Rural tour

This small, cozy house occupies a genuinely picturesque setting on the banks of the Dniester River, offering an excellent vacation destination regardless of the season. Within the surrounding forest, visitors will find natural springs flowing with the purest drinking water, while a monastery sits just beyond the nearby mountain, adding both practical natural resources and spiritual significance to the chalet’s immediate surroundings.

The chalet features a charming wood-burning fireplace inside, complemented by a barbecue area in the yard for outdoor cooking and gatherings. This compact accommodation comes fully equipped with everything necessary for a pleasant stay: a complete kitchen, refrigerator, cooking stove, microwave oven and dishes, ensuring guests can prepare meals comfortably throughout their visit. The chalet accommodates up to 4 guests, making it ideal for small families or groups of friends seeking an intimate countryside retreat. Transfer service can be arranged upon request, though this convenience comes at a separate additional cost.

Perched dramatically atop a steep rock overlooking Stroentsy, the Tower of the Winds stands as a striking 19th-century architectural monument and one of the most recognizable landmarks in the village. Built in the late 1800s, the tower was raised in memory of Peter Christianovich Wittgenstein — the celebrated Russian military commander and hero of the Patriotic War of 1812, whose legacy shaped the very landscape of this corner of the Dniester valley.

Before the 1917 revolution, the tower’s interior housed a bronze bust of the commander himself, while four cast-iron plates adorned its sides, each inscribed with heartfelt epitaphs honoring Wittgenstein’s memory. One of these moving inscriptions reads:

“Dear father! You have given the foundation for everything here, accept the due recompense for all time.”

Though the bust and some original details have not survived to the present day, the tower itself continues to stand as a powerful symbol of gratitude and remembrance — a tribute carved in stone to a man whose vision and investment transformed Stroentsy into the picturesque village it remains today.

The grape terraces of Stroentsy form one of the most significant chapters in the village’s rich history, dating back to the early 19th century when Stroentsy belonged to the estate of Prince Peter Christianovich Wittgenstein. A passionate advocate of viticulture, Wittgenstein cleverly worked with the natural terrain, constructing stone terraces along the eastern slope to create the ideal conditions for cultivating his vines.

On these carefully engineered terraces, he grew both table and technical European grape varieties, even bringing in specialists from Germany to oversee their cultivation and ensure the highest quality. The terraces’ eastern-facing position proved to be a stroke of genius — receiving uninterrupted sunlight from dawn until dusk, this orientation allowed the grapes to ripen beautifully, producing fruit of exceptional quality.

The wines that emerged from these slopes earned a remarkable reputation, regarded as among the finest for preventing and treating gastric ailments — a testament to both the quality of the grapes and the skill of those who tended them. Today, the grape terraces of Stroentsy stand as one of the village’s most treasured historical monuments, a living legacy of Wittgenstein’s vision and the enduring connection between this land and the art of winemaking.

Perched on the edge of the slope crowned by the Tower of the Winds, right alongside the famous grape terraces, the Countess’s Gazebo offers one of the most romantic vantage points in all of Stroentsy. This elegant structure was built in 1908 at the order of Maria Petrovna Zinovieva, granddaughter of the legendary Field Marshal Peter Christianovich Wittgenstein — a continuation of her family’s deep connection to this picturesque corner of the Dniester valley.

From the gazebo, visitors are treated to sweeping, scenic views stretching across the Dniester River, the village of Stroentsy below and the rolling countryside beyond. It remains one of the most beloved spots in the village for quiet reflection — a place where the beauty of the landscape and the echoes of aristocratic history come together in perfect harmony.

The “Teplitsa” springs system ranks among the most renowned natural water sources in the entire district, prized for the purity and freshness of its flow. A cherished local tradition has taken root around these springs over the years: every January 19th, on the Orthodox feast of Epiphany, the waters here are ceremonially consecrated — drawing locals and visitors alike to witness and take part in this meaningful religious observance.

