:Soroca

File:СорокиЗемство.jpg

It is known for its well-preserved stronghold, established by the Moldavian prince Stephen the Great (Ștefan cel Mare in Romanian) in 1499. The origins of the name Soroca are not fully known. Soroca (сорока) is the East Slavic word for magpie. Its location is only a few kilometers from the Moldova–Ukrainian border.

The original wooden fort, which defended a ford over the Dniester, was an important link in the chain of fortifications which comprised four forts (e.g., Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi, then known as Akkerman, and Khotyn) on the Dniester, two forts on the Danube, and three forts on the north borders of medieval Moldavia. Between 1543 and 1546, under the rule of Peter IV Rareș, the fort was rebuilt in stone as a perfect circle with five bastions situated at equal distances.

During the Great Turkish War, John III Sobieski's forces successfully defended the fort against the Ottomans. It was of vital military importance during the Pruth River Campaign of Peter the Great in 1711. The stronghold was sacked by the Russians in the Austro-Russian–Turkish War (1735–39). The Soroca Fort is an important attraction in Soroca, having preserved cultures and kept the old Soroca to the present day.

The locality was greatly extended in the 19th century, during a period of relative prosperity. Soroca became a regional center featuring large squares, modernized streets, hospitals, grammar schools and conventionalized churches. During the Soviet period, the city became an important industrial center for northern Moldova.[http://www.tur.md/eng/city/18/ Tourist towns of Moldova] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722172042/http://www.tur.md/eng/city/18/ |date=22 July 2011 }}

Soroca was known for producing grapes, wheat, maize, and tobacco in 1919.{{cite book|last=Kaba|first=John|title=Politico-economic Review of Basarabia|year=1919|publisher=American Relief Administration|location=United States|pages=13–14|url=http://www.wdl.org/en/item/7313/view/1/13/}}

The town's sizeable Jewish populated was murdered in the Holocaust during World War II.

According to the 2014 census, the population of Soroca amounted to 22,196 inhabitants (making it the eight largest city in Moldova), a decrease compared to the previous census in 2004, when 28,362 inhabitants were registered. Of these, 10,575 were men and 11,621 were women.{{cite web|url=https://recensamint.statistica.md/ro/dissemination/person/6e4f47d6a3e00616a565c69757bf59c5|title=2014 Moldova Census of Population and Housing|publisher=National Bureau of Statistics of the Republic of Moldova }} {{in lang|ro|ru|en}}

Footnotes:

* There is an ongoing controversy regarding the ethnic identification of Moldovans and Romanians.

* Moldovan language is one of the two local names for the Romanian language in Moldova. In 2013, the Constitutional Court of Moldova interpreted that Article 13 of the constitution is superseded by the Declaration of Independence,{{cite news | title = Hotărâre Nr. 36 din 05.12.2013 privind interpretarea articolului 13 alin. (1) din Constituție în corelație cu Preambulul Constituției și Declarația de Independență a Republicii Moldova (Sesizările nr. 8b/2013 și 41b/2013) | publisher = Constitutional Court of Moldova | quote = 124. ... Prin urmare, Curtea consideră că prevederea conținută în Declarația de Independență referitoare la limba română ca limbă de stat a Republicii Moldova prevalează asupra prevederii referitoare la limba moldovenească conținute în articolul 13 al Constituției. | trans-quote = 124. ... Therefore, the Court considers that the provision contained in the Declaration of Independence regarding the Romanian language as the state language of the Republic of Moldova prevails over the provision regarding the Moldovan language contained in Article 13 of the Constitution. | language = ro | url = http://constcourt.md/download.php?file=cHVibGljL2NjZG9jL2hvdGFyaXJpL3JvLWhfMzZfMjAxM19yby5wZGY%3D | access-date = 20 December 2013 | archive-date = 5 March 2016 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160305051137/http://constcourt.md/download.php?file=cHVibGljL2NjZG9jL2hvdGFyaXJpL3JvLWhfMzZfMjAxM19yby5wZGY%3D | url-status = live }} thus giving official status to the name Romanian.{{Cite news |date=2013-12-05 |title=Moldovan court rules official language is 'Romanian', replacing Soviet-flavored 'Moldovan' |work=Fox News |agency=Associated Press |url=https://www.foxnews.com/world/moldovan-court-rules-official-language-is-romanian-replacing-soviet-flavored-moldovan/ |access-date=2013-12-07 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131209102718/http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/12/05/moldovan-court-rules-official-language-is-romanian-replacing-soviet-flavored |archive-date=2013-12-09}}{{cite news| url=http://www.rferl.org/content/moldova-romanian-official-language/25191455.html| title=Chisinau Recognizes Romanian As Official Language| newspaper=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty| date=5 December 2013| access-date=11 March 2014| archive-date=23 September 2016| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160923021555/http://www.rferl.org/content/moldova-romanian-official-language/25191455.html| url-status=live}}

