Iaşi (pronunciation in Romanian: /jaʃʲ/) or Jassy, is a city and municipality in north-eastern Romania. The city was the capital of Moldavia from the 16th century until 1861 and of Romania (Romanian Kingdom) between 1916-1918 during World War I.

  The second largest Romanian city, after Bucharest, Iaşi is the economic, cultural and academic centre of the Romanian region of Moldavia. The city, home to the oldest Romanian university, accommodates an annual count of over 60,000 students in 5 public and 3 private universities, it is home to more than 50 churches and hosts 5 cultural centres: British, French, German, Latin American & Caribbean and Hellenic. Cultural life gravitates around the National Theater (the oldest in Romania), the Opera House, the Iaşi State Philarmonic, the Tătăraşi Atheneum, a famous Botanical Garden (the oldest and largest in Romania), the Central University Library (the oldest in Romania), an array of museums and memorial houses, an independent theater and several student organizations.

   The "Vasile Alecsandri" National Theater, opened in 1837 is the oldest National Theatre in Romania. The building, designed according to the plans of the Viennese architects Hermann Helmer and Ferdinand Fellner was built between 1894-1896, and also hosts starting 1956 the National Romanian Opera Iaşi.

   Four museums are located in the Palace of Culture, one of the largest buildings of Romania. Construction was carried out between the years 1906-1925 on the old ruins of the Royal Court of Moldavia and it is designed in flamboyant neo-Gothic style. The palace counts 298 rooms and has a total room surface of about 36 000 m².