Beyond its spiritual significance, the springs continue to serve as a beloved natural landmark in Stroentsy, offering refreshing, crystal-clear water that has drawn villagers and travelers to this spot for generations.

The story of the Church of St. Michael the Archangel in Stroentsy begins with the original wooden church, first established in 1702. This early structure was destroyed in the 1820s, and the land was subsequently used to build a palace for Prince Trubetskoy, which itself eventually collapsed in 1918, marking another chapter in this site’s layered architectural history.

Construction of the present church began in 1829, funded by Peter Christianovich Wittgenstein, whose patronage shaped so much of Stroentsy’s development during this period. A particularly distinctive feature of this temple lies in its architecture, which thoughtfully blends Orthodox and Lutheran traditions — the stone bell tower, topped with a distinctive spoke-shaped peak, bears a clear resemblance to German church design, creating a fascinating cross-cultural architectural statement that reflects the diverse influences present in this corner of the Dniester valley.

The church’s role in the community extended beyond purely religious functions: a school was established on its grounds in 1861, embedding the temple within the educational life of the village as well as its spiritual life. In the 20th century, to mark the 40th anniversary of Victory over Nazi Germany in the Great Patriotic War, a military history museum was opened here, named after P.A. Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky, adding yet another dimension to this multifaceted site. Finally, in the 1990s, the church underwent restoration and resumed functioning according to its original sacred purpose, completing a journey that saw this remarkable building serve religious, residential, educational and museum functions across more than three centuries.

For more information, visitors may contact Hegumen Sergiy (Vakhtomin).

The story of Stroentsy’s iconic water mill begins in 1881, when the construction of the Slobodka–Rybnitsa railway dramatically expanded opportunities for importing machinery from Europe. Seizing on this new connectivity, Transylvanian architect and innovator Georgy Panteleevich Mazgan designed and built a water mill in the village, equipping it with mechanisms imported all the way from Zurich, Switzerland — a remarkable feat of engineering ambition for its time and place.

The mill underwent restoration in 1982, after which the building served for a time as a museum of bread. More recently, this 19th-century structure has been lovingly restored once again, this time at the expense of M.V. Orlov, ensuring its preservation for future generations.

Today, the water mill stands as one of the most beloved attractions not only in Stroentsy but across the entire northern region of Pridnestrovie. The picturesque natural surroundings blend seamlessly with thoughtful landscape design throughout the grounds, creating a setting of genuine charm. Within its historic walls, visitors will now find both a museum dedicated to the mill’s history and the restaurant and hotel complex “Old Mill” — allowing guests to dine, stay and explore all within this remarkable piece of living heritage.

Nestled in one of the most authentic and picturesque villages in all of Pridnestrovie, the Church of the Holy Trinity captivates pilgrims and visitors alike with its unusual architectural design and the rich historical events surrounding its founding. Built in 1779, this small and intimate church has earned official recognition as an architectural monument of republican significance, and continues to actively serve the faithful of Rashkov to this day.

What truly sets this church apart is the presence of a remarkable 19th-century icon of the Spas Nerukotvornyi — the Image of Christ Not Made by Human Hands. Believers have long attributed miraculous power to this sacred icon, and it remains one of the most deeply venerated treasures in the entire region, drawing the faithful from far beyond the village itself.

For more information, visitors may contact Archpriest Dimitri Zamor.

St. Cajetan Catholic Church holds a unique distinction as the oldest Catholic church in all of Pridnestrovie, remarkably preserved in nearly its original form to this day. The decision to build the church dates back to 1749, when Prince Jozef Lubomirski made the commitment to its construction — a decision documented in the historic manuscript known as the “Act of Foundation of the Church in Rashkovo.” Construction itself was completed in 1786, with the church consecrated five years later in honor of St. Cajetan.

