Discover Moldova with #MOLDPRES: Wooden gates in Codrii Călărașilor – symbol of Bessarabian cultural identity

The carved wooden gates in Codrii area, Călărași district, are not just simple entrances to households but true testimonies of Bessarabian cultural identity. They can be found in the villages of Pârjolteni, Sadova, Căbăiești, Buda, Temeleuți, Vălcineți, Palanca, and others, created since the times when the free peasant delineated his land and household.

Museographer Mariana Iurcu from the Museum of History and Ethnography in Călărași explains that these gates have both functional and symbolic value.



She mentions that messages are often inscribed in the wood, and the same symbols appear on towels, folk costumes, carpets, or the walls of traditional houses. 

A successful example of preserving this heritage is the village of Temeleuți, where a wooden gate over 100 years old was restored and became the symbol of a cultural center.



The carved gates of Bessarabia are a landmark of popular craftsmanship and a living symbol of traditional households. Their restoration and promotion contribute to preserving collective memory and revitalizing villages through cultural tourism.