The population was estimated at 35,000 in 1919. It consisted mainly of Jews. Romanians, Germans, and Russians also lived in the city. Before the Holocaust, the city had a Jewish population of around 18,000, but there are only 100 today and 20 of them are considered Jewish according to the halakha.{{cite web |url=http://www.jta.org/2012/06/20/news-opinion/world/moldovan-jews-struggle-to-maintain-their-historic-community-amid-poverty-anti-semitism |title=Moldovan Jews struggle to maintain their historic community amid poverty, anti-Semitism |work=Jewish Telegraphic Agency |date=20 June 2012 |access-date=9 January 2014}}

The city has a sizable Romani minority and is popularly known as the "Romani capital of Moldova".Steve Kokker, Cathryn Kemp (2004) "Romania and Moldova" (a travel guide), {{ISBN|1-74104-149-X}} [https://books.google.com/books?id=hQJ8yHQpBGYC&dq=roma+moldova+soroca&pg=PA322 p.322]

{{Historical populations

|1867|7758|1882|9225

|1897 | 15351

|1930 | 15001

|1959 | 15195

|1970 | 21924

|1979 | 30365

|1989 | 42297

|2004 | 28362

|2014 | 22196

|source = {{cite book |author= |title=Słownik geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego i innych krajów słowiańskich, Tom XI|year=1890|language=pl|location=Warszawa|page=83}}{{cite web|url=http://demoscope.ru/weekly/ssp/rus_lan_97_uezd_eng.php?reg=82|title=Demoscope Weekly - Annex. Statistical indicators reference.|website=demoscope.ru}}{{cite web|url=http://pop-stat.mashke.org/moldova-cities.htm|title=Cities of Moldova|website=pop-stat.mashke.org}}

}}

The Mayor of Soroca is head of the executive branch of Soroca City Council.{{cite web|url=http://www.primsoroca.md/|title=Loading|website=primsoroca.md}}

The climate in Soroca is a warm-summer subtype (Köppen: Dfb) of the humid continental climate.

{{Weather box

| location = Soroca (1991–2020, extremes 1946–2021)

| metric first = Yes

| single line = Yes

| Jan record high C = 12.4

| Feb record high C = 19.9

| Mar record high C = 23.7

| Apr record high C = 31.0

| May record high C = 34.3

| Jun record high C = 37.2

| Jul record high C = 38.4

| Aug record high C = 39.7

| Sep record high C = 37.4

| Oct record high C = 30.1

| Nov record high C = 23.2

| Dec record high C = 17.5

| year record high C = 39.7

| Jan high C = 0.0

| Feb high C = 2.1

| Mar high C = 8.3

| Apr high C = 16.3

| May high C = 22.0

| Jun high C = 25.6

| Jul high C = 27.5

| Aug high C = 27.4

| Sep high C = 21.5

| Oct high C = 14.5

| Nov high C = 7.0

| Dec high C = 1.4

| year high C = 14.5

| Jan mean C = -2.9

| Feb mean C = -1.4

| Mar mean C = 3.5

| Apr mean C = 10.4

| May mean C = 16.0

| Jun mean C = 19.6

| Jul mean C = 21.3

| Aug mean C = 20.8

| Sep mean C = 15.6

| Oct mean C = 9.5

| Nov mean C = 3.8

| Dec mean C = -1.3

| year mean C = 9.6

| Jan low C = -5.3

| Feb low C = -4.3

| Mar low C = -0.5

| Apr low C = 5.0

| May low C = 10.2

| Jun low C = 14.0

| Jul low C = 15.5

| Aug low C = 14.7

| Sep low C = 10.2

| Oct low C = 5.3

| Nov low C = 1.1

| Dec low C = -3.7

| year low C = 5.2

| Jan record low C = -34.9

| Feb record low C = -29.9

| Mar record low C = -22.4

| Apr record low C = -14.2

| May record low C = -2.5

| Jun record low C = 3.4

| Jul record low C = 6.2

| Aug record low C = 3.3

| Sep record low C = -6.3

| Oct record low C = -12.7

| Nov record low C = -21.4

| Dec record low C = -30.0

| year record low C = -34.9

| precipitation colour = green

| Jan precipitation mm = 30

| Feb precipitation mm = 28

| Mar precipitation mm = 31

| Apr precipitation mm = 39

| May precipitation mm = 56

| Jun precipitation mm = 67

| Jul precipitation mm = 80

| Aug precipitation mm = 50

| Sep precipitation mm = 54

| Oct precipitation mm = 38

| Nov precipitation mm = 40

| Dec precipitation mm = 28

| year precipitation mm = 542

| unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm

| Jan precipitation days = 6

| Feb precipitation days = 6

| Mar precipitation days = 6

| Apr precipitation days = 7

| May precipitation days = 8

| Jun precipitation days = 7

| Jul precipitation days = 8

| Aug precipitation days = 6

| Sep precipitation days = 6

| Oct precipitation days = 5

| Nov precipitation days = 6

| Dec precipitation days = 6

| year precipitation days = 76

| Jan humidity = 84

| Feb humidity = 82

| Mar humidity = 77

| Apr humidity = 66

| May humidity = 64

| Jun humidity = 67

| Jul humidity = 68

| Aug humidity = 67

| Sep humidity = 70

| Oct humidity = 76

| Nov humidity = 84

| Dec humidity = 86

| year humidity = 74

|source 1 = NOAA{{cite web

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230821004939/https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/1.1/data/0-data/Region-6-WMO-Normals-9120/Moldova/CSV/Soroca_33678.csv

