Soroca Fortress — The Citadel's Oath
Uncover the lost chronicle of Stephen the Great's secret oath sworn within Soroca's walls to defy the Ottoman invasion. Decode clues across the fortress and riverfront to reveal the vow that saved Moldova.
📱 1 to 10 phones · 1 team per phone · Independent codes
In 1499, as Ottoman hordes threatened Moldova's borders, Prince Stephen the Great erected Soroca Fortress not just as stone defenses, but as the site of a sacred oath
Soroca Fortress — The Citadel's Oath
You are a loyal Moldovan boyar, entrusted by Ștefan cel Mare in 1503 with a secret mission.
You arrive in Soroca, frontier citadel on the N
Enter the star-shaped fortress of Ștefan cel Mare, Moldovan bastion from 1507 that repelled Tartar hordes for five centuries.
The story that haunts this land
Soroca was born from the strategic vision of Ștefan III cel Mare around 1499. Facing Tartar raids ravaging Moldavia's northern frontier, the prince ordered the construction of a revolutionary fortress: a five-pointed star 38 meters in diameter, with 22-meter towers dominating the Nistru. This Italian military architecture, unique in Moldavia, transformed a river crossing into an impregnable stronghold. Construction was completed in 1507, creating the first link in a defensive system that would protect the principality for three centuries.
The bronze statue erected in 1999 on the central square immortalizes Ștefan cel Mare and his son Ștefan cel Tânăr. Standing 4.5 meters tall on its granite pedestal, it commemorates the 545th anniversary of the builder prince. Inaugurated on July 2, 1999, it marks Soroca's entry into independent Moldova. Around it, Strada Independenței unfolds its 800 meters of cobblestones and 19th-century Moldovan architecture, stage for national festivities since 1991.
Petru Rareș, natural son of Ștefan cel Mare, restored the fortress in 1543 after damage from Ottoman wars. Under his reign, Soroca regained its role as sentinel of the Nistru, controlling the trade route linking Poland to Constantinople. The river, 250 meters wide at this point, forms a natural border crossed by merchants, diplomats and armies since the 14th century.
The Lumânarea Recunoștinței, a white concrete candle 25 meters high, rises in 1991 on a hill overlooking the Nistru. Inaugurated on August 27, Moldovan independence day, it symbolizes gratitude to those who preserved national identity. From this promontory, the view embraces Transnistria on the opposite bank and measures the geopolitical stakes of this millennial frontier that Ștefan cel Mare knew how to fortify.
Your mission ends within the star-shaped walls where it all began. Classified as a national historical monument and inscribed on the UNESCO indicative list since 2012, Soroca fortress reveals the secrets of Moldovan resistance that shaped Eastern Europe. You leave with intimate understanding of a territory where every stone tells the secular struggle for independence, and where augmented reality has resurrected the voices of Ștefan cel Mare and his heirs.
A game, a guided tour and a heritage guide — all in one
You're not just buying an escape game. You're carrying a living guide — historical anecdotes, forgotten legends, key monuments, hidden architecture — unfolding as you go.
At each stop, places ordinary guides miss — secret façades, sculpted crests, alleys steeped in history.
Every riddle is rooted in a real historical fact or local legend. You leave with dozens of stories to tell.
Learn to read buildings — flamboyant Gothic, Baroque, Art Deco — like a real art historian, while having fun.
Walk through the city like a novel's character — every alley becomes a stage, every square a theatre.
A voice walks with you at every step, tells the story of each place, reads clues, adds a cinematic feel.
Keep access to the guide & game for 1 year. Come back any time, share it with friends.
« You will not leave this city the way you entered it. »
How does it work?
Explore the city on foot solving puzzles based on real historical facts. No locked room — the city is your playground.
No app to download. Play directly from your browser. Guided step by step, at your own pace.
One purchase per phone is enough. Play with family, friends or as a couple — everyone participates.
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears and speaks to you in your language. Golden letters magically write themselves on the wall to reveal the puzzle answer.
Stuck? Progressive personalised hints. The character repeats the puzzle on demand — at your own pace.
French, English, German, Spanish, Italian + 27 other languages auto-translated by AI.