Architecturally, the building stands as a classic example of 18th-century Polish Catholic church design, incorporating elegant Baroque elements that reflect the artistic sensibilities of its era. The church’s history took a difficult turn during the Soviet period, when it was closed by local authorities and repurposed first as a granary, then later as a joiner’s workshop — a fate shared by many religious buildings during that time.

It wasn’t until 1990 that the church was finally returned to the Catholic community. Since then, services have once again filled the building with the sounds of the pipe organ, restoring this remarkable piece of 18th-century heritage to its original sacred purpose.

Constructed around 1749 using funds collected through the so-called “basket tax” — a specialized form of taxation of the era — this synagogue once stood at the very heart of Rashkov’s spiritual and communal life. During this period, the village held particular significance as one of the centers of world Hasidism, a religious movement within Judaism that swept through the Jewish population of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and surrounding territories during the first half of the 18th century.

For generations, the synagogue served as the spiritual anchor for Rashkov’s substantial and vibrant Jewish community. Tragically, the building’s fate changed dramatically in the early 1930s, when the Soviet anti-religious campaign led to the destruction of its vaults. Today, only the stone walls and a handful of interior architectural elements remain standing from what was once a truly majestic structure — a haunting reminder of the rich Jewish heritage that once flourished in this corner of Pridnestrovie.

Tucked away near the ruins of the old Jewish synagogue, Panska Krynitsa — meaning “The Spring of the Mistress” — stands as a cultural heritage site dating back to the middle of the 17th century, its name carrying with it one of the most poignant love stories in the history of Rashkov.

The spring’s name is forever linked to Ruksanda, daughter of the Moldavian Principality’s Hospodar Vasily Lupu. In 1652, she married Timofey, son of the legendary Ukrainian Hetman Bogdan Khmelnytsky. Tragedy struck just a year later, when Timofey was fatally wounded during the siege of Suchava Fortress. In the aftermath of his son’s death, Bogdan Khmelnytsky gifted the village of Rashkov to the grieving Ruksanda, who would go on to live here for thirteen long years, carrying her sorrow with her.

According to local legend, the spring that came to bear her name — “Panska Krynitsa” — emerged from the very tears Ruksanda shed while mourning the untimely loss of her beloved husband, a story that has been passed down through generations and continues to give this natural spring its deeply romantic and melancholic significance.

Rising dramatically in the south-eastern part of Rashkov village, Chervona (Red) Rock stands as one of the most impressive natural monuments in the entire region — stretching an impressive 500 meters in length and towering 50 meters high. This striking limestone formation owes its evocative name to a remarkable natural phenomenon: as the sun sets each evening, the rock’s limestone slopes transform, glowing with a vivid red hue that gives the formation its unmistakable and unforgettable appearance.

Built in 1740, the Intercession Church carries a fascinating religious history within its weathered walls — originally established as a Greek Catholic (Uniate) church before later transitioning to Orthodox worship, reflecting the shifting religious currents that shaped this region over the centuries.

Like so many other religious buildings across Pridnestrovie, the church suffered destruction during the Soviet years, falling victim to the era’s widespread anti-religious campaigns. Today, only the church’s walls and a portion of its original shingle roof have managed to survive, standing as a quiet and somewhat melancholic testament to a place of worship that once served the faithful of Rashkov for two centuries.

Fyodor Ivanovich Zharchinsky joined the Red Army at the very outbreak of the Great Patriotic War, going on to participate in significant battles across Ukraine, the Caucasus and Eastern Europe throughout the course of the conflict. During the decisive Berlin operation on April 21, 1945, Senior Lieutenant Zharchinsky, alongside a group of reconnaissance scouts, discovered a concentration camp in the German town of Treuenbrietzen. Making the courageous decision to liberate the prisoners held there, the scouts engaged the camp’s guards in direct confrontation.

