Manuc's Inn is one of Bucharest's most important historical monuments. It was built in 1808 in the style of an Oriental caravanserai, like the ones on the Silk Road and other trade routes in the Islamic world. Like all caravanserai, Manuc's Inn was a place where travelers or traders from around the world found accommodation, deposited their goods and made commercial deals. Its founder was Manuc Bey, a merchant and diplomat, and one of the wealthiest men in the Balkans. Manuc had political ties to all major powers in the region, so the Peace Treaty at the end of one of the many wars between the Russian and Ottoman Empires was signed right here in 1812. Through this treaty, the region of Bessarabia was ceded by the Ottomans to the Russians. This divided the Moldovan Principality into two halves: one half later became a part of Romania, the other half – Bessarabia – is today the Republic of Moldova.