Robert Kurtz is a renowned local architect, born on December 17, 1911, in Vladikavkaz, North Ossetia. He graduated in 1940 from the Institute of Architecture in Bucharest. From 1944 to 1951, he served as the chief architect of Kishinev, and from 1951 to 1971, he held the position of chief architect at the design institute “Moldgiprostroy.”

Robert Kurtz’s professional career is closely tied to Moldovan traditions of folk architecture, and he dedicated his entire life to the reconstruction of Kishinev. Under the guidance of academician Alexey Shchusev, he participated in preparing the first general plan for the reconstruction of Kishinev (1944-1949). In the subsequent years, he led a team of authors working on the elaboration of the general plan for Kishinev’s development until 2000, including the reconstruction of the city center.

His projects led to the construction of over 25 objects, including residential buildings, administrative structures, recreation centers, schools, parks, and, most notably, the Central Park of Culture and Recreation of Chisinau (now “Valea Morilor”) with the famous cascade staircase. The main entrance to the park, located on Serghei Lazo Street, where the Rotunda is situated, became a significant center of cultural life and recreation for the citizens in the 1970s. He also designed other notable buildings, such as the House of the Republican Council of Trade Unions (1953) and the Kishinev hotel (1963).

Robert Kurtz developed projects to systematize the architectural appearance of cities like Orhei (1945-1964), Edineti (1952), and Glodeni (1953). He was the architect of the Vasile Lupu monument, erected in 1938 in Orhei (sculpted by Oscar Hahn).

Additionally, the architect played a role in the restoration of historical, cultural, and architectural monuments in Moldova. From 1972, Kurtz worked on the restoration of the museums of A. Donici and S. Hahn in Orhei district, A. Pushkin’s house-museum in Dolna village, and C. Stamati’s house-museum in Ocnita. From 1975 to 1980, Robert Kurtz served as the scientific secretary of the Society for the Protection of Monuments of History and Culture of the MSSR and was recognized as an Honored Master of Arts of the MSSR in 1961.

Architect Robert Kurtz passed away on April 24, 1980, in Chisinau.