| archive-date = 21 August 2023

| url = https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/1.1/data/0-data/Region-6-WMO-Normals-9120/Moldova/CSV/Soroca_33678.csv

| title = Soroca Climate Normals 1991–2020

| work = World Meteorological Organization Climatological Standard Normals (1991–2020)

| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

| access-date = 21 August 2023}}

|source 2 = Serviciul Hidrometeorologic de Stat (extremes, relative humidity){{cite web

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20250418163724/https://www.meteo.md/images/uploads/news/2023/05/Ghid%20Climatic%20RM_2024.pdf

| archive-date = 18 April 2025

| url = https://www.meteo.md/images/uploads/news/2023/05/Ghid%20Climatic%20RM_2024.pdf

| title = GHID CLIMATIC al Republicii Moldova

| publisher = Serviciul Hidrometeorologic de Stat

| language = ro

| access-date = 18 April 2025}}

}}

• Observatorul de Nord, a newspaper from Soroca, founded in 1998Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, [http://www.europalibera.org/content/article/1848245.html „Nici tu ploaie ca lumea, nici tu limpezirea apelor în domeniul politicii”][http://www.api.md/files/250407_reportereuropean.pdf Reporter european] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722171417/http://www.api.md/files/250407_reportereuropean.pdf |date=22 July 2011 }}
• Vocea Basarabiei, 67,69 and 103.1

{{See also|Category:People from Soroca|Category:People from Soroca District}}

• Samuel Bronfman (1889–1971), a Jewish-Canadian entrepreneur, former owner of Seagram
• Alexandru Cimbriciuc
• Arkady Gendler (1921–2017), Jewish-Ukrainian Yiddish Singer
• Sofia Imber, a Venezuelan journalist, founder of the Contemporary Art Museum of Caracas
• Isaac Kitrosser, French Jewish photojournalist
• Anna Mincovschi, mother of Robert Hossein
• Kira Muratova, a Soviet and Ukrainian film director, screenwriter and actress
• David Seltzer (1904–1994), New York Yiddish language Jewish writer, journalist and poet
• Marina Shafir, a Moldovan mixed martial arts and professional wrestler currently works for All Elite Wrestling.
• Nicolae Șoltuz, a member of Sfatul Țării
• Robert Steinberg, a Jewish-Canadian mathematician
• Leonte Tismăneanu, a Romanian communist activist
• Eugen Ţapu (1983–2009), a protester in the post-election riots in Chișinău who died while in police custody
• Gheorghe Ursu (1926–1985), a Romanian construction engineer and dissident
• Mark Tkaciuk, historian, politician

Image:Luminarea 2016.jpg|Thanksgiving Candle can be seen at night from Otaci and Camenca.

File:Сорокская крепость Cetatea Soroca Soroca Fortress (42928896330).jpg|Soroca Fort

File:Сороки, этнографический музей Muzeul de istorie si etnografie din Soroca Soroca Ethnografic Museum (42870845280).jpg|Museum

Image:Manastirea Rughi Soroca 39L.JPG|Rudi Monastery

File:Stamp of Moldova md022std.jpg|Mihai Eminescu

File:Сорокский уезд № 10 (1898 г.).jpg|Soroca 1898 local stamp

{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Moldova}}

Soroca is twinned with:

• {{flagicon|Russia}} Bryansk, Russia
• {{flagicon|Romania}} Flămânzi, Romania
• {{flagicon|Romania}} Suceava, Romania

• History of the Jews in Bessarabia
• Romani people in Romania
• Armenians in Moldova

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.rtrfoundation.org/webart/SOROKI.pdf Soroki/Soroca] (pp. 376–380) at Miriam Weiner's Routes to Roots Foundation

{{Commons category|Soroca}}

{{Wikivoyage}}

• {{JewishGen-LocalityPage|2277338|Soroca, Moldova}}

{{Soroca District, Moldova}}

{{AdminCitiesMoldova}}

{{Districts of Moldova}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Cities and towns in Moldova

Category:Municipalities of Moldova

Category:Populated places on the Dniester

Category:Capitals of the counties of Bessarabia

Category:Soroksky Uyezd

Category:Soroca County (Romania)

Category:Historic Jewish communities in Moldova

Category:Romani communities in Moldova

Category:Soroca District

Category:Market towns in Moldavia

Category:Holocaust locations in Moldova