Orhei

Orhei, older Orgeev (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 kilometers north of the capital, Chişinău.

Demographics
Most people speak Romanian and Russian. There is one school that is taught in Russian.

History
Orhei takes its name from the medieval city of Old Orhei, about 10 miles below the modern city on the Reut 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.

Like the rest of Bessarabia, Orhei became part of the Kingdom of Romania after World War I and was occupied 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.

The St. Dumitru Church built by Vasile Lupu is located in this town. Orhei gets its name from Orheiul Vechi, an active monastery near the village of Ivancea.

The name "Orhei" is, according to one theory, derived from the Hungarian word Őrhely, meaning "lookout post", dating from the 13th century, when Hungarian forces built a series of defences in the area.

Orhei was home to many Jews prior to World War II, and has a large Jewish cemetery. There is only one active synagogue left in the community. The main churches are Russian Orthodox. Also in the area are Baptist, Roman Catholic, a Seventh-day Adventist Church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, The Salvation Army and Jehovah's Witnesses.

Twin towns – Sister cities
Orhei is twinned with:


 * Bicaz, Romania
 * Piatra Neamţ, Romania

Notable people

 * Russian poet and member of the French Resistance David Knut was born in Orhei.
 * Mihail Maculeţchi, Romanian politician
 * Romanian painter Natalia Vîrlan was born in this town.
 * Paul Goma, a Romanian writer was born in Mana, near Orhei.
 * Rodica Mahu
 * Ilie Cătărău was born near Orhei.
 * Jacobo Fijman was born in Orhei.