The Chapel of the Resurrection of the Savior is an Armenian Apostolic place of worship and an architectural monument of [..]
The Chapel of the Resurrection of the Savior
The Chapel of the Resurrection of the Savior is an Armenian Apostolic place of worship and an architectural monument of national importance, listed in the Register of Historical and Cultural Monuments of Chișinău. Since 2025, it has also been a historical, artistic, and architectural monument of national importance included in the Register of State-Protected Monuments of the Republic of Moldova, together with the cemetery.
It is the chapel of the Armenian-Gregorian cemetery, built in 1916 by architect A. Hacikeanț. It is also a memorial building, with the tomb of B. Bogdasarov located under its western wing.
Modest in size, the chapel is decorated with decorative plastic elements that reduce its volume. The plan is cruciform, obtained by widening the square nave with narrow side projections. Through the side projections, a polygonal apse and a small porch to the west were added. The entire appearance of the building refers to the places of worship from the heyday of ecclesiastical architecture in the 12th-13th centuries in historical Armenia.
The Armenian cemetery contains funerary monuments dating from the 18th to 20th centuries, belonging to eminent historical figures.
The Wine Museum in Stăuceni is a small yet valuable cultural destination dedicated to Moldova’s winemaking traditions. It is located [..]
The Wine Museum in Stăuceni
The Wine Museum in Stăuceni is a small yet valuable cultural destination dedicated to Moldova’s winemaking traditions. It is located on the grounds of the prestigious National College of Viticulture and Winemaking in Stăuceni, an institution founded in 1842. Just a few kilometers from Chișinău, the museum offers visitors an authentic glimpse into the history and technology of Moldovan wine production.
The exhibition features a variety of historical items: vintage wine bottles, traditional tools, viticultural equipment, and educational materials used to train professionals in the field. Notably, visitors can admire various types of old glass containers once used for bottling Moldovan wines.
The museum is closely connected to the college’s educational and practical activities, which include a small-scale working winery where students participate in the winemaking process — from grape harvesting to bottling. As such, the museum serves as both an exhibition space and an educational laboratory.
This museum is part of Wine Tourism Route (national) No. 2, which links Stăuceni with Cricova, Orheiul Vechi, and Brănești. The route is often featured in 5–7 hour guided tours offered by ANTREC and specialized agencies. It is a perfect stop for wine lovers, tradition seekers, and those passionate about rural heritage.
ATU Winery in Chișinău is the first urban winery in the Republic of Moldova – an innovative project that blends [..]
ATU Winery
ATU Winery in Chișinău is the first urban winery in the Republic of Moldova – an innovative project that blends the country’s winemaking traditions with a modern, creative approach. Founded in 2016 by young oenologist Vlada Balica and her partner Victor Vutcărău, ATU quickly gained recognition for its handcrafted wines, produced in small batches in a repurposed industrial space in the Botanica district of the capital.
ATU cultivates around 17 hectares of vineyards, working with both local grape varieties (Fetească Albă, Fetească Neagră, Viorica) and international ones (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Saperavi, Pinot Noir, Gewürztraminer). The entire winemaking process is manual – from harvesting to labeling – and each bottle reflects a dedication to detail and authenticity.
Among ATU’s most celebrated wines are Codrinschii, a unique blend of Saperavi and secret varietals, as well as Calibru and Viorica, both of which have earned awards at international competitions like Mundus Vini and AWC Vienna. ATU is the only winery in Moldova to produce Codrinschii, contributing to the diversity of the national winemaking heritage.
Visitors can enjoy guided tours and tastings right in the city. ATU offers interactive packages – from creating custom labels to participating in creative workshops – available in Romanian, Russian, and English. The winery also embraces ecological values: recycling, composting, and planning innovative systems for bottle collection.
With the motto “The best of you is inside you”, ATU seeks to inspire guests to discover their inner potential – through authentic wine, cultural dialogue, and transformative experiences.
A traveler-monument, inaugurated on April 29, 1928, on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Union of Bessarabia with [..]
The monument of Stephen the Great and Holy
A traveler-monument, inaugurated on April 29, 1928, on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Union of Bessarabia with Romania. In June 1940 he was moved to Romania, and in 1942 – brought back to Chisinau, in 1944 – moved again. A year later it was brought back and reinstalled in Chisinau. Author – the sculptor Alexandru Plămădeală.
The central park in Chisinau, Moldova, is the oldest park in the country, covering approximately 7 hectares (17 acres). Originally [..]
Public Garden Stephen the Great (Central Park)
The central park in Chisinau, Moldova, is the oldest park in the country, covering approximately 7 hectares (17 acres). Originally designed in 1818 by Russian military engineers during the reign of Alexander I, the park has undergone several name changes over the years, including Alexander Garden (honoring Emperor Alexander II), Alexander Pushkin Park, and City Public Garden.
Under the guidance of architect Bogdan Eitner, the present-day alleys were established, featuring hundreds of acacias, limes, and flower beds. The park, initially enclosed by a wicker fence, was later surrounded by a cast-iron fence erected in 1868-1869, which still stands today. The park boasts seven entrances around its perimeter, hosting approximately 50 species of shrubs and trees, some dating back almost 200 years, including a towering acacia.
In 1885, the monument to the Russian poet A.S. Pushkin was unveiled in the Public Garden, considered today as the oldest preserved bust in the city. In 1958, the cornerstone of the Alley of the Classics of Romanian Literature was laid, initially featuring 12 bronze busts of classics on polished red granite posts. The current Alley of Classics has 29 busts of prominent personalities, and various cultural events are held there.
A significant masterpiece in the park is the monument to Stephen the Great and Holy, created by sculptor A. Plamadeala and architect A. Bernardazzi. Inaugurated in 1928, the monument commemorates the tenth anniversary of the Great Union of 1918.
Guarding one of the park entrances are two marble lions, their origin shrouded in mystery. Rumors suggest they belonged to a manor house, and after its destruction during World War II, the monuments were brought and installed in the Public Garden.
It was established between 1830 and 1840, coinciding with the construction of the Cathedral. Following World War II, the square [..]
Cathedral Square
It was established between 1830 and 1840, coinciding with the construction of the Cathedral.
Following World War II, the square suffered significant damage. It underwent extensive restoration over the subsequent years and was named Victory Park for an extended period. The park underwent landscaping efforts, with the planting of trees, shrubs, and flower beds throughout.
Presently, the square covers an area of only 9 hectares, slightly less than the original 12 hectares. The highlight of the architectural ensemble is the Metropolitan Cathedral, which, along with the Bell Tower and the Triumphal Arch, constitutes the renowned historical complex of the capital.
In 1962, during the era of the USSR, the Bell Tower was demolished by order of N. Khrushchev, citing concerns about its potential use as a strategic point for snipers. A flowing fountain was erected in place of the bell tower, and, for several years, the Ministry of Culture of the MSSR operated an exhibition hall inside the Cathedral.
In 1998, the Bell Tower was reconstructed based on historical images, reclaiming its position within this splendid architectural complex.
The central area of the park boasts a large open space, while shaded side alleys cater to visitors seeking refuge from the sun. Numerous ornamental trees and shrubs, some exceeding a century in age, adorn the park. This venue has become a focal point for major events on official national and religious holidays.
Cathedral Square stands out as a beloved destination for every tourist and guest of the capital.
The Dendrarium Park in Chisinau is an 83-hectare green oasis situated in the Buiucani district. Serving as a crucial oxygen [..]
The Dendrarium Park
The Dendrarium Park in Chisinau is an 83-hectare green oasis situated in the Buiucani district. Serving as a crucial oxygen reservoir for the city’s inhabitants, it functions as a natural air filter. This lush expanse is not only cherished by city dwellers but is also a popular spot for capturing memorable photographs. The Dendrarium earned state protection on 16 July 1998.
Since the initial planting of trees and shrubs in the early 1950s, the Dendrarium has cultivated a significant seed fund containing rare and highly decorative plants, totaling 1,820 taxa. Notably, the park hosts 9 out of the 13 species of woody plants listed in the Red Book of the Republic of Moldova.
In addition to these botanical rarities, the park is home to extremely rare endemic relicts. An exemplary case is the Ginkgo biloba, first discovered in Japan in 1690, representing the sole survivor of the ginkgo class from the Triassic period.
Dendrarium Park offers a serene atmosphere, shielded from urban noise, allowing visitors to momentarily forget they are in the city center. The tranquility of the park makes it an ideal escape, emphasizing its role not only as a green space but also as a sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of urban life.
The Chisinau Botanical Garden of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova stands as the primary botanical research institution in the [..]
Botanical Garden
The Chisinau Botanical Garden of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova stands as the primary botanical research institution in the country. Situated on the outskirts of Chisinau, in the Botanica district, near the renowned City Gates, this botanical haven has been a focal point for plant research since its establishment on 1 September 1951.
The construction of the Botanical Garden adhered to the ecological-systematic principle, arranging plant groups in a land-shelter style, facilitating the study of vegetation. Organized into distinct sectors, some open-air sectors host frost-resistant annual plants, while others, located in covered spaces, safeguard living or variously preserved plants.
Among the most frequented sectors by visitors are the Alpinarium (housing around 50 species), Dendrarium (with approximately 560 species), Flora Moldovei (showcasing 30 tree species, 18 shrub species, and 110 grass species), Pinarium, Rozarium, Floriculture, Syringarium, and, notably, the Tropical and Subtropical Plants sector (featuring about 2550 species) collected from around the globe.
However, the Botanical Garden faced a significant setback in April 2017 when heavy snowfall resulted in the loss and damage of 80% of the decorative trees and shrubs within the park’s collections and exhibitions. Despite this setback, the Botanical Garden has gradually rejuvenated itself, once again becoming a source of delight for the capital’s residents and guests, boasting exquisite plant collections that enchant throughout every season of the year.
In the western part of the city, situated within the Buiucani district, lies a modest park covering just 11 hectares [..]
Park ”Alunelul”
In the western part of the city, situated within the Buiucani district, lies a modest park covering just 11 hectares – “Alunelul” Park. Established in 1958, this park occupies the grounds of a former Jewish cemetery. A portion of the cemetery was dismantled, and some remains were relocated to a new cemetery nearby.
Nestled deep within the park is the memorial complex dedicated to the victims of the 1903 Chisinau pogrom, which was erected in 1993. Notably, Alunelul Park underwent a splendid renovation at the end of 2020, much to the joy of both locals and visitors to the capital. The park’s focal point is the multicolored flowing fountain, featuring 284 water jets and lights. During the summer, these water jets dance to the rhythm of the music, reaching impressive heights.
This is the unofficial name of the park situated in the center of Rascani district, the focal point of which [..]
“Afghanistan” Park
This is the unofficial name of the park situated in the center of Rascani district, the focal point of which is the Memorial Complex “Sons of the Fatherland – Holy Remembrance,” constructed in memory of the fallen soldiers in the war in Afghanistan from 1979 to 1989.
The complex showcases a majestic sculpture depicting a bereaved mother and a structure consisting of white pillars reaching towards the sky. Five meters above the ground, the pillars converge at a crown of bronze thorns. Granite plaques bearing the names of the fallen soldiers encircle the monument. The overall height of the monument is 15 meters.
Erected in 2007, the project’s architects are V. Eremciuc and the sculptor B. Dubrovin. The memorial is surrounded by a cascade of fountains, enhancing the solemn atmosphere of remembrance.
The park was initially named the “Friendship Park between Peoples” and held this designation for 20 years. Established in 1972 [..]
Park ”La Izvor”
The park was initially named the “Friendship Park between Peoples” and held this designation for 20 years. Established in 1972 on Calea Ieșilor Street in the Buiucani district, it stands as one of the youngest parks in Chisinau, covering an extensive area of 150 hectares. The park’s lakes form a picturesque cascade of ponds connected by canals.
A notable feature is the Story Island, situated on the largest pond, which used to host enjoyable activities for both children and adults. Accessible via a charming bridge, the island also offers a boat landing on the other side for those wishing to venture to the island by boat.
Nestled deep within the park is the enchanting restaurant ‘La izvor.’
Adding to the park’s allure is a suspension bridge, seamlessly extending from the central walkway, providing visitors with an additional point of interest.
The park, located in the Buiucani district of the capital, has a storied history since its establishment in 1950 on [..]
The Valley of the Mills Park
The park, located in the Buiucani district of the capital, has a storied history since its establishment in 1950 on the initiative of L. Brezhnev, originally named the “Central Park of Culture and Rest of the Leninist Commune.” Over the years, it has evolved into a significant recreational hub for the city.
Situated along the shore of Mill Valley Lake, the park sprawls across an expansive 114 hectares, with the lake itself covering an area of 34 hectares. The park’s design was orchestrated under the guidance of the renowned architect Robert Kurz.
Within the park’s vast expanse, visitors can enjoy various amenities, including the Green Theatre—an open-air venue with a seating capacity of 5000—a day cinema, the “Andries” children’s playground, a beach, and a boat station, among others.
The lake park has served as a nucleus for diverse water sports, hosting three rowing schools, sports fields, and fishing spots for enthusiasts. During winter, the lake transforms into an urban ice rink, and a once-prominent parachute jump tower added to the park’s attractions.
