Prut
Encyclopedia
The Prut is a 953 km (592.2 mi) long river in Eastern Europe
. In part of its course it forms the border between Romania
and Moldova
.
as the Pyretus, Porata (possibly), Hierasus or Gerasius. It originates on the eastern slope of Mount Hoverla
, in the Carpathian Mountains
in Ukraine
. The Prut flows southeast eventually joining the Danube
river near Reni
, east of Galaţi
.
Between 1918 and 1940 it was almost entirely in Greater Romania
. While prior to that it also served as a border between Romania and the Russian Empire
. After the World War II
the river resumed its border purpose between Romania and the Soviet Union
. Nowadays, for a length of 695 km it forms the border between Romania and Moldova. It has a hydrographic basin of 27,500 km2, of which 10,990 km2 are in Romania and 7,790 km2 in Moldova. The biggest city along its banks is Chernivtsi
, Ukraine
.
The Costeşti-Stînca/Stânca-Costeşti dam, operated jointly by Moldova and Romania, is built on the Pruth. There is also a Hydro-Electric Station in Snyatyn (Ukraine
). Ships travel from the river's mouth to the city of Leova
(southern Moldova
). Near the city of Yaremche the river creates a waterfall
Probiy which is eight meters high and has a slope of almost 45 degrees.
, Kolomyia
, Sniatyn
, Chernivtsi
, Novoselytsia
, Darabani
, Lipcani
, Ungheni
, Leova
, Cantemir
and Cahul
.
Left: Racovăţ, Ciuhur, Lăpuşna, Seret
, Tlumachyk, Turka, Chornyava, Cherlena, Rynhach, Rekitnyanka, Larha
Right: Cheremosh
, Herţa
, Poiana
, Corneşti
, Isnovăţ
, Rădăuţi
, Ghireni
, Volovăţ
, Badu
, Başeu
, Corogea
, Berza Veche
, Râioasa
, Soloneţ
, Cerchezoaia
, Jijia, Cozmeşti
, Bohotin
, Moşna
, Pruteţ
, Siret
, Elan
, Horincea
, Oancea
, Stoeneasa
, Chineja
, Rybnitsa, Pistynka
Baltaci Mehmed Pasha. The Turks and Crimean Tatars attacked first against Sheremetev, who then retreated to the other side to join Peter the Great. Afterwards the Russian army set up a defensive camp between Stănileşti
(Stanileshti) and the river, which was then completely surrounded by the Ottoman army. Negotiations started on 21 July 1711 and the Treaty of the Pruth
was signed on 23 July 1711.
: Within that Prut Valley (Над Прутом у лузі).
Within that Prut Valley a cabin rests close
In which lives a lassie — a beautiful rose:
Her eyes like the bright stars that lighten the sky;
When you see them, laddie, you'll pause with a sigh.
Within that Prut Valley the moon does not shine,
'Tis only a lover has come to his shrine.
A sweet conversation in murmur now goes
While dreamy old river just quietly flows.
Within that Prut Valley the flowers are plucked
And wreathes for the wedding with myrtle
are tucked;
Inside of the cabin play fiddles and bass
While friends sing together: To their Happiness!
Translated by Waldimir Semenyna (13 October 1933, Ukrainian Weekly).
The next evening he again laid under the same pine tree, but did not sleep. As the darkness fell he saw that from under the ground appeared that girl and went straight to that place where Prut hid. As she neared the tree the boy jumped out and hugged her. He asked her what her name was. She at first looked at him in fright, but then smiled and said: "Hoverla". After that night Prut already almost never was seen in the village. All the time he spent in the mountains. They fell in love with each other.
However Hoverla
was a daughter of the mountain Tsar and therefore she could not come down from the mountains among people. Once her father learned of her love, he cursed her. She could not live any longer without her love and jumped down from a high cliff. Immediately rose terrible wind that destroyed everything in its path. The next morning once again appeared the sun and people saw that in place of a valley now appeared a big mountain. For a long time Prut sought Hoverla. He ran onto the mountain and heard her voice. He never returned back to people. Since then flowed down a mountain river, laying a path between rocks. And people named the river Prut, and the mountain Hoverla.
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is the eastern part of Europe. The term has widely disparate geopolitical, geographical, cultural and socioeconomic readings, which makes it highly context-dependent and even volatile, and there are "almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region"...
. In part of its course it forms the border between Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
and Moldova
Moldova
Moldova , officially the Republic of Moldova is a landlocked state in Eastern Europe, located between Romania to the West and Ukraine to the North, East and South. It declared itself an independent state with the same boundaries as the preceding Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1991, as part...
