Soroca
| Soroca | |
|---|---|
| City | |
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 Soroca
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| Coordinates: 48°10′N 28°18′E / 48.167°N 28.300°ECoordinates: 48°10′N 28°18′E / 48.167°N 28.300°E | |
| Country |
 Moldova
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| County | Soroca |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Victor Său |
| Elevation | 45 m (148 ft) |
| Population (2012) | |
| • Total | 37,500 |
| Postal code | MD-3001 |
| Area code(s) | +373 230 |
| Website | Primăria Soroca |
Soroca (Russian: Сороки Soroki, Ukrainian: Сороки Soroky, Polish: Soroki, Yiddish: סאָראָקע Soroke) is a Moldovan city in Eastern Europe situated on the Dniester river about 160 km north of Chișinău. It is the administrative center of the Soroca District.
The city has its origin in the medieval Genoese trade post of Olchionia, or Alchona. It is known for its well-preserved stronghold, established by the Moldavian prince Stephen the Great (Ştefan cel Mare in Romanian) in 1499. The origins of the name Soroca are not fully known. Its location is only a few kilometers from the Moldova-Ukrainian border.
The original wooden fort, which defended a fjord over 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 border of medieval Moldova. 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 in the present day.
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Wikipedia