Adjacent to the park stands Moldova’s largest exhibition center—Moldexpo—further enhancing the area’s significance.
The park gained additional renown through the recent restoration of the rotunda and the Cascades Staircase. The latter, comprised of 218 steps, surpasses the famous General Potemkin Staircase in Odessa, which boasts 200 steps, adding to the allure of this expansive and historically rich green space.
The Green Theatre in Chisinau is a true gem for both citizens and tourists, situated in Valea Morilor Park in [..]
Green Theater
The Green Theatre in Chisinau is a true gem for both citizens and tourists, situated in Valea Morilor Park in the capital.
The Green Theatre, formerly known as the Summer Theatre, was constructed 60 years ago by architects A. Kolotovkin and T. Lomova.
An open-air theatre with a beautiful stage and hundreds of benches, it serves as a perfect example of Soviet architecture from the 1960s.
In every large park in the Soviet Union, there were numerous summer theatres. Chisinau, being one of the greenest capitals in Europe, was an excellent illustration of this. Summer theatres acted as public stages where the local community could enjoy various theatre performances, folk dances, and song competitions. Everyone was completely free to showcase their talent or passion in front of the community. Now, following rehabilitation, the Green Theatre hosts the most exquisite concerts featuring nationally and internationally renowned performers.
Thanks to the theatre’s central location in the heart of Valea Morilor Park, it is an ideal venue for hosting a variety of events during the warm season.
The Cascades Staircase, a symbol of the capital located in the Valley of the Mills Park, was constructed as early [..]
The Cascades Staircase
The Cascades Staircase, a symbol of the capital located in the Valley of the Mills Park, was constructed as early as the 1950s and became a beloved destination for young people, particularly couples, to stroll. Unfortunately, after the collapse of the USSR, the staircase fell into disrepair and remained neglected until its rehabilitation in 2016.
The city’s architects dedicated months to the project, relying on the limited pictures and sketches available in the archives. The staircase’s structure featured numerous sculptures, prompting specialists to use photos from the personal archives of Chisinau residents to restore intricate details.
The cascading staircase boasts a total of 218 steps, which is 18 more than the renowned Potemkin Staircase in Odessa.
Maria of Edinburgh – Saxa – Coburg – Gotha, was born on October 29, 1875, at Eastwel Park, in the [..]
Queen Mary Monument
Maria of Edinburgh – Saxa – Coburg – Gotha, was born on October 29, 1875, at Eastwel Park, in the county of Kent – Great Britain, daughter of Duke Alfred of Edinburgh, second son of Queen Victoria of Great Britain and Grand Duchess Maria, only daughter of Tsar Alexander II of Russia and Princess Maria of Hessen.
Princess Maria’s upbringing is truly royal. An eyewitness to her adolescence, quoted by Nicolae Iorga, characterized her as “believing in kings and their missions, but also in their rights. She was not haughty, nor humble, but regal from the roots of her hair to the soles of her feet, imperious, fiery, active, a girl full of the joy of life and faith in her race’.
Married to Crown Prince Ferdinand in December 1891, Maria had to fight a permanent battle with King Carol, who isolated her completely at Peles and forbade her any contact with Romanian political or cultural figures. “Throughout my youth, the word ‘minister’ was synonymous with ‘head of mischief’,” Regina later wrote. But in just a few years, after giving birth to Charles (1893), Elisabeth (1894) and Maria (1899), Princess Maria would be one of the most splendid women in Europe. Maria’s last child, Prince Mircea, born in 1913, tragically died of typhoid fever at the age of three during the First World War. His tomb is at Bran Castle in Sinaia, Romania. Intelligent and full of vitality, Maria also embodied the romantic ideal of any man of the time, being healthy, noble in her attitudes and very much a woman. In her years of isolation she suffered terribly from the belief that she had been lured into a ‘trap’, that she had been given the ‘mission’ to produce an heir to the throne of Charles I, that she would destroy her youth and beauty in a cold castle, spied on by maids and governesses.
In October 1917, on the Moldavian front, Regina, wearing the uniform of an officer, fell in the Cireșoaia front sector in front of the 443rd quota, on the front line, in the first trench, 200 meters from the enemy. She was the most determined voice for resistance and the offensive on the Moldovan front and, if we study her memoirs carefully, the personality who ultimately decided Romania’s entry into the war on the side of the Entente.
In the biography of this prominent woman there is also a gesture that completes her unique personality: on March 26, 1926, on Annunciation Day, Queen Marie converted to Orthodoxy. In a ceremony held at the Palace, she confessed her confession, was disbaptized by Patriarch Miron Cristea and was received into the Romanian Orthodox Church.
A lover of beauty, Maria had another way of expressing herself – the artistic. Her literary works include stories, evocations, novels, memoirs, including: “My Country”, “The Dreamer of Dreams”, “A Legend from Mount Athos”, “The Story of a Disobedient Lady”, “Thoughts and Icons from the Time of War”, “Unbidden Longing”, “The Story of a Heart”, “Crowned Queens”, “Fantastic Birds in the Blue Sky”, “The Voice from the Mountain”, “Masks”, “The Story of My Life”. The literary works were written in English and translated into Romanian, some of the translations belonging to Nicolae Iorga.
Elected a member of the Academy of Fine Arts, acclaimed from the very first words as one of the great personalities of her age, the Queen won over a world whose reserve capitulates so easily both to situations and to talent. On every occasion she made a point of affirming that Romania, without pretending, does not beg. It only demands what it deserves. “We are not”, she said, “the poor relation”.
In recognition of her outstanding merits in the making of Greater Romania, on December 1, 1920, the Branului Town Council decided: “to present Her Majesty Queen Marie of Greater Romania with the ancient castle of Branului. The donation should be, above all, an expression of the sincere veneration that the people of our town feel for the great Queen who dries the tears of widows and orphans, comforts the helpless, offers help and comfort to those who are in pain and spreads blessings wherever she goes, and through all this she conquers the hearts of the people of the whole country with irresistible enthusiasm”.
The Queen’s health began to deteriorate and in 1938 she went to a clinic in Dresden for treatment. When the doctors told her that the end was near, she decided to return to her homeland and, on July 18, 1938, she passed into eternity in the Golden Chamber of Pelieresor Castle, decorated by herself with the symbols she loved: symbols of faith, light and eternal life. In her moral testament – “Letter to my Country and my People” – Queen Marie bade a touching farewell to the people with whom she identified: “From now on I will not be able to send you any more messages; but above all, remember my People that I have loved you and that I bless you with my last breath”.
In his will, he requested that his body be buried in the Episcopal church of Curtea de Argeș and his heart to be kept in a reliquary in the Stella Maris chapel of the residence in Balcic. After the cession of Cadrilater in 1940, the Queen’s heart was moved to Bran.
On March 27, 2025? on the 107th anniversary of the Unification of Bessarabia with Romania, the monument dedicated to the famous Queen was unveiled in the square of the Gheorghe Asachi High School in Chisinau.
The initiative to erect the statue belongs to lawyer Iulian Rusanovschi and was launched on March 27, 2018, at the celebration of the Centennial of the Great Union.
The monument, more than six meters high, depicts Queen Mary of Romania on the day of her coronation in Alba Iulia, holding the Christian Bible in her left hand.
The sculptor Veaceslav Jiglițchi sculpted the bronze face of Queen Maria and an international commission of experts supervised the artistic execution.
The cornerstone of Chisinau is a purely symbolic stone, placed in 1986, commemorating 550 years since the first mention of [..]
Сornerstone of Chisinau
The cornerstone of Chisinau is a purely symbolic stone, placed in 1986, commemorating 550 years since the first mention of the place name “Cheșeneu.” The initial inscription was in the Cyrillic alphabet.
On October 12, 2011, the inscription was renovated, and the text, now in the Latin alphabet, was modified.
It is believed that the city of Chisinau started its history from this location.
At the end of the 19th century, the then-mayor of the city, Karol Schmidt, initiated the construction of a new [..]
Chisinau City Hall building
At the end of the 19th century, the then-mayor of the city, Karol Schmidt, initiated the construction of a new headquarters for the City Duma (town hall) on the site previously occupied by the fire station. The design was entrusted to the city architect Mitrofan Elladi. The renowned architect Alexandru Bernardazzi supervised the construction, which was completed in 1902.
In 1941, the building was destroyed by retreating Soviet troops. The Romanian administration managed to rebuild it by 1944, but in August of that year, during the Iasi-Chisinau operation, the building was again destroyed in the bombings.
After the war, Robert Kurtz, the city’s chief architect (1944-1951), was appointed head of reconstruction. Work on the site took place between 1946 and 1948, but the local administration did not return to the building until 1951.
Robert Kurtz restored the building to its original appearance, with one change: smaller towers were added above the main entrance, replacing the original larger ones.
The Chisinau City Hall building is a national architectural and historical monument, registered in the Register of Historical and Cultural Monuments of Chisinau.
Cathedral of Christ’s Nativity, Bell Tower,Triumphal Arch
The cathedral was built between 1830-1836. The idea of building such an important object of worship belonged to Metropolitan Gavriil [..]
Cathedral of Christ’s Nativity, Bell Tower,Triumphal Arch
The cathedral was built between 1830-1836. The idea of building such an important object of worship belonged to Metropolitan Gavriil Bănulescu-Bodoni. But the foundation stone was laid only 9 years after his death.
The architect Avraam Melnikov, chosen by competition, used the late neoclassical style (empiric style) for the building, with the use of ancient Greek forms for the columns.
It has a symmetrical composition, representing a square with a side of 27 m, by joining to the cubic body four porticoes with six Doric columns each, resulting in a cruciform plan with identically designed facades. It was built of stone and brick, with three altars – one main altar – the Nativity of the Lord, and two side altars – the one on the left, dedicated to St. John the New, and the one on the right – St. Nicholas the Martyr (current names).
The first radio station in Chisinau, Radio Basarabia, was officially inaugurated by broadcasting the liturgy from the Metropolitan Cathedral on 8 October 1939.
The cathedral suffered during the 1940 earthquake, then during the World War II, with the spire, dome and interior being rebuilt in 1956, but with deviations from the original forms. During the USSR it was used as an exhibition hall.
The reopening in a new format took place on August 25th, 1996 with the consecration of the Cathedral Cross.
The original bell tower was built at the same time as the cathedral. It was located 40 m away from it, symmetrically with the cathedral and in relation to the geometric centre of the cathedral section. It had four levels, three prismatic, with successively receding sides, and the fourth in the form of a flat circular belfry for the bell chamber, covered by a dome. On the first level was a chapel, the entrance to which was through a portico with two columns on the south side. Identical porticoes adorned each facade of the bell tower, creating a small-scale repetition of the composition of the cathedral and harmonising with it in the shape of the domes.
It was demolished in the 1960s and rebuilt in 1998 according to the old images.
The history of the construction of the “Holy Gates” is curious – after the original project (which involved the erection of the Cathedral and the Bell Tower), they were not planned. At the time, when the bell tower was already erected, it was discovered that the largest of the bells could not fit through the windows to be mounted. The giant bell, cast from Turkish cannons, weighed about 400 poods (about 6.5 t).
In order to accommodate the big bell, a decision was taken to build the Triumphal Arch, located at the entrance to the square from the direction of the Mitropolis (it has not been preserved to this day – it was destroyed during the World War II).
The official version was that the Arch was erected to commemorate the victory of the Russian armies over the Turks, of course.
The first arched clocks appeared in 1842. They were brought from Odessa, but in 1849, a strong hurricane tore off the dial, but its mechanism continued to work until 1881. The new mechanism was purchased from Austria. The actual clock worked without repair until it was bombed in 1941.
In 1945, plaques with the names of Soviet army fighters and citizens, who fought on the territory of Bessarabia in World War II and received the distinction of “Hero of the Soviet Union”, were nailed on the walls. The plaques were removed in 1991, after Moldova gained its independence.
Since its erection, the Triumphal Arch bore several names – it was also called the Holy Gates, and under the Soviet regime it was called the Arch of Victory.
Church of the Mother of God (Măzărache Church,1752)
The oldest building (including ecclesiastical) that has survived to date on the territory of present-day Chisinau, and the only one [..]
Church of the Mother of God (Măzărache Church,1752)
The oldest building (including ecclesiastical) that has survived to date on the territory of present-day Chisinau, and the only one that preserves medieval Moldovan architecture. The Măzărache Church is documented in 1752 (year of consecration). It is popularly named after its founder – the nobleman, merchant of Chisinau Vasile Măzărache.
The oldest necropolis of the capital, dating back to the 15th-16th centuries, it’s located around the church, and on the same hill flowed the famous springs, from which the city of Chisinau takes its name.
In 1955, in an almost fantastic gesture, the Soviet authorities gave the church to the Russians of the Old Rite (Lipovins) in exchange for their cathedral, which had been demolished during the construction of the Boulevard of the Youths (today Grigore Vieru Boulevard).
Since then, access to the church has been limited; guests of the capital may visit only the churchyard and the surrounding buildings, including some tombstones with inscriptions in Slavonic and Old Romanian.
Built between 1976 and 1979, the building has the curious shape of an “open book”. The authors were the architects [..]
Parliament of the Republic of Moldova
Built between 1976 and 1979, the building has the curious shape of an “open book”. The authors were the architects Alexandru Cerdanțev and Grigore Bosenco.