.
Overview
It was known in antiquityClassical antiquity
Classical antiquity is a broad term for a long period of cultural history centered on the Mediterranean Sea, comprising the interlocking civilizations of ancient Greece and ancient Rome, collectively known as the Greco-Roman world...
as the Pyretus, Porata (possibly), Hierasus or Gerasius. It originates on the eastern slope of Mount Hoverla
Hoverla
Hoverla mountain at , is the highest mountain in Ukraine and part of the Carpathian Mountains. The mountain is located in the Eastern Beskides, in the so-called Chornohora region. The slopes are covered with beech and spruce forests, above which there is a belt of sub-alpine meadows called...
, in the Carpathian Mountains
Carpathian Mountains
The Carpathian Mountains or Carpathians are a range of mountains forming an arc roughly long across Central and Eastern Europe, making them the second-longest mountain range in Europe...
in Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
. The Prut flows southeast eventually joining the Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
river near Reni
Reni, Ukraine
Reni is a small town in the Odessa Oblast of western Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Reniysky Raion , and is located in the Bessarabian historic district of Budjak. The settlement was founded around 1548, acquiring city status in 1821.The current estimated population is around...
, east of Galaţi
Galati
Galați is a city and municipality in Romania, the capital of Galați County. Located in the historical region of Moldavia, in the close vicinity of Brăila, Galați is the largest port and sea port on the Danube River and the second largest Romanian port....
.
Between 1918 and 1940 it was almost entirely in Greater Romania
Greater Romania
The Greater Romania generally refers to the territory of Romania in the years between the First World War and the Second World War, the largest geographical extent of Romania up to that time and its largest peacetime extent ever ; more precisely, it refers to the territory of the Kingdom of...
. While prior to that it also served as a border between Romania and the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
. After the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the river resumed its border purpose between Romania and the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. Nowadays, for a length of 695 km it forms the border between Romania and Moldova. It has a hydrographic basin of 27,500 km2, of which 10,990 km2 are in Romania and 7,790 km2 in Moldova. The biggest city along its banks is Chernivtsi
Chernivtsi
Chernivtsi is the administrative center of Chernivtsi Oblast in southwestern Ukraine. The city is situated on the upper course of the River Prut, a tributary of the Danube, in the northern part of the historic region of Bukovina, which is currently divided between Romania and Ukraine...
, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
.
The Costeşti-Stînca/Stânca-Costeşti dam, operated jointly by Moldova and Romania, is built on the Pruth. There is also a Hydro-Electric Station in Snyatyn (Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
). Ships travel from the river's mouth to the city of Leova
Leova
Leova is a city in Moldova, located 92 km southwest of the national capital, Chişinău. It is the administrative center of Leova District. The city is situated on the east bank of the river Prut bordering Romania.- Notable people:...
(southern Moldova
Moldova
Moldova , officially the Republic of Moldova is a landlocked state in Eastern Europe, located between Romania to the West and Ukraine to the North, East and South. It declared itself an independent state with the same boundaries as the preceding Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1991, as part...
). Near the city of Yaremche the river creates a waterfall
Waterfall
A waterfall is a place where flowing water rapidly drops in elevation as it flows over a steep region or a cliff.-Formation:Waterfalls are commonly formed when a river is young. At these times the channel is often narrow and deep. When the river courses over resistant bedrock, erosion happens...
Probiy which is eight meters high and has a slope of almost 45 degrees.
Towns
The following towns are situated along the river Prut, from source to mouth: DelatynDelatyn
Delatyn is a town in the Nadvirna Raion of Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast of Ukraine. It is located 101 km west of Chernivtsi and 294.6 miles WSW of Kiev...
, Kolomyia
Kolomyia
Kolomyia or Kolomyya, formerly known as Kolomea , is a city located on the Prut River in the Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast , in western Ukraine. Serving as the administrative centre of the Kolomyia Raion , the city is also designated as a separate raion within the oblast...
, Sniatyn
Sniatyn
Sniatyn is a city located in the Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast, in western Ukraine along the Prut river. It is the administrative center of the Sniatynsky Raion , and is located at around . The current estimated population is around 10,500 ....
, Chernivtsi
Chernivtsi
Chernivtsi is the administrative center of Chernivtsi Oblast in southwestern Ukraine. The city is situated on the upper course of the River Prut, a tributary of the Danube, in the northern part of the historic region of Bukovina, which is currently divided between Romania and Ukraine...
, Novoselytsia
Novoselytsia
Novoselytsia or Noua Suliță is a city in Chernivtsi Oblast of Ukraine. Population is 8,400 ....
