Date: 30/08/2026
All Rights Reserved by the Author
Imagine entering a city where there is no sky above you.
Instead, there are underground streets.
Long galleries.
Cool stone walls.
And everywhere, bottles quietly waiting for time to do its work.
Welcome to Cricova, Moldova.
Near the capital, Chișinău, old limestone galleries were transformed into one of the world’s most remarkable underground wine complexes. Cricova was founded as a winery in 1952 and became famous for its vast underground galleries.
What I find fascinating is the idea itself.
A place created by taking stone from the earth was later given a completely different life.
The underground spaces became streets of wine.
Some galleries were even named after famous grape varieties.
Today, Moldova’s underground wineries at Cricova and Mileștii Mici are recognised on UNESCO’s Tentative List as an extraordinary example of industrial spaces adapted for winemaking, storage and cultural heritage.
There is something almost poetic about it.
Above the ground, life moves quickly.
Below it, bottles wait.
Perhaps good things often require exactly that-
the right place,
a little patience,
and enough time.
Rajat Chandra Sarmah
Guwahati, Assam, India
Email: rajatchandrasarmah@gmail.com
YouTube: Converse With A Smile
@conversewithasmile
#Moldova #HeritageStories #Cricova #HiddenWorlds #ConverseWithASmile
