, the Bastarnae. Non-fortified settlements were located on the riverbank. A medieval fortress of earth and wood was later constructed near the former site of Getae, which stood from the 12th to the 14th century AD. During the 14th century, the Golden Horde occupied the region; the town was conquered, and its name changed to Shehr al Jedid. From 1363 to 1365, Horde leader Abdullah Khan resided in Shehr al Jedid. At the end of the 14th century, the Horde were driven out and the empire dissolved; the eastern city evolved, acquiring Moldovan characteristics. During the reign of Stephen the Great the stone city was repaired, equipped with artillery and became the residence of Orhei's governor. During the mid-16th century, the old city was abandoned in favor of the current site, 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) northwest. The stone fortress was destroyed. About 1600, Prince Jeremiah Movilă unsuccessfully attempted to rebuild the city, and in 1665 a cave monastery was built in the area. In 1773, the Curchi monastery was built near the Vatici. After the 1812 Treaty of Bucharest, Basarabia was occupied by the Russian Empire until 1917. In 1918, after the collapse of the Russian Empire, Basarabia joined Romania. Orhei County existed from 1918 to 1940 and 1941 to 1944. After the 1940 Molotov-Ribbentrop Treaty, Basarabia was occupied by the USSR. Moldovan independence in 1991 revived Orhei County until 2003, when it became a district of Moldova.

Orhei

Orhei (Romanian pronunciation: [orˈhej]), older Orgeev (Russian: Орге́ев) (Yiddish Uriv – אוריװ), is a city and the administrative centre of Orhei District in Moldova with a population of 32,000. Orhei is approximately 40 kilometres (25 miles) north of the capital, Chişinău.

History

Orhei takes its name from the medieval city of Old Orhei, about 10 miles (16 km) below the modern city on the Răut River, which was destroyed by the Crimean Tatars in the 14th to 16th centuries. It was the Turkish military center of northern Bessarabia until it was taken by the Russian Empire in 1812. The word "orhei" was used by local population, meaning "strengthened hill, fortress, deserted courtyard"

Like the rest of Bessarabia, Orhei became part of the Kingdom of Romania after World War I and was annexed by the USSR in 1940. It was completely destroyed during the Jassy–Kishinev Offensive of August 1944 and was rebuilt after the war. In 1991 it became part of the Republic of Moldova.

Prior to 2003, Orhei was the capital of Orhei County, a large administrative region, but the country was divided further in Raion, or districts.