Copou Park (Parcul Copou) is an 11-hectare historic public park in northern Vaslui, developed from the interwar period with landscaped grounds, walking paths and several features that date from its early expansion. These include the Writers’ Alley, an old water tower and a pavilion used for performances.
The park began to take shape after the First World War, when teacher and prefect Gheorghe Rășcanu proposed creating a public garden on the northern edge of the city. The Vaslui City Hall gradually assembled the site by purchasing several privately owned plots, and the park was expanded further during the mayoralty of General Ion Rășcanu between 1938 and 1942. During this period, greenhouses and a water tower were added, while Writers’ Alley was created as one of the park’s main designed features.
Writers’ Alley is lined with busts of Mihai Eminescu, Mihail Kogălniceanu, Vasile Alecsandri, Costache Negri, Ion Creangă and Alecu Russo. The park also preserves an older pavilion once used for open-air music, including performances by a military band, while a larger stage added in 2004 now hosts concerts and public events.
Elsewhere, paths run through lawns, flowerbeds and planted areas, with recreation facilities including a children’s playground and tennis courts. The park was modified and replanted again in the 2000s, but its interwar layout and surviving features give the park a distinctive historical identity.