Designed from the beginning as an administrative building to house the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the MSSR, this building was prepared in the early 90s of the twentieth century, without essential changes, for the location of the Presidency of the Republic of Moldova.
It is an integral construction, poured in reinforced concrete, with a granite slab façade. Above the central entrance is the text with the name of the institution: “Parliament of the Republic of Moldova”, with letters cast in metal. Inside, the offices are distributed only on the side of the building on Stefan cel Mare Boulevard, and the Parliament meeting room is located in the opposite direction. The building of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova is considered to be a monument of national importance.
It was rebuilt after the protests of April 7, 2009. Currently, the Parliament is an ensemble of buildings, with a total area of about 10 thousand square meters.
The building, constructed between 1984 and 1987, was designed by architects Iuri Tumanian, A. Zalțman, and V. Iavorski. Initially conceived [..]
Presidental Palace of the Republic of Moldova
The building, constructed between 1984 and 1987, was designed by architects Iuri Tumanian, A. Zalțman, and V. Iavorski. Initially conceived as an administrative facility to accommodate the Supreme Soviet of the Moldovan SSR, the structure was repurposed in the early 1990s, with minimal modifications, to serve as the seat of the Presidency of the Republic of Moldova.
During the protests of April 7, 2009, the Presidency of the Republic of Moldova building was vandalized by protesters. Repair works commenced in 2009 and, with intermittent interruptions, persisted until autumn 2018.
The construction is cast in reinforced concrete, adorned with white stone slabs, and features significant areas covered with tinted glass. The base and access stairs are crafted from red and black marble. Positioned above the central portal are the bronze coat of arms of the Republic of Moldova and the text “Presidency of the Republic of Moldova.”
The building of the Presidency of the Republic of Moldova is recognized as a monument of national significance.
The building that currently houses the Government of the Republic of Moldova was built between 1960-1965, according to the project [..]
Government House
The building that currently houses the Government of the Republic of Moldova was built between 1960-1965, according to the project of the architect S. Fridlin. It is located in the Grand National Assembly Square in Chisinau, on the site of the former headquarters of the Metropolitan Church and the Diocesan House of Bessarabia (destroyed during World War II). Semyon Fridlin also designed the “October” Palace (now the National Palace), for which he received the title of emeritus architect of the MSSR.
The Government House, originally conceived as an administrative building, is a 6-storey reinforced concrete construction, lined with white stones, in the shape of the letter “P” / “П” from the Cyrillic alphabet, alluding to the word “Party”.
The facades of the building are made in the form of white vertical pillars, joined at the level of the upper floor with a cornice element, in the center of which (above the main entrance) is the coat of arms of the Republic of Moldova. The thresholds at the entrances to the building are covered with polished black granite, contrasting with light-colored pillars, covered with white stone blocks and emphasizing the accuracy of the construction. At the entrance to the building is the inscription “Government of the Republic of Moldova”.
The building has never been restored, only current repairs are being made. At the moment, the headquarters of several ministries are here. The building is of national importance.
The current terminal dates back to the Soviet era, having been built in the 1970s. Thus, the construction style is [..]
Chisinau International Airport
The current terminal dates back to the Soviet era, having been built in the 1970s. Thus, the construction style is very similar to other small airports in the former Soviet Union—a single terminal built to handle domestic flights, without customs or security facilities. This prompted the airport management to completely renovate the airport in 1999 and 2000. The airport’s reconstruction was funded by the Government of the Republic of Moldova ($3 million) and a loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development ($9 million).
In 2007, through regular and charter flights operated by 15 airlines, the passenger flow exceeded 688,800 people. That same year, the airport underwent rebranding.
On October 24, 2008, the second airport modernization project was launched, with the work carried out by the German company Hochtief AirPort GmbH. A year later, the construction project for a multi-story car park near the terminal began. The multi-story car park, with 800 spaces, was put into operation on May 17, 2015. The cost of the work was approximately seven million euros.
On December 22, 2008, Chișinău International Airport was awarded the ISO 9001:2000 certificate. On January 19, 2011, it obtained accreditation for reduced CO2 emissions.
On October 31, 2013, Chișinău International Airport signed a bilateral cooperation agreement with Manas Airport in Kyrgyzstan, which provides for collaboration in the exchange of experience and the joint search for an airline operator that will create a bridge to Europe through Chișinău.
In November 2013, the airport was concessioned for a period of 49 years to “Avia Invest” LLC, a company with Russian shareholders. On November 23, 2022, the Chișinău Court of Appeal definitively and enforceably annulled the concession contract. As a result, the airport returned to the administration of the Republic of Moldova. On January 18, 2024, the IATA code was changed from KIV to RMO.
The idea of building two multi-level residential buildings and the symbolic concept of the “City Gate” on the road from [..]
City Gate
The idea of building two multi-level residential buildings and the symbolic concept of the “City Gate” on the road from the airport to Chisinau belonged to Yuri Tumanyan. His wife and colleague Yulia Skvortsova designed it together with the institute’s team. The “City Gate” was built from panel blocks in just 2 years. The first residents moved into this unusual house in 1987. That year, the anniversary of the Great October Revolution was celebrated for the last time – 70 years.
The project turned out to be innovative for those times: stepped, completely symmetrical buildings 24 floors (70 meters) high, reminiscent of an open gate. The complex included high-speed elevators and apartments of non-standard layouts with two balconies. New construction technologies, namely adjustable monolithic formwork, made it possible to achieve a stepped building every two floors. A master plan was also developed for two blocks on both sides of the avenue. However, the architects’ plan was not fully realized: Perestroika prevented the construction of the planned infrastructure facilities.
From an architectural perspective, a triumphal arch is a monument in the form of an arched portico, featuring one or [..]
Triumphal Arch
From an architectural perspective, a triumphal arch is a monument in the form of an arched portico, featuring one or more arches, constructed to commemorate a significant event or honor a notable personality. For urban planning purposes, it is typically situated in one of the city squares, marking the axis of the main thoroughfare or serving as the epicenter of urban infrastructure.
The construction of triumphal arches continued into modern times, and they can now be found in various European capitals, including Chisinau.
Some intriguing details from the biography of this historical monument:
Historic Chisinau once had several triumphal arches, but only one survives today. The existing arch, designed by Odessa architect Luka Zaușchevici in 1841, took inspiration from the eponymous construction in Rome.
Throughout its history, the monument has undergone several name changes: Arch of Triumph, Arch of Victory (during Soviet times), and Holy Gates.
The present-day Triumphal Arch in Chisinau, an integral part of the architectural complex in the city center, is constructed from polished white stone, square in shape, with four openings. It aligns with the main axis of the Metropolitan Cathedral of the Nativity of God (1830) and the Cathedral Bell Tower (1835). Standing at 13 meters tall, the monument features ceramic ornaments and capitals imitating the Corinthian style. Its base consists of four massive Corinthian pillars, set on special perches that serve as pedestrian walkways. The upper level is adorned in classical style.
Craftsman Vasily Losenko from Kyiv gubernia cast three bells, including a massive 6.4-ton bell, the city’s largest, for the Nativity Cathedral Bell Tower. The bells bear inscriptions such as “By the kind permission of Tsar Nikolai I in 1838” and “For the Nativity Cathedral in Chisinau.” Due to the oversized bell, a triumphal arch was erected, also serving as a bell tower to commemorate the Russian army’s victory in the Russo-Turkish war. The giant bell was installed on the second level of the Arc de Triomphe in August 1839.
Both the bells in Chisinau and some for churches in Ismail were cast from Turkish cannons captured by A. Suvorov (1729-1800) during the military actions of Ismail (1790).
Constantin Ivanov from Chișinau undertook the responsibility to repair the bells for the sum of 1000 rubles, leaving his property as collateral in case of failure.
Inside one of the pillars of the Triumphal Arch in Chisinau, there is a metal ladder leading to the second level, where the clock is situated. The first clock, acquired from donations by Bessarabia governor Pavel Fyodorov, was purchased from craftsman Helzel in Odessa and installed on 3 August 1839. Between 1842-1849, the clock was maintained by clockmaker Spiller. In 1880, the clock was replaced by another from the Hertz factory in the German city of Ulm. The clock struck every quarter of an hour. During the beginning of the Second World War, the clock was destroyed in an explosion and later repaired in 1942 for 18,000 lei.
In 1945, marble memorial plaques were affixed to the Arch of Triumph in Chisinau, dedicated to Soviet patriotic scenes of the Second World War and the names of Soviet Union heroes who fought on the territory of Soviet Moldova. These inscriptions were removed in 1991.
The Arch of Triumph in Chisinau is acclaimed as one of the five most beautiful triumphal arches in the world.
The building of the Organ Hall has a unique beauty. Initially, the Organ Hall building was designed as the City [..]
Organ Hall
The building of the Organ Hall has a unique beauty. Initially, the Organ Hall building was designed as the City Bank. In 1902 the Municipal Council of Chisinau launched a competition of architectural projects with a prize of 1,500 rubles, which was a relatively large amount in those days.
The winner was engineer Mihail Cecheru -Cush. The Organ Hall was executed to impress by its monumental forms excellently in classic style, containing some romantic art elements. Before 1974 the building hosted different financial institutions, including the National Bank. The decision to make it a concert hall was taken by the then leader of the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic, Ivan Bodil.
The Organ, installed in this magnificent Hall, was made by the “Rieger-Kloss” company from the Czech city Krnov, a factory with strong traditions, well known for the instruments it produces, installed in many cities of the world. The Organ from Chisinau is an electromechanical one, of medium size, containing about 4000 pipes.
The first concert was held on September 15, 1978, played by prominent Soviet organist Harry Y. Grodberg. That concert also featured local opera diva Maria Bieshu. Among the most important cultural events held here is the International Music Festival “Martisor,” International Classical Music Festival “Crescendo,” a festival of contemporary classical music “New Music Days.”
Not far from the Parliament building, along Stefan the Great Boulevard, stands a house that resembles a cake – the [..]
Hertza House
Not far from the Parliament building, along Stefan the Great Boulevard, stands a house that resembles a cake – the city villa of Titular Counselor Vladimir Herz, constructed in 1903, purportedly designed by the Austrian architect Heinrich Lonsky in the style of Viennese Baroque. The building takes on the appearance of a birthday cake due to its roof’s protruding risolits and somewhat unconventional-looking domes. The exterior decoration includes elaborate molding, vases atop the facade, and abundant bas-reliefs featuring floral ornaments and allegorical figures, contributing to its distinctive facade.
Internally, the house was once richly adorned with decorative elements, including walls and ceilings adorned with frescoes depicting mythological themes, intricately embellished with gilded moldings. Drawing inspiration from Viennese Baroque and Art Nouveau, with a hint of Moorish style, the building stands as a splendid example of eclecticism, a characteristic feature of Chisinau’s architecture at the turn of the century.
Before World War II, it was a suburb of the city with narrow streets and low-rise houses. It was only [..]
Kiev street
Before World War II, it was a suburb of the city with narrow streets and low-rise houses. It was only at the end of the 19th century that it was bought by the city and included in the city limits. Kiev Street runs from Tudor Vladimirescu Street (former Kalinina Street) to Aleku Russo Square (former Gheorghe Dimitrov Square). It is located in the Riscani sector and is only 0.5 km long.
In 1944, in connection with the creation of the Chisinau aviation detachment, the first airfield was created here. Its runway was located on the site of the present-day Kievskaya Street and Moskovsky Avenue.
In the 60s the construction of a new airport was started, and the territory of the old one began to be built up. The building of the airport has been preserved (Dimitrova Street, 5). It is repaired, somewhat remodeled, and painted in yellow color. In the last Soviet years it was the accounting office of the October District Komsomol Committee. It even stands not parallel to Kievskaya Street, but at an angle, apparently repeating the geometry of the airfield. And the runway was located exactly along a part of the modern Kievskaya Street.
The street was originally named in honor of G. M. Dimitrov, a figure of the Bulgarian and international communist movement.
The street is a continuation of Moskovsky Avenue. It began to be built up in the 1960s with 4 and 5-storey residential buildings. When organizing the adjacent areas, the principles of free planning with the creation of large green spaces were used.
Residential buildings are mostly facing the street, decorated with loggias (“storeys”) and stores and cafes built into the 1st floor.
At the southern end of the street its perspective is closed by a public garden.
In its northern part the street as if merges into the space of Aleku Russo – Georgi Dimitrov Square (until 1981 Reunification Square, then G. Dimitrov Square). It is located at the intersection of Maskouski Avenue and Kievska, Bogdan Voevod and Aleku Russo Streets. By architectural and planning organization it belongs to the type of open squares.
The construction of the square began in the fall of 1959. At first only 5-storey buildings were erected here. After the completion of the construction of a group of 11-storey residential buildings “Yuzhenergo-Remont” and 9-storey frame-panel residential building, the composition of the square was mainly determined.
In the early 1990s, the street was named Kievskaya.
Metropolitan Petru Movilă Street. It is located in the central area of the city, between Alexei Sciusev and Columna Streets, [..]
Petru Movilă street
Metropolitan Petru Movilă Street.