Want to go deeper?
Places tied to your adventure — optional entries, totally up to you · per person
The Route
8 stages through the city
The gameplay: AR, camera, hidden clues
At each stop, open your phone camera: an augmented reality character appears on the façade and speaks your language. Hunt the clue — it materializes as golden letters on the real wall or floats in front of you. When you find it, the phone vibrates, an AR chest opens and reveals your answer fragment. 8 stops, 8 clues to find with the camera, 1 final code.
The stops on your route are a surprise. You'll discover them one by one, guided by your phone, starting from the meeting point.
How does it work with a group?
One phone = one team. Pick the number at checkout (1 to 10).
Solo, or a group sharing the screen. One team, one code.
Family, couple, or 2-3 teams competing. Each phone has its own code and its own score.
Friends, bachelor/bachelorette, small office outing — each their own code, each plays at their own pace. Tiered pricing then €6 flat per phone from the 6th.
- ✓All codes are independent — play at the same time OR separately, each team advances at its own pace.
- ✓Leaderboard between your teams + global game leaderboard — each score appears in the public ranking.
- ✓More than 10 phones or need a personalized quest? Discover custom tours.
Ready to live this adventure?
Get my code · 12€No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒 Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
Practical info
Why this route?
Military Strategy
Dive into the defensive tactics of Stephen the Great, one of medieval Europe's greatest commanders.
Medieval Architecture
Explore the secrets of Soroca Fortress, a jewel of 15th-century military engineering.
Princely Heritage
Discover the enduring legacy of Stephen the Great, an emblematic figure of Moldavian identity and anti-Ottoman resistance.
The past reveals its secrets to those who seek the truth.
A legacy of resistance carved in stone and time.
9 features nobody else has
OddballTrip combines gamified play, augmented reality and AI. All our competitors deliver 1 or 2 of these angles. We deliver all 5.
AR treasure chest
A golden chest floats in front of the monument. Tap → opening animation → reveals a secret message.
AR narrator character
Point your phone at the façade: a knight, witch, monk, sailor, detective or ghost appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language with their dedicated ElevenLabs voice (each character has their own unique voice) — your living guide.
Magic golden letters
At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's the puzzle answer. An unforgettable visual effect.
Written + audio narration
Every puzzle available as text AND voice-over: read at your own pace or listen eyes-free while walking. Great in groups and for accessibility.
360° radar + vibration
A mini-radar shows the target even behind you, and the phone vibrates when you aim in the right direction.
Heritage storytelling
Every puzzle weaves in real historical facts (architecture, era, anecdotes). You learn by playing — like a gamified audioguide.
Progressive AI hints
3 levels of AI-generated help: vibe → where to look → answer format. You're never stuck.
AR selfie memento
At the end of the game, capture a selfie with OddballTrip banner + mascot, shareable on Instagram, TikTok.
Zero app to install
PWA technology: open the link, it plays in your browser. Same quality as an app, no App Store hassle.
Frequently asked questions
Q01Do I need to download an app?
No, never. You get a link, you click, it plays in your browser. That's the point of a PWA: same as an app, without the hassle.
Q02Does it work offline?
GPS yes (handled by your phone). Maps yes (tiles cached). AI and hints need an intermittent 4G connection.
Q03How long does a game take?
1 h 30 to 2 h 30 depending on your pace. The timer runs but only for the leaderboard — you play at your own tempo.
Q04What happens if I'm stuck?
You get 3 levels of hints per puzzle (increasing penalty). If truly stuck, you can skip the step (45-min penalty but you keep going).
Q05What's the age range?
From 12 without an adult, from 6 with an adult reading puzzles. Works for families, couples, friend groups, companies.
Q06What if my city isn't in the catalogue?
Pre-register or contact us — we'll email you as soon as your city is live.
Q07What is augmented reality exactly?
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language. At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's your answer. After each puzzle solved, a treasure chest floats in front of you. Seeing is believing.
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Your turn to play
Enter the star-shaped fortress of Ștefan cel Mare, Moldovan bastion from 1507 that repelled Tartar hordes for five centuries.
1 purchase = 1 phone. Play several on the same device.
No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
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