Teatrul Național Vasile Alecsandri

The Vasile Alecsandri National Theatre in Iași is the oldest national theatre in Romania and one of the most beautiful performance buildings in the country. The present edifice, inaugurated at the end of the nineteenth century, was designed by the renowned Viennese architects Fellner and Helmer, authors of many monumental theatres across Central Europe, and impresses with a richly decorated eclectic facade and an interior of special elegance, its auditorium adorned with paintings, gilded stucco, a famous painted ceiling and an imposing Venetian crystal chandelier. The theatre bears the name of the great writer and poet Vasile Alecsandri, an essential figure of Romanian culture and of the Iași theatrical movement.

The building also houses the Romanian National Opera, making it a key cultural centre of Moldavia. Set in a central square with a fountain in front, the theatre is an important urban landmark. Visitors can admire the architecture from outside, and for the interior it is best to attend a performance or a guided tour, depending on the schedule.