Send Gift Baskets to Botosani, Romania

Botoșani first appeared on the map in 1439, when it was mentioned that “The Mongols came and pillaged Botsa’s way.” The town is briefly mentioned during conflicts between Poland and Moldavia: several battles took place in the area over the years, in 1500, 1505, and 1509. During Petro Rareș’s rule, the town was torched by Poles. We know the city had a hill fort during this king’s reign.

The area was not a fully-fledged town in the 15th century, but archeological evidence suggests it was inhabited before. During the second part of the 14th century, settlers from Transylvania (perhaps German or Hungarian) settled in Botoșani. Additionally, a large community of Armenians set up shop here in the 14th or 15th centuries.

The city lies at the meeting point of many trade routes, including the “Moldavian Road” (the only one linking Iași to Hotin), and acted as a crossroads in medieval times. The local fairs had been set up long before by 1579 when they were already “the biggest and oldest market town” in Moldavia.

A large Jewish community existed in the city during the 17th century and is still essential at times to this day. They became 2nd largest in Moldova until the 20th century.

During World War 2, Botoșani was captured by Soviet troops of the 2nd Ukrainian Front on 7 April 1944 during the Uman–Botoșani Offensive.

Some of Romania’s most famous and influential cultural figures, like Mihai Eminescu and Nicolae Iorga, were born in Botoșani. The city is the birthplace of many other contributors to the country’s culture. Maria Baciu, a poet, is from Botoșani.

The city is also home to the A.T. Laurian National College, founded in 1859, one of Romania’s oldest and most prestigious pre-university educational institutions.