It is located in the central area of the city, between Alexei Sciusev and Columna Streets, with a length of about 1 km. It bears the name of Metropolitan Petru Movilă (1565-1646), a notorious personality in the cultural history of Moldavia, Ukraine and Russia, founder of schools and reformer of the Orthodox religion, author and publisher of books: Moghiliovskaia (until 1918), Paul Dicescu (1918-1924), Petru Movilă (1924-1944), Berzarin (1944-1990).
The street dates from the first decades of the last century. The earliest buildings were basically single-storey residential houses. Later important buildings were built: the Commercial Gymnasium, today’s School No. 2, the Tax Department, today’s one of the study blocks of the Technical University, etc. At the upper end of the street, there was originally a vacant lot, which was later redeveloped into a square – the Nemțească Square, where after the war a sports complex was built, later transformed into the “Dinamo” Stadium. In the 60s and 70s of the last century, modern multi-storey buildings were erected on this street: the House of Writers, the House of Publishers, the Polygraphic Combine, the “Știința” Printing House, the “Bucuria” Shop, etc.
At the end of the 19th century, the Chisinau railway station held paramount significance as the city’s most crucial edifice, [..]
Railway Station
At the end of the 19th century, the Chisinau railway station held paramount significance as the city’s most crucial edifice, owing to the fact that, during that era, the fastest and most pivotal mode of transportation was the railway.
The initial construction of the railway station occurred in the 1870s, with some records indicating the erection of a provisional wooden structure in its early stages.
The subsequent station building was completed in the late 1870s, following the architectural design by Ghenry Lonski.
Historical accounts vary regarding the inaugural arrival of the first train at the station. While some assert it transpired on August 15, 1871, others contend it took place on August 28 of the same year. The discrepancy might be attributed to the utilization of either the new or old style calendar. Nevertheless, what holds significance is that this event transpired in August 1871, marking the commencement of railway history in Bessarabia during that period. The inaugural train journey originated from Odessa.
The station building, constructed in a rectangular layout, featured brick-lined facades. The central facade exhibited a sizable opening with a semicircular arch-niche, supported by a triple arch at the main entrance.
On July 29, 2004, the station square became home to two distinctive monuments — one being an old locomotive with serial number 1469, situated beneath the bridge adjacent to the station. This locomotive, which once operated the Ungheni to Cornești route until 1969, was manufactured in Poznan, Poland. Following a two-month restoration, it now serves as an open-air exhibit.
The station building faced adversity during wartime, particularly in 1941 when it was attacked by the Red Army. Despite partial restoration, it succumbed to complete destruction in 1944 due to bombing raids.
In 1948, architects A. Shchusev and L. Ciuprin undertook the reconstruction of the station, utilizing stone for construction and brick for finishing. Among the subsequent structures erected in proximity was the tram pavilion, constructed in 1976 adjacent to the station building. Another round of reconstruction commenced on July 30, 2003, focusing on the roof above the departure pavilions.
It is a replica of the famous Roman statue (author Ettore Ferrari), which was donated by the municipality of Rome [..]
The Capitoline Wolf in Chisinau
It is a replica of the famous Roman statue (author Ettore Ferrari), which was donated by the municipality of Rome (Italy) in the first years after the union of Bessarabia and Bukovina with Romania (1921).
In 1940, for political reasons, the statue was melted down. In 1990, the “Cultural League for the Unity of Romanians Everywhere” made a copy of the statue, which was installed in front of the National Museum of History of the Republic of Moldova in Chisinau.
The idea of initiating such an alley in the country’s capital belongs to the sculptor A. Plămădeală. The alley was [..]
The Alley of Сlassics (Writer’s Alley)
The idea of initiating such an alley in the country’s capital belongs to the sculptor A. Plămădeală. The alley was inaugurated in 1958 in the Public Garden with the first 12 busts of classical writers and poets. Currently, there are already 29 busts of important writers from Romania and the Republic of Moldova placed on the alleys of the park, with the 30th being the bust of A.S. Pushkin – the renowned Russian poet. His bust was erected in 1885, with funds raised by the city’s honorary citizens. After the tragic death of the poet, Chisinau became the third city in the former Russian Empire to commemorate him with a memorial monument. The author of the bust is the sculptor A. Opekusin.
Vasile Alecsandri (bust installed in 1957) – Writer, playwright, folklorist, politician, and diplomat.
Gheorghe Asachi (bust installed in 1957) – Poet, prose writer, and playwright.
Ion Creangă (bust installed in 1957) – Writer, storyteller, prose writer, theologian, textbook author, politician, poet, teacher, and deacon.
Alexandru Donici (bust installed in 1957) – Linguist, translator, and poet.
Mihai Eminescu (bust installed in 1957) – Poet, prose writer, and journalist.
Bogdan Petriceicu Hasdeu (bust installed in 1957) – Encyclopedist, writer, philologist, linguist, jurist, folklorist, publicist, historian, and politician.
Alexandru Hâjdeu (bust installed in 1957) – Scholar, lawyer, and writer.
Nicolae Milescu Spătarul (bust installed in 1957) – Writer, scholar, translator, traveler, geographer, and diplomat.
Constantin Negruzzi (bust installed in 1957) – Writer and politician.
Alecu Russo (bust installed in 1957) – Poet, prose writer, essayist, memoirist, literary critic, ideologist, and novelist.
Constantin Stamati (bust installed in 1957) – Writer.
Tudor Arghezi (bust installed in 1995) – Writer, poet, prose writer, and journalist.
George Bacovia (bust installed in 2001) – Poet and writer.
Lucian Blaga (bust installed in 1992) – Poet, writer, philosopher, linguist, translator, journalist, diplomat, essayist, university professor, librarian, and playwright.
George Călinescu (bust installed in 1997) – Historian, writer, journalist, literary critic, biographer, playwright, teacher, and librarian.
George Coșbuc (bust installed in 1996) – Poet, translator, teacher, journalist, literary critic, writer, and linguist.
Mircea Eliade (bust installed in 1997) – Historian of religions, philosopher, essayist, prose writer, and university professor.
Octavian Goga (bust installed in 2000) – Politician, poet, playwright, journalist, translator, and writer.
Nicolae Iorga (bust installed in 1990) – Historian, politician, linguist, poet, writer, philosopher, literary critic, playwright, journalist, orientalist, biographer, children’s literature author, philologist, translator, and university professor.
Alexei Mateevici (bust installed in 1990) – Poet, educator, soldier, translator, and Orthodox priest.
Adrian Păunescu (bust installed in 2011) – Poet, publicist, and politician.
Liviu Rebreanu (bust installed in 2009, restored) – Writer, journalist, playwright, and translator; associated with the “Ion Luca Caragiale” National Theatre.
Mihail Sadoveanu (bust installed in 1990) – Novelist, short story writer, journalist, essayist, translator, poet, public servant, and politician.
Nichita Stănescu (bust installed in 1990) – Poet and essayist.
Constantin Stere (bust installed in 1991) – Journalist, philosopher, literary critic, politician, lawyer, and writer.
Grigore Vieru (bust installed in 2010) – Poet, publicist, and writer.
Mihail Kogălniceanu (bust installed in 1990) – Lawyer, historian, publicist, diplomat, literary critic, and politician.
Ion Luca Caragiale (bust installed in …) – Playwright, short story writer, satirist, poet, author, theatre director, political commentator, and journalist.
Dumitru Matcovschi (bust installed in …) – Poet, prose writer, academician, publicist, and playwright.
The monument is named “Requiem for Love,” or, as locals refer to it, “Two Twin Hearts.” It is situated at [..]
The monument of Ion and Doina Aldea-Teodorovici
The monument is named “Requiem for Love,” or, as locals refer to it, “Two Twin Hearts.” It is situated at the central entrance of the “Valea Morilor” park, opposite the State University. Inaugurated in 1999, on the 7th anniversary of the passing of the famous couple of musicians, singers, composers, and patriots of the nation. The sculptor behind this creation is Iurie Canașin.
At the border between two districts of Chisinau – Ciocana and Riscani, there is a park, founded in 1970, formed [..]
Râscani Forest-Park
At the border between two districts of Chisinau – Ciocana and Riscani, there is a park, founded in 1970, formed on the basis of a natural forest massif. In Soviet times the park was named after Boris Glavan. The total area of the park is 32 hectares. The park is divided into two parts by the intersecting Aleco Russo Street. On both sides of the park there are lakes, which are second in size to the one in the Valley of the Mills. The park is located along Dimo Street in Riscani and Sadoveanu Street in Ciocana. It is the favourite resting place of the inhabitants of two districts of Chisinau and one of the most visited parks of the capital. The park is also interesting because the upper part of the park, at Ciocana, is mostly covered with leafy trees, while the lower part, towards Rîșcani, is mostly dominated by pine forest, planted when the park was founded. The park is very picturesque at any time of the year, especially in spring and late autumn. From the higher ground there is an excellent view of the city. Much neater is the part of the park to the right of A. L. Russo Street, if you look towards Ciocana. Here there are resting places, an amphitheatre and a children’s playground, a boat station and a sandy beach. The lakes on both sides of the park are heavily polluted and bathing is forbidden because they have not been cleaned for a long time. But even here you can meet fishermen. In the cold winters there are makeshift skating rinks on the lakes, and children can go sledging on the park’s steep paths.
A Kilometer Zero plaque was installed in November 2012 in the center of the capital, outside the Central Post Office. [..]
Kilometer Zero
A Kilometer Zero plaque was installed in November 2012 in the center of the capital, outside the Central Post Office. It is a stylized version of the wind rose, illustrating distances to other capitals of the world from Chisinau. The Km 0 holds historical, social, and tourist significance for visitors to our capital. The marker was crafted from bronze and marble, with several capitals and their respective distances inscribed on it. The architect behind this project is Victor Vieru.
Every country boasts certain unofficial symbols that represent its identity, such as the Eiffel Tower symbolizing France, the kimono representing [..]
Tree of Life
Every country boasts certain unofficial symbols that represent its identity, such as the Eiffel Tower symbolizing France, the kimono representing Japan, wooden shoes for the Netherlands, the kilt signifying Scotland, and Italy’s association with pizza and Greece characterized by olives and deities.
In the case of Moldova, the country’s symbols include the renowned “alțiță” embroidered shirt, the rose, the white stork, and the Tree of Life. This symbol has ancient roots dating back to the Getae-Dacians, who used it on their weapons, helmets, and shields. The Tree of Life held unique symbolism, offering protection from dangers and a sense of direct connection to the supreme divinity.
Despite being primarily an Orthodox country, the Tree of Life remains a significant part of the people’s daily life, often used in funeral rituals.
The creation of the brand and logo:
On November 20, 2014, at the Museum of Ethnography and Natural History, the Tourism Agency of the Republic of Moldova unveiled a new brand for the country’s tourism sector. Dubbed the “Tree of Life” by its creators, the logo features a stylized tree with the initials “M” at its base and a symbolic rose at the top. Accompanying the logo is the tourist slogan “Discover the routes of life,” encouraging tourists to explore new paths through hospitality, history, wine, gastronomy, and Moldovan traditions.
The Tree of Life is described as a complex symbol of national culture, chosen to represent the values and specifics of tourism in Moldova. Each branch end represents a specific symbol: the letter M symbolizes Moldova’s fertile soil, the heart represents hospitality, the glass represents the culture and traditions of winemaking, and the cross is a symbol of religious culture. The vertical lines depict the roads to be discovered in the country. The branches represent the natural development of the national tourism brand “Tree of Life,” incorporating elements reflecting the significance of tourism and winemaking, complemented by symbols from the other five strategic sectors of the national economy: light industry, information technology, automotive and electronics industry, infrastructure, and energy.
Interestingly, the tourist brand has evolved into the national brand of the country, gaining representation at various international exhibitions and events.
On 15 May 2021, a new square was inaugurated in the capital. It is located in the Rascani sector, on [..]
Monument Gugutsa
On 15 May 2021, a new square was inaugurated in the capital. It is located in the Rascani sector, on Kiev Street, and is called Guguță Square. A monument to the famous character invented by writer Spiridon Vangheli was also installed there.
The green space is called “Guguță”, and the monument to the character is the focal point of the area. The work is made of bronze, is 1.5 metres high and was created by sculptor Veaceslav Jiglițchi.
The writer Spridon Vangheli, also nicknamed “Guguță’s father” died at the age of 92 on June 21, 2024. He was buried at the Central Cemetery in Chisinau. June 24, 2024 was designated a day of mourning for the entire country.
The Academy of Sciences of Moldova (hereinafter referred to as the Academy of Sciences – ASM) is a public institution [..]
The Academy of Sciences of Moldova
The Academy of Sciences of Moldova (hereinafter referred to as the Academy of Sciences – ASM) is a public institution of national importance, autonomous and independent of the state authorities and successor to the Academy of Sciences of the Moldovan SSR, established on August 2, 1961, reorganized based on the Science and Innovation Code no. 259-XV of July 15, 2004, with subsequent changes and additions.
The Academy of Sciences carries out its activity in accordance with the Constitution of the Republic of Moldova, the Code on Science and Innovation no. 259-XV of July 15, 2004, republished in the Official Monitor of the Republic of Moldova no. 58-66 / 131 of 23.02.2018, with other normative acts, with the international treaties to which the Republic of Moldova is a party and with the Statute of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova (in new wording) approved by the Decision of the General Assembly of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova no. 1/2 of January 24, 2019.
