Costinești can be understood through several clearly distinct traces of time: early written records, an archaeological discovery, and the history of a church’s construction and furnishings. For travel planning, these provide a cultural focus, with individual references belonging to different periods.
Early local history and the name
The earliest documented mention of Costinești dates to June 6, 1617. A document from 1620 records the place under the name “Șarba.” The two dates mark distinct written records: 1617 is the earliest mention, while in 1620 the place was recorded under a different name. The name Costinești is derived from the personal name Costin. Who Costin was and when he lived cannot be determined more precisely. The origin of the name therefore remains an etymological interpretation, while the years provide specific early evidence of the local history.
An archaeological trace adds to this history: between 1892 and 1895, N. Beldiceanu and Gr. Butureanu discovered a settlement in the area of Costinești that probably belonged to the Cucuteni culture.
The church and its historical objects
Construction of the hewn-stone church “Sfinții Arhangheli Mihail și Gavriil” began in 1941. It was completed in 1963 and consecrated on December 6. The start of construction, completion and consecration are distinct milestones: together, they describe a construction history spanning more than two decades.
The village previously had a wooden church, which was destroyed by fire in 1886. Among other items, the church “Sfinții Arhangheli Mihail și Gavriil” preserves a “Penticostal” from 1800 and a Gospel from 1806 from that earlier building. The two books therefore date from before the wooden church was destroyed and carry its history beyond the end of the building itself. Both predate construction of the stone church, which began in 1941.
The iconostasis is a separate matter: it was made in 1853 and transferred from a church in Stulpicani. Its origin and date of manufacture represent a separate history of the church’s furnishings; by contrast, the two dated books are explicitly associated with the earlier wooden church in Costinești. When considering the church’s chronology, you can thus distinguish between the construction of the stone building, objects preserved from its predecessor, and the iconostasis that was brought from elsewhere.
Geographical orientation
Costinești is bordered to the west and north by the right bank of the Bucecea stream. The stream thus provides a specific geographical reference point for the village: its boundary is identified on two sides, adding geographical orientation to the historical traces of time.
The Leorda–Costinești road is designated DC66A. If you use this designation to plan your journey, check a current map; the underlying map data may be updated.
Discover more destinations: Zăiceşti, Mesteacăn, Ștefănești, Botoşani.
Return to the main travel overview: Botosani.