, Darabani
Darabani
Darabani is a town in Botoşani County, Moldavia, Romania, and is the northernmost town in Romania. As of 2004, its estimated population was 11,867. It administers three villages: Bajura, Eşanca and Lişmăniţa....
, Lipcani
Lipcani
Lipcani is a town in Briceni District, Moldova. It is also a border crossing between Moldova and Romania.- Overview :Lipcani is located on the banks of the Prut river, which forms the border with Romania. The border with Ukraine is also only a few kilometers to the north. Lipcani is located in...
, Ungheni
Ungheni
----Ungheni is the seventh largest city in Moldova and, since 2003, the seat of Ungheni District.There is a bridge across the Prut and a border checkpoint to Romania. There is another border town with the same name in Romania , on the other side of the Prut River.- History :The first historical...
, Leova
Leova
Leova is a city in Moldova, located 92 km southwest of the national capital, Chişinău. It is the administrative center of Leova District. The city is situated on the east bank of the river Prut bordering Romania.- Notable people:...
, Cantemir
Cantemir
- People :*members of the Cantemirești family:**Antioh Cantemir , son of Constantin Cantemir, Voivode of Moldavia**Antiokh Dmitrievich Kantemir - People :*members of the Cantemirești family:**Antioh Cantemir (died 1726), son of Constantin Cantemir, Voivode of Moldavia**Antiokh Dmitrievich Kantemir...
and Cahul
Cahul
-Demographics:According to the last Moldovan census from 2004 there were 35,488 people living within the city of Cahul and 1,317 people within Cotihana....
.
Tributaries
The following rivers are tributaries to the river Prut:Left: Racovăţ, Ciuhur, Lăpuşna, Seret
Seret River
The Seret is a minor river in Ukraine, a tributary of the Tysmenytsia River. The Seret flows through the center of Drohobych, a city located in Lviv Oblast in the west of Ukraine....
, Tlumachyk, Turka, Chornyava, Cherlena, Rynhach, Rekitnyanka, Larha
Right: Cheremosh
Cheremosh River
The Cheremosh River is a river in western Ukraine, tributary of the Prut River.It flows along the borderline of the historic regions of Bukovina and Galicia. In the Middle Ages and the early modern era, it was part of the borderline between the Principality of Moldavia and Kingdom of Poland...
, Herţa
Herta River
The Herţa River is a tributary of the Prut River in Romania.-References:* Administraţia Naţională Apelor Române - Cadastrul Apelor - Bucureşti* Institutul de Meteorologie şi Hidrologie - Rîurile României - Bucureşti 1971- Maps :...
, Poiana
Poiana River (Prut)
The Poiana River is a tributary of the Prut River in Romania.-References:* Administraţia Naţională Apelor Române - Cadastrul Apelor - Bucureşti* Institutul de Meteorologie şi Hidrologie - Rîurile României - Bucureşti 1971- Maps :...
, Corneşti
Cornesti River (Prut)
The Corneşti River is a tributary of the Prut River in Romania.-References:* Administraţia Naţională Apelor Române - Cadastrul Apelor - Bucureşti* Institutul de Meteorologie şi Hidrologie - Rîurile României - Bucureşti 1971- Maps :...
, Isnovăţ
Isnovat River
The Isnovăţ River is a tributary of the Prut River in Romania.-References:* Administraţia Naţională Apelor Române - Cadastrul Apelor - Bucureşti* Institutul de Meteorologie şi Hidrologie - Rîurile României - Bucureşti 1971- Maps :...
, Rădăuţi
Radauti River
The Rădăuţi River is a tributary of the Prut River in Romania.-References:* Administraţia Naţională Apelor Române - Cadastrul Apelor - Bucureşti* Institutul de Meteorologie şi Hidrologie - Rîurile României - Bucureşti 1971- Maps :...
, Ghireni
Ghireni River
The Ghireni River is a tributary of the Prut River in Romania.-References:* Administraţia Naţională Apelor Române - Cadastrul Apelor - Bucureşti* Institutul de Meteorologie şi Hidrologie - Rîurile României - Bucureşti 1971...
, Volovăţ
Volovat River (Prut)
The Volovăţ River is a tributary of the Prut River in Romania.-References:* Administraţia Naţională Apelor Române - Cadastrul Apelor - Bucureşti* Institutul de Meteorologie şi Hidrologie - Rîurile României - Bucureşti 1971- Maps :...
, Badu
Badu River
The Badu River is a tributary of the Prut River in Romania.-References:* Administraţia Naţională Apelor Române - Cadastrul Apelor - Bucureşti* Institutul de Meteorologie şi Hidrologie - Rîurile României - Bucureşti 1971- Maps :...