The Academy of Sciences brings together personalities with outstanding achievements in the fields of research, innovation, and culture: titular members (academicians), corresponding members, honorary members and scientific researchers, elected as members of the science departments. The titular members and corresponding members of the Academy of Sciences are scientists and people of high civic standing, well-known specialists in the field, citizens of the Republic of Moldova, who have distinguished themselves by works of great theoretical or practical value and have contributed considerably to the development of national science and culture. Honorary members of the Academy of Sciences are prestigious personalities from the country and abroad, who have achieved remarkable results in science and culture, support the Academy of Sciences, actively participate in technical and scientific cooperation with organizations in the fields of research and innovation in Moldova.
Widely known as the Water Tower, it was reopened in the autumn of 2011, after a break of almost 10 [..]
Museum of the City of Chisinau (Water Tower)
Widely known as the Water Tower, it was reopened in the autumn of 2011, after a break of almost 10 years… Although it has been partially damaged over the years, the building was rebuilt according to the images dated in the 1980-1983 years period, except for the fire-pit at the top, originally built of wood, later re-shaped from stone.
The construction of the Tower began in 1860, and was finished only after 28 years – in 1888 (its doors being opened even later – in 1892), when Carol Schmidt became mayor of Chisinau. He, together with architect Alexander Bernardazzi, built two water towers, only one of which has survived to the present day.
The Water Tower can boast about being one year younger than the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Its height is 27m.
The tower has 4 permanent exhibition halls. The oldest exhibit is a clay vessel from the 4th century AD.
Formed on December 21, 1983, the institution underwent several name changes before adopting its current designation. Presently, the National Museum [..]
The National Museum of History of Moldova
Formed on December 21, 1983, the institution underwent several name changes before adopting its current designation. Presently, the National Museum of the History of Moldova operates under the authority of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Moldova, with its scientific activities overseen by the Academy of Sciences. The museum is situated in the former boys’ gymnasium building in Chisinau.
The museum’s heritage, initially comprised of the collections from the Military Glory Museum and the historical artifacts from the State Museum of History and Study of the Natal Country, has progressively expanded over the years. Through research, donations, and acquisitions, the institution has acquired pieces of significant scientific value.
Between 1989-1995 and 2006-2007, the museum’s patrimony experienced growth and diversification through substantial transfers of heritage from several dismantled museums. These included the Republican Museum of Friendship of Peoples, the Museum of History of the CPM, the Republican Museum of the History of Comsomol, the Republican Museum “G. I. Kotovski and S. Gh. Lazo,” the Republican Museum of the History of Religion, the Memorial Museum of Bulgarian Volunteers, and the Museum of Archaeology of the ASM.
In 1991, the museum unveiled its first permanent history exhibition, “Pages of Multi-Millennial History,” which covers the historical period from ancient times to 1940. Additionally, in August 1990, the diorama of the Iasi-Chisinau operation was inaugurated on the ground floor, followed by the opening of the “Treasure” exhibition in the basement in 1994, showcasing noble metals.
As of now, the National Museum of the History of Moldova safeguards 348,619 pieces of the country’s cultural heritage.
National Museum of Ethnography and Natural History
Its history begins in 1889, when the Zemstva of Bessarabia organized the first Agricultural and Industrial Exhibition, which was also [..]
National Museum of Ethnography and Natural History
Its history begins in 1889, when the Zemstva of Bessarabia organized the first Agricultural and Industrial Exhibition, which was also the basis for the foundation of the museum institution. Being the oldest museum in the Republic of Moldova, its name has often been changed over the years. Today it holds an enormous heritage of about 135 thousand exhibits.
The permanent exhibition operates under the title “Nature. Human. Culture” with an area of over 2000 m2.
The museum also has a Temporary Exhibition Hall, in which numerous seminars, master classes and exhibitions take place, both from its own heritage and from the heritage of other local museums and from abroad. The exhibitions of handicrafts have become traditional and are organized every year.
Its history began in 1889 when the Zemstva of Bessarabia organized the first Agricultural and Industrial Exhibition, laying the foundation for the establishment of the museum institution. As the oldest museum in the Republic of Moldova, its name underwent several changes over the years. Today, it houses an extensive heritage of about 135 thousand exhibits.
The permanent exhibition, titled “Nature. Human. Culture,” occupies an area of over 2000 m2.
The museum also features a Temporary Exhibition Hall, hosting numerous seminars, master classes, and exhibitions, showcasing both its own heritage and that of other local museums and international collections. Handicraft exhibitions have become traditional and are organized annually.
Folklore events, national and international competitions, and festivals regularly take place in the museum, highlighting folk creations from across the country.
Within the museum’s premises, there is a Botanical Garden with a Vivarium, gathering the most prevalent species of plants, trees, and shrubs from the Republic of Moldova, along with exotic birds, reptiles, and fish.
The Museum building, designed by architect V.N. Țiganco, was completed in 1905, and the inauguration took place in June 1906.
This museum is situated in the center of Chisinau, making it the sole institution of its kind in the Republic [..]
National Art Museum of Moldova
This museum is situated in the center of Chisinau, making it the sole institution of its kind in the Republic of Moldova. Established in 1939 by the sculptor Alexandru Plămădeală and Auguste Baillayre, a French painter and professor at the “School of Fine Arts” in Chisinau, who also served as the inaugural director of the National Art Museum of Moldova.
The museum’s collection encompasses over 39,000 works, providing a comprehensive overview of the development of fine arts from the XV-XXI centuries. It consistently features exhibitions showcasing European, Russian, and Oriental art. Presently, the museum is housed in the former girls’ gymnasium building, originally founded by Princess Natalia Dadiani in the early 20th century.
The history of urban environmental transport in Chisinau traces back to 1888 when the City Duma, under the leadership of [..]
Museum of Electric Transport Chisinau
The history of urban environmental transport in Chisinau traces back to 1888 when the City Duma, under the leadership of the mayor Carl Schmidt, entered into an agreement with a Belgian company to establish a new transportation network—the “horse streetcar” or horse-drawn streetcar. This significant transport revolution unfolded in 1889 when Bessarabia received its first two streetcars. The initial line opened on Aleksandrovskaya Street (now Stefan Velikogo Boulevard), covering a total length of 6400 m, or 6 miles. While wealthier citizens still favored carriages and phaetons, the “horse carriage” provided a more affordable and comfortable option for students and individuals with modest incomes. The first seven open cars were acquired in Warsaw, and seven closed ones in Odessa.
In 1896, an “Anonymous Kishinev Society” was established in Brussels, purchasing the streetcar fleet and becoming its monopoly owner. Subsequently, the Duma initiated the construction of a new line connecting the train station to the city center. By 1910, the total length of the routes had expanded to almost 13 km due to the gradual shift from horse carriages to more economical electric traction. The comfort of cars also improved over time. By 1939, the Kishinev streetcar fleet boasted 50 cars, carrying 175,000 passengers that year.
Following World War II, the fate of the Chisinau tramway underwent significant changes. Over 60% of the cars were severely damaged or captured by the retreating German army. Post-war, the state took over the city streetcar service, but due to the unavailability of the narrow gauge 1,000-millimeter track used in Kishinev, repairs were slow. Only 17 cars were restored by 1952. In 1956, the streetcar fleet received additional cars from Germany. Despite these efforts, the narrow gauge railway was never replaced with the broad gauge one.
In 1949, the first trolleybus MTB started operating in Chisinau. Initially, both streetcars and trolleybuses coexisted until 1959 when the streetcars were entirely replaced by 50 trolleybuses. The trolleybuses served various routes in the city.
The first museum dedicated to electric transport in Chisinau was established in 1974 inside a retired trolleybus. This unique museum operated for a decade before its exhibits were moved to the building of the former Belgian Trolleybus Company from the early 19th century in 1984. Today, the museum is open to visitors, and admission is free.
Natural History Museum of Moldova State University
Established in 1952 through the efforts of students and faculty at the biology faculty, this museum boasts a collection exclusively [..]
Natural History Museum of Moldova State University
Established in 1952 through the efforts of students and faculty at the biology faculty, this museum boasts a collection exclusively gathered from expeditions organized by the faculty. Graduates of the program, who later gained recognition as biologists, contributed significantly to the exhibits.
Specialists in the field brought and meticulously prepared animals, fish, and birds from various corners of the world for the museum. The collection also features an impressive array of reptiles, birds, and mammals indigenous to the Republic of Moldova.
A truly exceptional specimen in the collection, unparalleled worldwide, is a 2-day-old baby sperm whale. Additionally, the museum showcases the skeletal vertebrae of a 28-meter-long blue whale and the jawbone of an adult sperm whale.
Presently, the museum’s collection comprises over 10,000 exhibits, many of which are unique and found in only one specimen globally. Over the course of more than 40 years, the museum has been under the dedicated leadership of an outstanding specialist, guide, and director – Mr. Poznakomkin Stanislav.
The monument, dedicated to the ballad “Myoritsa” was installed in Chisinau at the beginning of March 2022, author – Veaceslav [..]
„Myoritsa”’s Monument
The monument, dedicated to the ballad “Myoritsa” was installed in Chisinau at the beginning of March 2022, author – Veaceslav Jiglițchi.
For Moldovans, „Myoritsa” is a historical memory. Although the plot of the Moldovan folk ballad is far from heroic, on the contrary – the hero of the ballad believes in the irreversibility of fate, which should not be fought at all, but accepted as it is… Sheep Myoritsa warns the young shepherd that two other shepherds are plotting to kill him out of envy. Anticipating his doom, the shepherd turns to his favorite sheep and shares his last wishes with it… The symbols present in „Myoritsa” originate from ancient rituals and beliefs. Historians believe that the ballad dates back to the XII-XIII centuries and is one of the oldest sources where the nationality “Moldovan” first appears.
In 1846, the writer Alecu Russo heard from the Leutarians and wrote down his version of “Myoritsa,” which was later published by another writer – Vasile Alexandri. A few years later, Alexandri encountered another version of the ballad, altered the original text, and published the revised “Myoritsa” in two collections of folk poetry.
“Myoritsa” has been translated into foreign languages many times. Like any masterpiece of folk art, it is very challenging to translate into poetic for
The monument is situated in front of the National Library of the Republic of Moldova in Chisinau. Inaugurated in 1997, [..]
The monument of Vasile Alecsandri
The monument is situated in front of the National Library of the Republic of Moldova in Chisinau. Inaugurated in 1997, it stands in memory of Vasile Alecsandri – poet, playwright, folklorist, politician, minister, diplomat, and founding member of the Romanian Academy. The sculptor responsible for this piece is Ion Zderciuc.
The present Lyceum (once a simple 10-year school) was established in October 1940 as a specialized secondary school next to [..]
„Ciprian Porumbescu” Muzical Lyceum
The present Lyceum (once a simple 10-year school) was established in October 1940 as a specialized secondary school next to the Conservatory (later – “G. Musicescu”), under the Ministry of Culture of the Republic. The school was directed by F. Lujanski, about 132 teachers worked there, among them E. ZAC, I. Soroker, N. Popel, M. Zeltser. In addition to general subjects, the piano, wind instruments, stringed instruments, folk instruments, music theory were studied; in the 1960s the choreography section was added. Initially the school was located in a building in the centre of Chisinau, on Kiev Street (today this building is no longer there, on its place was built the City Polyclinic N 1). The second building – on Armeană Street. The next building was located on Shciusev Street, at the intersection with Komsomol Street. From 1964 the school got a specially built building – on the present…
Already the first classes gave our musical culture such personalities as V. Misso (Achimova) (1948), B. Savici (1949), A. Mahonin….
In the following years, the school was run respectively by Borș, Stratulat, D. Gherșveld, N. Iordatii, V. Timirgaz, Gh. Caplin, Gh. Neaga, V. Govorov, V. Bagrin. The last 15 years – with the inauguration of the current high school – Mrs. G. Buinovschi, Master of Arts, distinguished teacher and man of culture from Moldova, is at the helm.
Since 1960 the Music School has been named after the remarkable composer Eugeniu Coca, and since 1990, after reorganization – after our famous compatriot Ciprian Porumbescu.
Out of about 1200 graduates, many have continued their studies in the most prestigious musical institutions in Europe, USA, Africa, Asia.
Grigore Vieru Boulevard (until 2010 it was part of bd. Renașterii, in the years 1950-1959 Țentralnîi Luci Street) is located [..]
Grigore Vieru Boulevard
Grigore Vieru Boulevard (until 2010 it was part of bd. Renașterii, in the years 1950-1959 Țentralnîi Luci Street) is located in Râșcani sector, Chisinau. It is a main urban thoroughfare with a length of about 1.5 km, starting from Cosmonautilor Street and ending at the intersection with Albișoara Street.
Between the two lanes of the boulevard there is a narrow green space, consisting of an alley with benches and trees on the edges, which runs the length of the boulevard. The mini park is fragmented into two intersection sites. On the perimeter of the boulevard are built social and public buildings, 4-storey apartment blocks with shops on the ground floor, including:
National Bank of Moldova (no. 7, 1973, arch. B. Vaisbein);
Turist hotel complex (no. 13, 1971, architect R. Bekesevich);
Theoretical high school and student dormitories of the Agrarian University (no. 6/2, 1950s)
At the intersection with Albișoara Street, 10-12-storey dormitories were built, which complete the composition of the boulevard crossing towards the Bâc estuary.
