Orheiul Vechi in Trebujeni

You're standing at Orheiul Vechi, or Old Orhei, about sixty kilometres from Chișinău, the capital of Moldova. Start with the landscape. The Răut River has carved deep into the limestone here and loops around in a tight, narrow bend. Steep cliffs on every side, water all around. It's a place that practically defends itself, and people figured that out a very long time ago.