The operation proved extraordinarily successful, resulting in the liberation of 4,500 prisoners of war representing multiple nationalities — Russians, French, Poles, Danes, Belgians and Norwegians, including notably the commander of the Norwegian armed forces, Major General Otto Ruge. However, this victory came at tremendous personal cost: Zharchinsky, who had personally killed six guards along with the camp commandant during the engagement, was mortally wounded and died shortly afterward from his injuries. In recognition of this extraordinary act of heroism, he was posthumously awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union.

On May 23, 1982, a museum dedicated to this outstanding son of Rashkov opened in the village, preserving his memory for future generations. In 2011, a bust honoring the hero was installed beside the school where he had once taught and which he led during the pre-war years — creating a permanent physical connection between Zharchinsky’s wartime heroism and the educational institution where he first served his community before the war that would ultimately claim his life.

The Cossack Guest House promises calm and peaceful rural living, with fresh, clear air, genuine silence and organic homemade products combining to guarantee guests the most pleasant possible impressions from their countryside getaway. The establishment’s cozy atmosphere, paired with its close proximity to nature, creates an ideal environment for relaxation and genuine disconnection from urban life.

A uniquely authentic stylistic approach throughout the guest house transports visitors back through time, allowing them to touch history directly while becoming acquainted with the local traditions, daily life and cuisine that have characterized this region’s Cossack heritage for generations. The guest house welcomes overnight tourists specifically during the warmer months, operating from April through October, ensuring guests can fully enjoy the surrounding natural beauty and outdoor activities that this seasonal window of operation makes possible.

This remarkable grotto, carved directly into a stone slab in 1830, is popularly known among locals as “Karmaliuk’s Hut.” Inside, visitors will discover a small stove tucked into one corner of the room, stone benches lining the walls, and a modest little window providing natural light to this atmospheric space.

According to local legend, the grotto served as a hiding place for Ustym Karmaliuk — often called the “Ukrainian Robin Hood” — who led an anti-serf revolt across the right bank of Ukraine during the first half of the 19th century. This was no minor uprising: more than 20,000 peasants participated in the rebel movement under Karmaliuk’s leadership, making it one of the more significant peasant resistance movements of the era. For many years, Karmaliuk’s units conducted raids on manor houses throughout the region, redistributing the money and valuables seized during these operations to impoverished peasants — earning Karmaliuk his enduring reputation as a champion of the rural poor against an oppressive feudal system.

Tucked away in the northern reaches of Pridnestrovie, within one of the region’s most authentically preserved villages, stands a truly special and distinctive church, framed beautifully by rolling hills and a picturesque forest backdrop. This church sets itself apart through its unique architectural approach and refreshing simplicity of execution — a design philosophy that prioritizes harmony with the natural surroundings over elaborate ornamentation.

The temple’s walls are lined with natural stone, lending the building a grounded, earthy character that connects it directly to the landscape from which its materials were drawn. Adding a striking visual touch, both the bell tower’s roof and the central dome have been painted a vivid blue, creating a beautiful sense of unity between the church and the sky above, as well as the natural surroundings that frame this remarkable place of worship. The overall effect is a church that feels less like an imposition upon the landscape and more like an organic extension of it — a fitting spiritual home within one of Pridnestrovie’s most picturesque rural settings.

This nursery operates as the largest farm of its kind anywhere in Pridnestrovie, specializing in cultivating seedlings, fruit trees, roses and a wide variety of shrubs, deciduous, decorative and coniferous plants. Founded in 1990, the nursery is located in Konstantinovka village within Kamenka district, having grown substantially since its establishment more than three decades ago.

Today, the nursery’s total area spans approximately 30 hectares, supporting the cultivation of thousands of garden plants across this extensive growing operation. Visitors can purchase plants directly for their own gardens, while during the warm season, the nursery also offers opportunities to participate in harvesting fruits and berries grown on-site — providing a genuinely hands-on agricultural experience for interested visitors.

The nursery additionally features a picnic area available for use by prior arrangement, allowing visitors to combine their plant shopping or harvesting activities with a relaxing outdoor meal amid this productive and beautifully maintained agricultural landscape.