One of the oldest streets of the “upper” city, Bulgarian Street, still preserves the patriarchal peace and provincial coziness of [..]
Bulgarian Street
One of the oldest streets of the “upper” city, Bulgarian Street, still preserves the patriarchal peace and provincial coziness of old Chisinau. The historical buildings have been partially preserved only on the upper part of the street.
Bulgarian Street was named in 1834 in honor of Bulgarians who fled from the Ottoman yoke from across the Danube to Bessarabia and settled in Kishinev. The Bulgarians settled in Kishinev compactly, and already in 1790s it became necessary to connect the houses of Kishinev Bulgarians with the street, which starts from A. Mateevich Street (former Sadovaya Street). In the past centuries this part of the city was called Galbinskaya side (Yellow). To the left and right there are still residential houses of the early twentieth century.
Not far away is the old St. George Church. It was built in 1830 on the funds of the Bulgarian community. The construction of the church combines different architectural solutions, characteristic, on the one hand, for classicism, and on the other hand – for Moldovan folk architecture. The church was named in honor of the fearless Bulgarian priest George. Back in 1814, he began to collect materials and funds for the construction of this temple. For the missing funds he dared, accompanied by a member of the community to go to fellow believers-Bulgarians in Turkey. Already returning home with a large sum of money, the pilgrims came across Muslims. Father George was subjected to terrible torture. His companion managed to bring the collected donations to Kishinev. He told everyone about the martyrdom of the bishop.
Founded in 1940, during its 75 years of activity, the “Serghei Lunchevici” National Philharmonic has become the most important concert [..]
“Serghei Lunchevici” National Philharmonic
Founded in 1940, during its 75 years of activity, the “Serghei Lunchevici” National Philharmonic has become the most important concert institution in the Republic of Moldova, carrying out a wide range of activities in various directions: academic music, popular music, light music and jazz. At the National Philharmonic, the most representative ensembles have started their activity, among which are the ensembles “Joc”, “Fluieraș”, “Lăutarii”, notorious personalities of the Moldovan musical culture, such as Timofei Gurtovoi, Veronica Garștea, Boris Miliutin, Dumitru Goia, Ghita Strahilevici, Serghei Lunchevici, Vladimir Curbet, Victor Copacinschi, Nicolae Botgros, Nicolae Sulac, Tamara Ciobanu, Zinaida Julea. Legendary names of the national stage, such as the “Noroc” orchestra, the “Plai” ensemble, singers Ion Suruceanu, Iurie Sadovnic, Nadejda Cepraga, Mihai Dolgan, Maria Codreanu and many others, have contributed to the formation of the Philharmonic’s history.
The Philharmonic collectives on which the artistic activity of the Philharmonic is based are : Symphonic Orchestra, Academic Choral Chapel “Doina”, Folk Music Orchestra “Folklore”, Piano Duo “Anatolie Lapicus and Iurie Mahovici”, vocal soloists and instrumentalists.
The main artistic activity is to hold concerts during the season:
symphonic, vocal-symphonic, chamber music, folk music concerts, light music concerts. A number of other large-scale artistic events and manifestations are organized and carried out: symphonic subscriptions for pupils and students, exhibitions of works by visual artists, festivals, workshops, cultural exchanges, co-productions, etc.
At the end of September 2020 the National Philharmonic burned almost entirely, which started from the roof of an annex.
The flames spread over an area of about 3,500 square meters. Almost five hours after the firefighters intervened, the fire was still not located. So far the building has still not been restored.
– Come to the market, come to the market! That’s what the merchants were shouting, inviting people to shop in [..]
Central Market
– Come to the market, come to the market! That’s what the merchants were shouting, inviting people to shop in the markets of Chisinau.
The largest market in the city is the Central Market, and its history begins in the mid-19th century.
By the 60s of the last century Chisinau became the commercial centre of the governorate; here there was intense trade in yard, bazaars, dughene.
The Saint. Dumitru was the oldest, being established in 1829. It was held annually in October at Ciuflea Square.
Apart from the market fair, there was a growing trade at the daily markets. At the Old Market and Elijah’s Market, only food was sold. Food was sold at the New Market (opened in 1825), considered the great-grandmother of today’s Central Market.
In 1861, there were 4,000 merchants registered in Bessarabia, of which more than 1,000 were doing business in Chisinau.
The Chisinau merchants in particular traded with rich landowners and peasants, as well as with merchants from elsewhere.
Now you can buy everything from clothes and food to household and repair items in the Central Market.
Eugen Doga Street, currently the only pedestrian street in the center of Chisinau, was previously named after Alexandru Diordiță from [..]
Eugen Doga Pedestrian Street
Eugen Doga Street, currently the only pedestrian street in the center of Chisinau, was previously named after Alexandru Diordiță from 1997 to 2015. The street stretches for 250 meters between Columna and Constantin Tănase streets.
This historical street, connecting Cathedral Square to Constantin Tănase Street, first appeared on the map of Chisinau in the early 19th century as part of Pavlovskaia Street, linking the Square to Albișoara Street. This layout roughly corresponds to the present-day Eugen Doga and Petru Rareș Streets. After Bessarabia became part of Romania, the street underwent a series of name changes, initially becoming Saints Peter and Paul. Until 1940, it was renamed several times, first as Lascăr Catargiu and later as Petru Rareș.
In the late 1940s, the street became part of Tentralnyi Luci Boulevard (from Russian “Central Ray”), currently divided into Renaissance and Grigore Vieru Boulevards. However, despite being part of the boulevard, traffic was redirected around it to parallel streets, Metropolitan Gavril Banulescu-Bodoni and Aleksandr Pushkin (their current names). After gaining independence, the street became Cosmonautilor Street, now known as Constantin Tanase Street. In 1997, it was renamed in memory of politician Alexandru Diordița, according to Government Decision No. 686 of 13 December 1996. However, in November 2015, the Chisinau Municipal Council decided to rename it in honor of the composer Eugen Doga.
The authorities expressed the intention to convert the street into a pedestrian area in February 2013. Since April 22, 2013, car circulation has been prohibited, except for residents and service vehicles, although this rule was initially violated. In May 2013, a local manufacturer assumed the costs of 5 million lei for redevelopment, but the actual expenses reached 12 million lei, with the economic agent contributing 3 million and the remaining funds allocated from the municipal budget. The improvements included the installation of granite paving, a storm drainage system, new lampposts, and other cosmetic changes. The transformation into a pedestrian street took two years, with multiple delays in the opening.
The inauguration of the pedestrian street finally occurred in 2014, but the press has repeatedly highlighted the poor quality of the granite pavement. In 2023, the central part of the pavement was replaced with giant piano clapboards to enhance convenience for pedestrians.
One of the most cultured women in Bessarabia was Olga Catargi (15.03.1850 – 4.09.1917), recognized in her time as a [..]
Catargi Mansion
One of the most cultured women in Bessarabia was Olga Catargi (15.03.1850 – 4.09.1917), recognized in her time as a landowner and a generous philanthropist. She was the daughter of Stolnic Nicolae Catargi, who, in 1874, arranged her marriage to her cousin Ion Catargi, a graduate of the Petersburg Law College (1881 – 1896). Ion Catargi served as the Marshal of the Nobility of Bessarabia from 1881 to 1897.
The family educated two notable sons: Mihail (24.VII.1878, Chișinău – 3.II.1958, Bucharest, Bellu), a philosopher and diplomat, and Victor (22.XII.1882, Odessa – 22.X.1938, Chișinău, Rascanu Cemetery), an officer and senator in the Romanian Senate.
Although primarily self-taught, Olga Catargi was a passionate researcher of national history. Her mansion in Cobâlnea, jud. Soroca (now in the r-nul Șoldănești), housed numerous precious artifacts.
Her Chișinău residence (currently at 106 Columna Street) hosted distinguished guests such as Emperor Alexander II, Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich, and various political and cultural personalities of the Romanian Principalities, including George Filipescu, Marshal of the Royal Court, General George Catargi, Catinca Ghika (born Balș), scholar Radu Rosetti, and Gheorghe Ghibănescu, among others. When in Bucharest or Sinaia, she was received by her friend, Queen Elizabeth, known in literature as Carmen Sylva.
Historian Gheorghe Bezviconi, who delved into the cultural heritage of the Catargi family, noted that the mansion in Cobâlnea housed one of the most beautiful libraries in former Bessarabia, along with a precious family archive partially published in 1914 in Iasi.
Olga Catargi founded several churches, acted as an honorary patron for educational and philanthropic institutions, and advocated for the promotion of Romanian education. Testimony to her efforts can be found in the words of Sorocan writer Dimitrie Iov, who spoke of her influence in promoting the Romanian language and her role in bringing a Moldovan teacher to Cobâlnea.
After the Union of 27 March 1918, the cultural hostel in Cobâlnea was named Olga Catargi in her honor. She is also featured in the novel “Around the Revolution” by C. Stere as Paulina Andreevna Cazara.
The Funeral Synagogue (Beit Taara – literally – House of Purification) is the place where the deceased were washed before [..]
The ruins of the Beit Taara burial synagogue
The Funeral Synagogue (Beit Taara – literally – House of Purification) is the place where the deceased were washed before burial. This Synagogue is located in the old Jewish cemetery in Skulianka. Currently it is in a dilapidated state.
It is believed to have been built in the mid-19th century.
The “Ion Creanga” State Pedagogical University of Chisinau
The “Ion Creanga” State Pedagogical University of Chisinau was formed according to the Decision of the Government of the Moldovan [..]
The “Ion Creanga” State Pedagogical University of Chisinau
The “Ion Creanga” State Pedagogical University of Chisinau was formed according to the Decision of the Government of the Moldovan S.S.R. of August 16, 1940, with the initial name of Moldovan State Pedagogical Institute, which in 1955 was renamed “ION CREANGĂ” State Pedagogical Institute of Chisinau. In 1992, on the basis of the Decision of the Government of the Republic of Moldova No 330 of 21 May “On the reorganization of the university education system”, the Institute was reorganized into the State Pedagogical University “Ion Creanga” in Chisinau.
In accordance with the order of the Ministry of Education of 20 July 1946, an aspirancy was formed in addition to the Institute, which trained specialists in the fields of philology, history, mathematics, physics, botany, etc.
In 1948 the Institute began training specialists in English and French. In connection with the need to train teachers of physical culture, the Faculty of Physical Culture was opened in 1949. In the year of formation, the Institute had five faculties: History and Philology, Physics, Mathematics, Biology, Geography.
Today, the University comprises 5 faculties. During the last ten years of activity, the University has considerably broadened the profile of school teacher training, the nomenclature of specialities has been renewed and curricula have been revised. The University’s faculties train teachers for over 130 study programmes. The University has highly qualified teaching and scientific staff.
The Academy of Economic Studies of Moldova (ASEM) was founded on September 25, 1991, on the basis of Decision No. [..]
Academy of Economic Studies of Moldova
The Academy of Economic Studies of Moldova (ASEM) was founded on September 25, 1991, on the basis of Decision No. 537 of the Government of the Republic of Moldova. Two faculties of the State University – “Economics”; “Economics of Trade and Merceology” – and the Institute of National Economy of the Ministry of Economy served as the basis.
The Faculty of Economics was opened at the University in August 1953, with 52 students enrolled in the majors “Planning of the National Economy” and “Finance”.
In 1964-1977, the Faculty of Economics was part of the Polytechnic Institute of Chisinau, and in 1977, the second faculty of economics was opened at the State University of Moldova – “Economics of Trade and Merceology”, founded on the basis of the Chisinau branch of the Moscow State Institute of Commerce (1960-1977).
In this context, academics Boris Melnic and Sergiu Rădăuțan, deans of the faculties of Economics and Commercial Economics and Merceology, Marlen Makeenko, Ivan Mocan, Mihail Carauș, Petru Secrieru, Viorel Țurcanu and other personalities have made a great contribution to the development of university economic education in Moldova, since its establishment more than 50 years ago.
An undeniable role in the achievements of the institution was played by the two rectors of ASEM – university professors Paul Bran and Eugeniu Hrișcev, as well as the entire team of professors, administrative and auxiliary staff.
At present, the Academy of Economic Studies of Moldova is a university complex, with 6 faculties with 26 departments, 2 departments, 7 centres, 13 services, the Master School of Excellence in Economics and Business, the Doctoral School, the Higher School of Tourism and Hotel Services, a business incubator; the National College of Commerce.
ASEM has a solid material base, consisting of a scientific library, a computer department, equipped with high-performance technology, several centres for continuous training and consultancy, other subdivisions, 6 well-equipped study blocks, equipped with modern equipment; 7 dormitories, each with a tutoring room; a modern sports complex; 27 computer rooms, connected to the Internet; a curative-consultative centre; a rest base in Vadul-lui-Vodă, etc.
ASEM is a brand that more than 38 thousand graduates are proud of since 1992. Today, more than 13.5 thousand students, master’s and doctoral students study at ASEM, 31 qualified doctors and more than 204 doctors of science work there.
