The Equestrian Statue of Ștefan cel Mare at Podul Înalt

The equestrian statue of Ștefan cel Mare at Podul Înalt is a monumental ensemble situated on a hill near the village of Băcăoani, commune of Muntenii de Jos, Vaslui County, approximately 8–9 km south of the municipality of Vaslui, on the DN24, on the site where the Battle of Podul Înalt took place on 10 January 1475. The monument was unveiled on 25 October 1975, on the 500th anniversary of the victory of the Moldavian forces led by Ștefan cel Mare over the Ottoman army commanded by Hadâmbul Suleiman Pașa. The bronze equestrian statue, created by Bucharest sculptor Mircea Ștefănescu, depicts the voivode on horseback, wearing his crown and holding a sword in his right hand. It stands 6.90 m tall and weighs 19 tonnes, set on an 8 m marble pedestal. The front face of the pedestal bears the inscription: "Ștefan cel Mare, Domn al Moldovei, 1457–1504". Mircea Ștefănescu received the Romanian Academy's "Ion Andreescu" Prize in 1975 for this work. On either side of the stairway are two bronze bas-reliefs created by sculptor Iftimie Bârleanu: one depicting the reception of the Turkish envoys, the other showing the voivode among common people. The ensemble is included on the List of Historical Monuments of Vaslui County.