Bacău is a historic city in Romanian Moldova, which used to be the seat of bishops in the past, and today boasts some interesting monuments and numerous museums.
The city was founded in the Middle Ages, although traces of settlement date back to the Roman period. It developed as a local center of power and trade. The ruins of the Royal Court are the remains of those times. At the end of the sixteenth century, when the Turks occupied Curtea de Arges, the seat of the bishopric was moved to Bacău.
The important attractions of Bacău include the local religious buildings, the 16th century Precista Church and the Church of the Resurrection. The Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul was built in the style characteristic of the Romanian National Revival. There are also quite a few interesting museums, such as the Iuliana Antonescu Museum Complex, Georg Bacovia Memorial House, the Art Museum and the Natural Museum Complex. Park Mircea Cancicov is a popular vacation spot.
One of the largest underground spas, Slanic Moldavie, located in an old salt mine, operates in the vicinity of Bacău.