At the beginning of the 19th century, Chisinau, having become the centre of the province of Bessarabia, began to develop [..]
The old Prison Castle
At the beginning of the 19th century, Chisinau, having become the centre of the province of Bessarabia, began to develop rapidly. Houses were built, institutions were set up, the population grew considerably. But there was no prison. Instead, there were several guardhouses scattered throughout the city, which were used to hold soldiers or sentries and also served as a dungeon for other prisoners, but over time they became increasingly inefficient. A decision was taken to have the problem remedied. Thus, already in 1834, the draft of the dungeon in Chisinau was ready, being designed by Giorgio Toriсelli from Switzerland. This architect was better known in Odessa, where his creations are still architectural jewels of the city. Chisinau proved less fortunate, however, as another building designed by Toricelli, the Lutheran Church, was destroyed in the 1960s.
Toricelli proposed a very unusual project, which was approved. Construction began in the 1840s and was completed in the 1850s.
The castle was built in the shape of a square, the sides of which faced the sides of the world. Even this positioning was unusual, as the street network designed at the time was oriented differently. As a result, the castle looked even more imposing, with one of the large round towers visible on each of the streets in the district in which it stood. The height of the towers was more than 20 metres, the most important one being the one on Sadovaia Street (today’s Bernardazzi). The large round towers were complemented by smaller rectangular towers. Because of its unusual appearance, the prison was often called the “Bastille of Chisinau”. The main tower of the castle was visibly different from the others, one of its battlements was made in the shape of a cross, and not by chance – there was the prison church.
Many famous prisoners were imprisoned in the Chisinau prison. One of the most famous was G. Kotovschi, who managed to escape from here. The history of the castle continued even when the country was part of Romania in the interwar period.
The old Prison Castle did not serve the new Soviet authorities well for long. The catastrophic earthquake of November 1940 severely damaged the building. The ensuing war prevented its restoration, which led to further ruin.
After the war, little remains of the castle. But since the need for a prison was felt, a new prison was built on the site of the castle, which we still have today. New buildings were constructed, almost the entire district was surrounded by a new high wall with turrets. The complex does not stand out for its refinement and style (characteristics of the old Castle) and is certainly not an architectural jewel for this part of Chisinau.
Entering these buildings and exploring them is an extremely difficult task. But photos taken inside the prison are even more difficult to obtain. The main tower of the castle has been preserved, not very well though, as it has lost half of its height. Even the adjacent square lower towers have survived to the present day, though not entirely.
“The Wall of Glory” is the name of the mural, which was painted for two weeks by three artists, at [..]
Mural painting “Wall of Glory”
“The Wall of Glory” is the name of the mural, which was painted for two weeks by three artists, at the initiative of painter Radu Dumbravă. The king of the Dacians, Decebal, was painted on the wall of a pump factory, located on Decebal Boulevard 3. It took 60 litres of paint to complete the work. The painting was carried out in 2017, August.
The Heroes’ Cemetery Memorial Complex, known in different eras as the Heroes’ Cemetery, the Cemetery of Honour or the Romanian [..]
The Heroes’ Cemetery Memorial Complex
The Heroes’ Cemetery Memorial Complex, known in different eras as the Heroes’ Cemetery, the Cemetery of Honour or the Romanian Military Cemetery, is a historical monument located on bd. Decebal 17 in Chisinau. Here were buried soldiers of different ethnicities participating in the two world wars.
The cemetery appeared in 1918, at the end of the First World War. It was the burial place for soldiers who had fallen on the battlefield, and in later years also for war veterans. The buried soldiers were of different nationalities: Romanians, Russians, Czechs, Poles, French, Austrians, Hungarians, etc. In the interwar period, a chapel in memory of the Czech Legion was built on the cemetery grounds. The cemetery was called “Heroes’ Cemetery” until Bessarabia joined the USSR, when it was renamed Krasnodonskii. In 1927-1938, the cemetery was laid out by the “Queen Mary” National Settlement for the Cult of Heroes. The fallen soldiers of the Second World War were also buried here in the summer of 1941. Sources also mention that an unidentified number of prisoners of war from Germany, Austria, Italy and other countries were buried in the same cemetery.
At that time, the cemetery had an area of 2.4 ha. Access to the cemetery was via a monumental entrance, consisting of a six-metre-wide staircase with 50 steps and an architectural portal at the base consisting of two 10-metre-high reinforced concrete pillars, each bearing an eagle with spread wings. The columns dominated a vast semicircular square surrounded by walls and ornaments. Shaped like an irregular polygon, the cemetery had an old Byzantine-style chapel at its centre, around which six grave plots were laid out. The steps were connected to the chapel by an alley.
After 1944, the chapel was destroyed and the cemetery ground was levelled by bulldozer. During this process, several graves were unintentionally disinterred, bringing out bones and various personal objects (wristwatches, cigarette boxes, daggers, etc.) In 1959, what remained of the cemetery was demolished, except for the columns at the entrance, and in 1961 the Chiril Draganiuc Institute of Pulmonology and Physiology was built. The foundation of the chapel was preserved and a terrace was set up there for the patients to rest. In the early 1990s, when the hospital was no longer functioning, a wooden cross with the inscription “Glory to the Heroes of the Romanian Army” was installed on the foundation of the former chapel, an initiative of the politician Gheorghe Ghimpu. The hospital was demolished at the end of 2007. shortly after it became private property.
In the Cemetery of Honour in Chisinau were buried 1645 soldiers, including 431 Romanians (66 in graves, 365 in the crypt), 234 Russians (27 in graves, 207 in the crypt), 29 Austrians, 39 Czechs, 35 French and 6 Poles fallen in World War I, as well as 96 Romanian soldiers fallen in World War II. Around the chapel there were six plots with 136 graves in which 202 heroes were buried and two crypts with 572 unidentified Romanian and Russian heroes.
In 2013, the Republican Association of War Participants (ARPR) said it was able to identify about 200 of the more than 3,000 graves that existed in the late 1940s in the memorial complex. These include 89 intact Romanian graves from the Second World War, the grave of Italian soldier Alciro Deviani (who died in October 1941) and 36 graves of Soviet soldiers who died in the infirmaries in Chisinau. Among those buried in the cemetery are two charity sisters. Another five graves identified belong to Czechoslovak soldiers out of 29 who lost their lives in Chisinau after the withdrawal of Czechoslovak legions from Bolshevik Russia. Thirty graves have also been attributed to French officers who died in southern Bessarabia during the Second World War. According to the ARPR, German and Hungarian prisoners who were part of NKVD construction detachments during the post-war reconstruction of the capital are buried at the “Heroes’ Cemetery”. Nowadays, there are regular clean-ups and memorial services for the buried.
The steam locomotive at the Chisinau Railway Station always attracts the eyes and curiosity of tourists. On it is a [..]
Steam Locomotive
The steam locomotive at the Chisinau Railway Station always attracts the eyes and curiosity of tourists. On it is a commemorative plaque with the following text:
“Built by the Czegelski factory (in the name of Joseph Stalin) in 1950. Factory number 1469.
The inscription on the side of the locomotive: ‘Operated in freight traffic and pushing trains on the Ungheni-Chisinau-Ungheni section until 1968’.
The markings on the tanks indicate the year of construction of the locomotive – 1950, the city of Poznan.
The first Czegelski-branded railway wagons were produced in 1921. And in 1926 the production of steam locomotives started. By 1958 the Czegelski factories produced about 2627 steam locomotives. If we talk about wagons, during this period 7500 wagons were produced, which could withstand temperatures down to minus 50 degrees.
This plant still produces high-quality wagons and locomotives today.
What happened on 28 June 1956 in Poznan?
On this day, factory workers took to the streets to protest against working conditions and pay. This event was called the Poznań June or the 1956 Poznań Protests (Polish: Poznański Czerwca 1956, also known as the 1956 Poznań Uprising), and was the first general strike in the history of the Polish People’s Republic.
Thousands of people gathered in the city centre, near the secret police building of the Ministry of Public Security. At first, the event was orderly, but then events got out of hand and riots broke out in the city centre, sparked by clashes between security forces and demonstrators. Workers destroyed the PORP city committee building and stormed the prison, releasing political prisoners.
According to various reports, between 57 and 74 people were killed in the conflict and around 500 injured (including military personnel).
Initially, 323 people were arrested and 154 were tried. 37 detainees appeared in court, most of them on criminal charges. Eventually, two were released, four received suspended sentences, 23 were sentenced to prison terms ranging from two to six years, but all but those responsible for the killing of the policeman were soon released.
On 21 June 2006, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the events, the Sejm of Poland declared 28 June a national holiday in Poland under the title “Day of commemoration of the events of June 1956 in Poznan”.
To commemorate these events, in 2016, a mural was created reflecting the history of the plant on the 60th anniversary of the events.
Hristo Botev Petkov (1848 – 1876) was an exceptional Bulgarian poet, publicist, revolutionary, and a national hero of Bulgaria. Born [..]
Monument to Hristo Botev
Hristo Botev Petkov (1848 – 1876) was an exceptional Bulgarian poet, publicist, revolutionary, and a national hero of Bulgaria.
Born on January 6, 1848 (December 25, 1847 O.S.) in the village of Kalofera, which, like the rest of Bulgaria at that time, was part of the Ottoman Empire, he hailed from a humble family. His father, Botev Petkov (Botyo Petkov), was a teacher, translator, and educator. Hristo was born on the feast of the Nativity of Christ and was given the name Hristo. In the 19th century, Bulgarian surnames were derived from the father’s name, and according to linguistic norms of the time, the surname “Hristo” sounded like “Botev” and was written as “Botjov” (variant – “Botjov”). The writer signed his works as “Botjov,” but according to modern rules, the surname is written and pronounced as “Botev.”
Despite his short 29-year life, Botev left behind a limited literary legacy, notable for embodying the revolutionary idea in artistic form. His poems, as well as his life, exemplified the harmonious fusion of talent for revolutionary work with artistic creation. The small number (about 20) of Botev’s surviving poems had a significant impact on the development of Bulgarian literature, gaining popularity among the Bulgarian peasantry and expressing their revolutionary sentiments.
Throughout his brief life, he passionately fought for Bulgaria’s liberation from the Turkish yoke. He visited Kishinev several times, as evidenced by a memorial plaque at the intersection of Pushkin and Metropolitan Varlaam streets, on the building of the former Victoria Hotel.
The monument to the great poet was erected in Kishinev in 1977, on the 100th anniversary of Bulgaria’s liberation from the Turkish yoke. The architect was G. Solominov. Rehabilitation of the monument took place in 2023, and on October 31 of the same year, it was reopened. The monument bears the poet’s words: “Тоз, който падне в бои за свобода, той не умира” (“He who falls fighting for freedom does not die”).
The building was first documented in 1900 when it was transferred from the brothers Ivan and Nicolai Lebedev to the [..]
Mansion of Nazarov
The building was first documented in 1900 when it was transferred from the brothers Ivan and Nicolai Lebedev to the merchant Jacob Nazarov. We also know that the Adrianov family lived here, and later, the Jewish Hana Epștein is also mentioned.
The first distinctive feature of this architectural monument is the presence of “shell”-shaped windows, a rarity in Chisinau where such windows are either uncommon or typically of smaller size. Here, however, the shells encompass the entire window arch. Another notable aspect is the entrance of the building, which is flanked by two columns, known in Italian architecture as “serliana.” This element is even more infrequently seen in our local buildings. Apart from its unique architectural style, the monument likely conceals numerous urban histories and a wealth of information that remains undiscovered. Some archives contain information dating back to the Soviet period. In 1983, it assumed the role of the headquarters for the Public Health Centre (of the SSRMM) through a lease agreement with the then Ministry of Culture. To digress, this contract delineates the conditions imposed by the Ministry of Culture for leasing this architectural monument. For instance, lessees are obligated to safeguard the building and refrain from any alterations to its facade. Otherwise, any interventions will be annulled, and the architectural monument will be restored to its original condition at the lessor’s expense. In addition to serving as the headquarters of the Public Health Centre, the building’s basement housed several shops. One of them was named “Vodka.” Presently, the building is privately owned and is in an advanced state of disrepair.
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From the town’s legends
“…It must have been a chilly January night. Drizzling rain filled the air. It was late, and the inhabitants of the house were quietly bustling in the corners, attending to minor tasks by the warm glow of candlelight. Maids were issuing final instructions to the cooks. A new trend had surfaced among the fresh bourgeoisie of Chișinău, introduced by the ladies who had visited Paris—the decoration of Christmas trees. Amidst gossip and a glass or two of cranberry liqueur, the women adorned the tree with sparkling ribbons, colorful candles, and an assortment of sweets.”
The maids were working tirelessly; tonight, they would only get a few hours of sleep. Christmas was approaching.Walnut cozies had been baked and were resting on towels. The pig they had prepared for Yule was now sitting in the cellar. From that pig, the householders would have sausages, calabash, and saltison on the Christmas table. Tonight, the cooks would slaughter a couple more pigs from the yard to enjoy conkers and some hot roast meat upon their return from Mass. After the meal, they would bring out the liqueur jugs and indulge in pancakes and jam. Fasting was observed as a sacred practice, aimed at purifying the soul, while houses were being readied for the arrival of the Lord. Children long since sent to bed still giggled under the covers, tomorrow they would go caroling. Adorned with shawls up to their noses, they will fight the snow in their felts and the frost in their cheeks, but they will come home with baskets full of bagels, apples and nuts.
