Soroca

History

It is known for its well-preserved stronghold, established by the Moldavian prince Stephen the Great (Ștefan cel Mare in Romanian) in 1499. The origins of the name Soroca are not fully known. Soroca (сорока) is the East Slavic word for magpie. Its location is only a few kilometers from the Moldova–Ukraine border.

The original wooden fort, which defended a ford over the Dniester, was an important link in the chain of fortifications which comprised four forts (e.g., Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi, then known as Akkerman, and Khotyn) on the Dniester, two forts on the Danube, and three forts on the north borders of medieval Moldavia. Between 1543 and 1546, under the rule of Peter IV Rareș, the fort was rebuilt in stone as a perfect circle with five bastions situated at equal distances.

During the Great Turkish War, John III Sobieski's forces successfully defended the fort against the Ottomans. It was of vital military importance during the Pruth River Campaign of Peter the Great in 1711. The stronghold was sacked by the Russians in the Austro-Russian–Turkish War (1735–39). The Soroca Fort is an important attraction in Soroca, having preserved cultures and kept the old Soroca to the present day.

The locality was greatly extended in the 19th century, during a period of relative prosperity. Soroca became a regional center featuring large squares, modernized streets, hospitals, grammar schools and conventionalized churches. During the Soviet period, the city became an important industrial center for northern Moldova.,"

Soroca was known for producing grapes, wheat, maize, and tobacco in 1919.

The overwhelming majority of the town's sizeable Jewish populated was killed in the Holocaust during World War II, both before and after the deportation of the Jews to Transnistria.Wolf Moskovich, "Soroca", in The YIVO Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe", at https://encyclopedia.yivo.org/article/942.

Climate

The climate in Soroca is a warm-summer subtype (Köppen: Dfb) of the humid continental climate.

| Jan record high C = 12.4 | Feb record high C = 19.9 | Mar record high C = 23.7 | Apr record high C = 31.0 | May record high C = 34.3 | Jun record high C = 37.2 | Jul record high C = 38.4 | Aug record high C = 39.7 | Sep record high C = 37.4 | Oct record high C = 30.1 | Nov record high C = 23.2 | Dec record high C = 17.5 | year record high C = 39.7 | Jan record low C = -34.9 | Feb record low C = -29.9 | Mar record low C = -22.4 | Apr record low C = -14.2 | May record low C = -2.5 | Jun record low C = 3.4 | Jul record low C = 6.2 | Aug record low C = 3.3 | Sep record low C = -6.3 | Oct record low C = -12.7 | Nov record low C = -21.4 | Dec record low C = -30.0 | year record low C = -34.9 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230821004939/https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/1.1/data/0-data/Region-6-WMO-Normals-9120/Moldova/CSV/Soroca_33678.csv | archive-date = 21 August 2023 | access-date = 21 August 2023}} | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20250418163724/https://www.meteo.md/images/uploads/news/2023/05/Ghid%20Climatic%20RM_2024.pdf | archive-date = 18 April 2025 | access-date = 18 April 2025}}

Demographics

According to the 2024 census, 21,135 inhabitants lived in Soroca (making it the tenth largest city in Moldova), a decrease compared to the previous census in 2014, when 22,196 inhabitants were registered.

|1867|7758|1882|9225 |1897 | 15351 |1930 | 15001 |1959 | 15195 |1970 | 21924 |1979 | 30365 |1989 | 42297 |2004 | 28362 |2014 | 22196 |2024 | 21135

The population was estimated at 35,000 in 1919. It consisted mainly of Jews. Romanians, Germans, and Russians also lived in the city. Before the Holocaust, Soroca had a Jewish population of around 18,000, but there are only around 40 Jews living there today.

The city has a sizable Romani minority and is popularly known as the "Romani capital of Moldova".

Mayor

The Mayor of Soroca is head of the executive branch of Soroca City Council.