, Başeu
Baseu River
The Başeu River is a tributary of the Prut River in Romania.-References:* Administraţia Naţională Apelor Române - Cadastrul Apelor - Bucureşti* Institutul de Meteorologie şi Hidrologie - Rîurile României - Bucureşti 1971...
, Corogea
Corogea River
The Corogea River is a tributary of the Prut River in Romania.-References:* Administraţia Naţională Apelor Române - Cadastrul Apelor - Bucureşti* Institutul de Meteorologie şi Hidrologie - Rîurile României - Bucureşti 1971- Maps :...
, Berza Veche
Berza Veche River
The Berza Veche River is a tributary of the Prut River in Romania.-References:* Administraţia Naţională Apelor Române - Cadastrul Apelor - Bucureşti* Institutul de Meteorologie şi Hidrologie - Rîurile României - Bucureşti 1971- Maps :...
, Râioasa
Râioasa River
The Râioasa River is a tributary of the Prut River in Romania.-References:* Administraţia Naţională Apelor Române - Cadastrul Apelor - Bucureşti* Institutul de Meteorologie şi Hidrologie - Rîurile României - Bucureşti 1971...
, Soloneţ
Solonet River (Prut)
The Soloneţ River or Râul Luncanilor is a tributary of the Prut River in Romania.-References:* Administraţia Naţională Apelor Române - Cadastrul Apelor - Bucureşti* Institutul de Meteorologie şi Hidrologie - Rîurile României - Bucureşti 1971...
, Cerchezoaia
Cerchezoaia River
The Cerchezoaia River is a tributary of the Prut River in Romania.-References:* Administraţia Naţională Apelor Române - Cadastrul Apelor - Bucureşti* Institutul de Meteorologie şi Hidrologie - Rîurile României - Bucureşti 1971...
, Jijia, Cozmeşti
Cozmesti River
The Cozmeşti River is a tributary of the Prut River.-References:* Administraţia Naţională Apelor Române - Cadastrul Apelor - Bucureşti* Institutul de Meteorologie şi Hidrologie - Rîurile României - Bucureşti 1971* Trasee turistice Judeţul Iaşi...
, Bohotin
Bohotin River
The Bohotin River is a tributary of the Prut River in Romania.-References:* Administraţia Naţională Apelor Române - Cadastrul Apelor - Bucureşti* Institutul de Meteorologie şi Hidrologie - Rîurile României - Bucureşti 1971* Trasee turistice Judeţul Iaşi...
, Moşna
Mosna River (Prut)
The Moşna River is a tributary of the Prut River in Romania.-References:* Administraţia Naţională Apelor Române - Cadastrul Apelor - Bucureşti* Institutul de Meteorologie şi Hidrologie - Rîurile României - Bucureşti 1971* Trasee turistice - judeţul Iaşi...
, Pruteţ
Prutet River
The Pruteţ River is a tributary of the Prut River in Romania.-References:* Administraţia Naţională Apelor Române - Cadastrul Apelor - Bucureşti* Institutul de Meteorologie şi Hidrologie - Râurile României - Bucureşti 1972]...
, Siret
Siret River
The Siret or Sireth is a river that rises from the Carpathians in the Northern Bukovina region of Ukraine, and flows southward into Romania for 470 km before it joins the Danube...
, Elan
Elan River
The Elan River is a tributary of the Prut River in Romania.-References:* Administraţia Naţională Apelor Române - Cadastrul Apelor - Bucureşti* Institutul de Meteorologie şi Hidrologie - Rîurile României - Bucureşti 1971...
, Horincea
Horincea River
The Horincea River is a tributary of the Prut River in Romania.-References:* Administraţia Naţională Apelor Române - Cadastrul Apelor - Bucureşti* Institutul de Meteorologie şi Hidrologie - Rîurile României - Bucureşti 1971...
, Oancea
Oancea River (Prut)
The Oancea River is a tributary of the Prut River in Romania.-References:* Administraţia Naţională Apelor Române - Cadastrul Apelor - Bucureşti* Institutul de Meteorologie şi Hidrologie - Rîurile României - Bucureşti 1971...
, Stoeneasa
Stoeneasa River
The Stoeneasa River is a tributary of the Prut River.-References:* Administraţia Naţională Apelor Române - Cadastrul Apelor - Bucureşti* Institutul de Meteorologie şi Hidrologie - Rîurile României - Bucureşti 1971...
