Dealul Romilor

What you see

On the hill above the centre of Soroca, houses with colonnades, domes, turrets and metal roofs stand in rows. Journalists and visitors spot references to the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, the Capitol in Washington, St Peter's Basilica, Hagia Sophia and even the Pentagon. Some houses are finished and lived in, others were never completed or stand empty for long periods while their owners work elsewhere.

A 2020 AFP report counted some thirty large houses in the district, only a few of which were occupied at the time. Above all, the architecture is about prestige: a big house shows success, even if the family lives there for only part of the year.

History

Soroca is regarded as the centre of the Roma in Moldova. According to official figures, more than 2,000 Roma live here, out of about 9,000 in the whole country, although the real number is probably higher because many Roma do not state their ethnicity in censuses. After the Second World War, the Roma of Soroca were among the few in the then Romanian territory who were not deported.

In Soviet times many residents worked in a metal factory or travelled seasonally across the Soviet Union as smiths. In the late 1980s Roma cooperatives made underwear that was sold door to door throughout the Soviet Union; it was in that period that building of the first large houses began. After the economic collapse of the 1990s, many families moved to Russia and on to Central Asia and the Caucasus. You will find extensive background at The Calvert Journal.

Tips for your visit

• Stroll quietly through the streets and look at the houses from the public road; these are private homes.
• Take photographs respectfully and ask permission if people are in the picture; not everyone appreciates cameras.
• Consider a local guide if you want to know more about the community and its history.
• Combine the district with Soroca Fortress and the Lumânarea Recunoștinței.