Iasi

Iaşi (also known as Jassy) is a city and a county in north-eastern Romania, in the historic region of Moldavia. Population: 348,000 (2002).

The city of Iaşi lies on the Bahlui river, a tributary of the Prut[?] river.

Iaşi was first mentioned in a 1408 document by Prince (Voivode) Alexandru cel Bun[?] (Alexander the Kind).

Iaşi is home to the oldest Romanian university, opened by Prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza[?] in 1860. Nowadays the city hosts five universities. Iaşi is widely regarded as the cultural "heart" of the "Old Kingdom" (that is Moldavia and Wallachia, the basis of the first Romanian state).