, Chineja
Chineja River
The Chineja River is a tributary of the Prut River in Romania.-References:* Administraţia Naţională Apelor Române - Cadastrul Apelor - Bucureşti* Institutul de Meteorologie şi Hidrologie - Rîurile României - Bucureşti 1971...
, Rybnitsa, Pistynka
Historical events
On 19 July 1711 Russian forces, divided to Peter the Great's army on the west bank and Boris Sheremetev's army of on the east bank of the Pruth met with the Ottoman army led by Grand VizierGrand Vizier
Grand Vizier, in Turkish Vezir-i Azam or Sadr-ı Azam , deriving from the Arabic word vizier , was the greatest minister of the Sultan, with absolute power of attorney and, in principle, dismissable only by the Sultan himself...
Baltaci Mehmed Pasha. The Turks and Crimean Tatars attacked first against Sheremetev, who then retreated to the other side to join Peter the Great. Afterwards the Russian army set up a defensive camp between Stănileşti
Stanilesti
Stănileşti is a commune in Vaslui County, Romania. It is composed of seven villages: Bogdana-Voloseni, Budu Cantemir, Chersăcosu, Gura Văii, Pogăneşti, Săratu and Stănileşti....
(Stanileshti) and the river, which was then completely surrounded by the Ottoman army. Negotiations started on 21 July 1711 and the Treaty of the Pruth
Treaty of the Pruth
The Treaty of the Pruth was signed on the banks of the river Pruth between the Ottoman Empire and the Tsardom of Russia on 21 July 1711, ending the Russo-Turkish War of 1710–1711...
was signed on 23 July 1711.
Popular culture
Sydir VorobkevychSydir Vorobkevych
Sydir Vorobkevych was a Ukrainian composer, writer, Eastern Orthodox priest, teacher, artist, and newspaper editor of Bukovina. He used following pen-names: Danylo Mlaka, Demko Makoviychuk, Morozenko, Semen Khrin, Isydor Vorobkevych, S.Volokh, and others.Sydir Vorobkevych in Chernivtsi to the...
: Within that Prut Valley (Над Прутом у лузі).
Within that Prut Valley a cabin rests close
In which lives a lassie — a beautiful rose:
Her eyes like the bright stars that lighten the sky;
When you see them, laddie, you'll pause with a sigh.
Within that Prut Valley the moon does not shine,
'Tis only a lover has come to his shrine.
A sweet conversation in murmur now goes
While dreamy old river just quietly flows.
Within that Prut Valley the flowers are plucked
And wreathes for the wedding with myrtle
Myrtle
Myrtus is a genus of one or two species of flowering plants in the family Myrtaceae, native to southern Europe and north Africa. The plant is an evergreen shrub or small tree, growing to 5 m tall. The leaf is entire, 3–5 cm long, with a fragrant essential oil. The star-like flower has five...
are tucked;
Inside of the cabin play fiddles and bass
While friends sing together: To their Happiness!
Translated by Waldimir Semenyna (13 October 1933, Ukrainian Weekly).
Legend
In one village lived a boy who was called Prut. One time he worked for so long that by the evening decided simply to stay overnight in the mountains. He found a big pine tree and situated underneath it. During his sleep he saw a wonderful dream as to him came very beautiful girl all in green. The girl was stroked his hair and sang a song. But as the boy stretch towards her hand she disappeared right away. He woke up, but no one was around. He only noticed on a branch a green ribbon. That girl fell into his soul and he decided to find her.The next evening he again laid under the same pine tree, but did not sleep. As the darkness fell he saw that from under the ground appeared that girl and went straight to that place where Prut hid. As she neared the tree the boy jumped out and hugged her. He asked her what her name was. She at first looked at him in fright, but then smiled and said: "Hoverla". After that night Prut already almost never was seen in the village. All the time he spent in the mountains. They fell in love with each other.
However Hoverla
Hoverla
Hoverla mountain at , is the highest mountain in Ukraine and part of the Carpathian Mountains. The mountain is located in the Eastern Beskides, in the so-called Chornohora region. The slopes are covered with beech and spruce forests, above which there is a belt of sub-alpine meadows called...
was a daughter of the mountain Tsar and therefore she could not come down from the mountains among people. Once her father learned of her love, he cursed her. She could not live any longer without her love and jumped down from a high cliff. Immediately rose terrible wind that destroyed everything in its path. The next morning once again appeared the sun and people saw that in place of a valley now appeared a big mountain. For a long time Prut sought Hoverla. He ran onto the mountain and heard her voice. He never returned back to people. Since then flowed down a mountain river, laying a path between rocks. And people named the river Prut, and the mountain Hoverla.