Media

• Observatorul de Nord, a newspaper from Soroca, founded in 1998
• Vocea Basarabiei, 67,69 and 103.1

Natives

• Samuel Bronfman (1889–1971), a Jewish-Canadian entrepreneur, former owner of Seagram
• Alexandru Cimbriciuc
• Arkady Gendler (1921–2017), Jewish-Ukrainian Yiddish Singer
• Sofia Imber, a Venezuelan journalist, founder of the Contemporary Art Museum of Caracas
• Isaac Kitrosser, French Jewish photojournalist
• Anna Mincovschi, mother of Robert Hossein
• Kira Muratova, a Soviet and Ukrainian film director, screenwriter and actress
• David Seltzer (1904–1994), New York Yiddish language Jewish writer, journalist and poet
• Marina Shafir, a Moldovan mixed martial arts and professional wrestler currently works for All Elite Wrestling.
• Nicolae Șoltuz, a member of Sfatul Țării
• Robert Steinberg, a Jewish-Canadian mathematician
• Leonte Tismăneanu, a Romanian communist activist
• Eugen Ţapu (1983–2009), a protester in the post-election riots in Chișinău who died while in police custody
• Gheorghe Ursu (1926–1985), a Romanian construction engineer and dissident
• Mark Tkaciuk, historian, politician
• The family of Karl Maramorosch

Gallery

Image:Luminarea 2016.jpg|Candle of Gratitude can be seen at night from Otaci and Camenca. File:Сорокская крепость Cetatea Soroca Soroca Fortress (42928896330).jpg|Soroca Fort File:Сороки, этнографический музей Muzeul de istorie si etnografie din Soroca Soroca Ethnografic Museum (42870845280).jpg|Museum Image:Manastirea Rughi Soroca 39L.JPG|Rudi Monastery File:Stamp of Moldova md022std.jpg|Mihai Eminescu File:Сорокский уезд № 10 (1898 г.).jpg|Soroca 1898 local stamp

International relations

Twin towns – Sister cities

Soroca is twinned with:

• Russia Bryansk, Russia
• Romania Flămânzi, Romania
• Romania Suceava, Romania

References

References

2. (2017). "Characteristics - Population (population by communes, religion, citizenship)". [[National Bureau of Statistics of the Republic of Moldova]].
3. [http://lex.justice.md/md/368393/ LEGE Nr. 248 din 03.11.2016 pentru modificarea și completarea Legii nr. 764-XV din 27 decembrie 2001 privind organizarea administrativ-teritorială a Republicii Moldova] {{in lang. ro
4. [http://www.tur.md/eng/city/18/ Tourist towns of Moldova] {{webarchive. link. (22 July 2011)
5. Kaba, John. (1919). "Politico-economic Review of Basarabia". American Relief Administration.
6. "Rezultatele finale ale Recensământului Populației și Locuințelor 2024: Caracteristici etnoculturale ale populației". National Bureau of Statistics of the Republic of Moldova }} {{in lang.
7. "2014 Moldova Census of Population and Housing". National Bureau of Statistics of the Republic of Moldova }} {{in lang.
8. (5 December 2013). "Chisinau Recognizes Romanian As Official Language". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
9. (2023-03-16). "Moldovan parliament approves law on Romanian language". Reuters.
10. . (1890). "Słownik geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego i innych krajów słowiańskich, Tom XI".
11. "Demoscope Weekly - Annex. Statistical indicators reference.".
12. "Cities of Moldova".
13. Steve Kokker, Cathryn Kemp (2004) "Romania and Moldova" (a travel guide), {{ISBN
14. "Loading".
15. "Ce se întâmplă la Soroca?".
16. [[Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty]], [http://www.europalibera.org/content/article/1848245.html „Nici tu ploaie ca lumea, nici tu limpezirea apelor în domeniul politicii”]
17. [http://www.api.md/files/250407_reportereuropean.pdf Reporter european] {{webarchive. link. (22 July 2011)