The hutches would not hold back, and every family would buy hundreds of pretzels to be ready for the lines of carolers.
Brothers Ivan and Nicholas Lebedev went out of the house, leaving their carriage and coachman. They took Seminarskaya Street (now Metropolitan G. Banulescu-Bodoni) to Aleksadrovskaya Street and from there another block down the same street to the Nobility Club (today the Patria-Loteanu cinema stands on the site of this building), where the great hereditary nobility, various officials and wealthy merchants used to gather in the evenings. It was also there that the Lebedev brothers met the merchant Jacob Nazarov, a Russian from Lviv whom they had long been courting. He was to buy the brothers’ urban villa.
The villa was located at the intersection of Seminarskaya Street and Kaușanskaya Street (today Column 110). A very good place close to the Diocesan House and the Metropolitan’s buildings (today no longer there), and the Nativity Cathedral.
Kauchenskaya Street until recently was the central axis of the city. This street stands right on the border between the old town, with its streets criss-crossed like a spider’s web, and above that imaginary border the new town began. Across the park, further up the hill, stretched the new axis of Chisinau, Milionaya Street (unofficially named because the owners of the new buildings on this street were very wealthy (today’s Stefan cel Mare cel Mare și Sfînt Boulevard)). It was a perfect place for a wealthy nephew like the lipovinean Nazarov, who was making his way in the circles of the titled families of Chisinau in the 1900s.
After a few rounds of brandy and a few exchanges of cigarettes, the men high-fived. Nazarov left with the promise of a house in the middle of nowhere, and the Lebedev brothers – with a good bargain.
It’s Christmas Day. After Mass, in every house in Chisinau, the festive table was spread with pork roasts, sarmale and cozonaci. But the dishes were not eaten without giving alms to neighbours and the poor. People carrying plates of food were on every street. The Lebedev maids also went out to hand out cakes to the poor, and the whole town already knew that their husbands had sold the lipovean’s villa.
After lunch the children went out to the derdel, and the parents went to their friends’ houses to party. In the evening, the children went out with the Star and the boys with the Irods. A celebration of childhood.
Long after Christmas, Nazarov entered the house with the right of ownership. Here his family had a nice life, they had parties and coveted the most distinguished guests of those times. He loved the house and looked after it. During the war the villa was damaged, but in 1948 it was rebuilt. For many years after that it stood proudly reminding passers-by of the beautiful history of the families who lived there …” (Urban legend by Anastasia Taburceanu)
The building of the former Wooden Synagogue was built in 1835, and for more than 100 years served as the [..]
Wooden Synagogue
The building of the former Wooden Synagogue was built in 1835, and for more than 100 years served as the site of one of the city’s central synagogues. Today, only the façade of the original building remains.
After passing through the guarded gate, you will find yourself in the courtyard – KEDEM. Since 2005, this modern building has been the center of Jewish life in Moldova. It houses the office of the Jewish Community of the Republic of Moldova, the KEDEM Jewish Cultural Center and several Jewish charities and youth organizations. In the politically and economically difficult period after 1990, Jewish charities such as Joint and Hesed played an important role in Jewish life.
The synagogue hall was originally on the ground floor of the building. Today it is used as a theatre and concert hall. There are several display cases in the lobby of the former synagogue with exhibits from the history of the Jewish community, including the typewriter of Ihil Shraibman, the famous Yiddish writer. In front of the KEDEM, just across the street, is the Jewish library. At the entrance is a plaque commemorating Ichil Shraibman, who died in 2005. He was buried at the Jewish Cemetery in the capital…
Mikhail Orlov (1788 – 1842). Decembrist, major-general of the Russian army. From 1820 – commander of the 16th Infanteria Division, [..]
The bust of Mikhail Orlov
Mikhail Orlov (1788 – 1842). Decembrist, major-general of the Russian army. From 1820 – commander of the 16th Infanteria Division, located in Besarabia. One of the organizers of the Masonic lodge “Ovidiu-25”. Headed the Decembrist organization of Kishinev. The bust is installed on B.P. Hashdeu Street in front of the publishing house “Litera”. Authors – sculptor Y. Kanashin, architect F. Naumov, 1975.
A bust commemorating Marshal Józef Piłsudski was unveiled on November 20, 2014, at the intersection of Mitropolit Petru Movilă and [..]
Bust of Marshal Jozef Pilsudski
A bust commemorating Marshal Józef Piłsudski was unveiled on November 20, 2014, at the intersection of Mitropolit Petru Movilă and 31 August 1989 streets, approximately in the area where the Consulate of the Republic of Poland was situated in Chisinau during the interwar years.
Józef Piłsudski (1867-1935) was a Polish revolutionary and statesman, serving as the first head of state (1918-1922) of the reborn Poland and the founder of the Polish Armed Forces. As the Prime Minister of Poland, Piłsudski worked to bolster his country’s independence through alliances with Western powers, notably France and England, as well as with friendly neighbors Romania and Hungary. During the interwar period, he made several official visits to Romania, including Bessarabia.
In April 1932, Marshal J. Piłsudski visited Chisinau, staying for four days to express unwavering support for his ally and Poland’s refusal of the territorial claims to Bessarabia asserted by the Soviets. The monument commemorates Marshal Jozef Piłsudski’s visit to Chisinau in the interwar period and signifies the amicable relationship between the Republic of Poland and the Republic of Moldova. The statue of this esteemed Polish politician was crafted by the Moldovan sculptor Veaceslav Jiglițchi.
The monument to the great Polish writer Adam Mickiewicz was unveiled on April 28, 2021, at the library in Chisinau [..]
Adam Mickiewicz Monument
The monument to the great Polish writer Adam Mickiewicz was unveiled on April 28, 2021, at the library in Chisinau that bears his name. The statue was sculpted by the renowned artist Veaceslav Jiglițchi, with support from the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Chisinau, the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Polish entrepreneurs in the Republic of Moldova.
The personality of Adam Mickiewicz, regarded as one of the finest Polish romantic poets of the 19th century, holds immense significance for the Polish identity in Chisinau and the Republic of Moldova.
In front of the Roman Catholic Cathedral “Divine Providence” in the capital, the monument of Holy Father Pope John Paul [..]
Monument to Pope John Paul II
In front of the Roman Catholic Cathedral “Divine Providence” in the capital, the monument of Holy Father Pope John Paul II (b. 1920 – d. 2005) was unveiled on August 21, 2016. The ceremony was organized by the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Chisinau and the Roman Catholic Diocese.
The monument portrays Pope John Paul II seated on a bench. Sculptor Veaceslav Jiglițchi completed the work in just two months.
Pope John Paul II, born in Poland, is the first non-Italian pope and served as the head of the Catholic Church from October 1978 until his passing in April 2005.
It is the first bust on the Alley of the Cinematographer, inaugurated in 2011, next to the “Patria” Cinema. Today, [..]
The bust of Emil Loteanu
It is the first bust on the Alley of the Cinematographer, inaugurated in 2011, next to the “Patria” Cinema. Today, the Cinema bears his name. Author – Andrei Rizescu.
In the waiting room of Chisinau International Airport, there is a beautiful sculpture called “The Crew.” It was crafted in [..]
Triple sculpture “The Crew”
In the waiting room of Chisinau International Airport, there is a beautiful sculpture called “The Crew.” It was crafted in 2018 by the sculptor Veaceslav Jiglițchi, an honorary citizen of the capital. The triptych represents a pilot and two stewardesses, symbolizing the crucial roles they play in ensuring the comfort and safety of passengers during the flight.
The smallest monument in the Republic of Moldova, measuring only 11 cm in height, was cast in bronze and installed [..]
Moldova’s Little Prince Statue
The smallest monument in the Republic of Moldova, measuring only 11 cm in height, was cast in bronze and installed on “planet B-612” in 2018 – specifically on sphere number 23 along the fence in Valea Morilor Park in Chisinau. The concept originated from Igor Udușlivîi, a resident of the capital, who also brought the project to fruition. Despite being a relatively recent addition, tourists already claim that it brings good luck.
A double monument, arguably the most romantic in Chisinau, was unveiled on Pedestrian Street Eugen Doga on October 14, 2017. [..]
Statues of lovers on the Pedestrian Street
A double monument, arguably the most romantic in Chisinau, was unveiled on Pedestrian Street Eugen Doga on October 14, 2017. The author of the monument is sculptor Pavel Obreja. Additionally, along the Pedestrian Street, there is an exhibition featuring the sale of handicrafts crafted by folk artisans from the country.
In mid-December 2017, a new urban sculpture portraying young skateboarders with a dog emerged in Valea Morilor Park in the [..]
Sculpture of young skateboarders
In mid-December 2017, a new urban sculpture portraying young skateboarders with a dog emerged in Valea Morilor Park in the capital. The sculptor behind this composition is Petru Glavan.
The monument, along with the one installed on the pedestrian street Eugen Doga depicting a pair of lovers, is part of the project “Sculptures that Look into the Eyes.”
The composition comprises four elements: a boy, a girl, a dog, and a skateboard. The girl is learning to skateboard, and the boy is assisting her. He supports her hand to prevent her from falling, and between them is the dog.
It’s noteworthy that the dog was crafted by another sculptor, Vasile Sitar, “in the likeness” of the dachshund belonging to the former Polish Ambassador to Moldova. This is how the dachshund was immortalized in the sculpture :).
The urban villa of Alexandru Mimi is an architectural monument of national significance, listed in the Register of Monuments of [..]
Mimi’s Mansion
The urban villa of Alexandru Mimi is an architectural monument of national significance, listed in the Register of Monuments of History and Culture of the municipality of Chisinau, located in the historic center at Bucharest Street, 106 A. In 1870, Alexandru Mimi, the father of the future governor of Bessarabia and renowned winemaker Constantin Mimi, constructed a 16-room urban villa in neo-baroque style in Chisinau.
Around the turn of the century, the building was leased to the Excise Department of the Basarabia Government. In 1940, it was designated as the headquarters of the Children’s Hospital. Presently, Mimi’s villa is an architectural monument of national significance, included in the register of monuments of history and culture of the municipality of Chisinau.
Constantin Mimi (b. 2 February 1868 – d. 17 April 1935) was a Basarabian politician and winemaker, serving as the last governor of Bessarabia until 1918. He dedicated his entire life to the development of viticulture, establishing one of the most famous vineyards in Bessarabia, which still bears his name today. Constantin Mimi is one of the numerous Basarabian personalities who, through their work, profoundly influenced the destiny of Bessarabia in the early 20th century.
Did you know: Moldova owes Constantin Mimi the Aligote grape variety, brought from France and promoted by him with persistence, becoming widespread in these parts in a short time. The Governor’s Castle, famously known as Mimi Castle in Bulboaca village, Anenii Noi district, is currently one of the most attractive gems on the Wine Route of the Republic of Moldova.
The former gymnasium for girls founded by Princess N. Dadiani
Constructed in 1901 based on a design by architect Alexandru Bernardazzi and commissioned by Princess Natalia Dadiani, this building has [..]
The former gymnasium for girls founded by Princess N. Dadiani
Constructed in 1901 based on a design by architect Alexandru Bernardazzi and commissioned by Princess Natalia Dadiani, this building has a rich history. Prior to its construction, the site held an old real estate property, which State Councilor Mitrofan Purișkevici sold to the Council of the girls’ gymnasium. Princess Dadiani founded and directed the institution until her passing in 1903. Subsequently, the building served as the location for girls’ gymnasium no. 2 during World War II, sustaining severe damage in the process.
Post-war, the structure underwent reconstruction and, until 1964, functioned as the headquarters of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the MSSR. Later, it became the Palace of the Pioneers, with its left wing housing the Republican Society “The Science.”
In 1976, the building was repurposed to host the Museum of History of the Communist Party of Moldova. To augment the exhibition space, a two-level wing, mirroring the one on the left, was added. Today, the building is home to the National Art Museum of Moldova, boasting a significant heritage of 39,000 works of art.
The urban mansion at 62 Bucharest Street, known as the Râșcanu-Derojinski mansion, was once a splendid monument of national significance [..]
The Râșcanu-Derojinski urban mansion
The urban mansion at 62 Bucharest Street, known as the Râșcanu-Derojinski mansion, was once a splendid monument of national significance that adorned the historic center of the capital for decades. Constructed in the 1870s according to the design by city architect Alexander Bernardazzi, this manor belonged to the noblewoman Catherine Rascanu-Derozhinskaya.
The Rîșcanu family, one of the oldest noble families in Moldova, originated from the Teleajna valley in Vaslui. The family was first mentioned in an official historical document dating back to 1500, recording members in a uric of Stephen the Great. Presently, their name is associated with a district in Chisinau – Rîșcani.
The building comprised two floors, featuring 18 rooms and additional household annexes. The total area of the structure was 2,924.3 sq.m., and the land covered 1,766.3 sq.m. In the mid-20th century, the building underwent transformation into the seat of the legislative body of the R.S.S.M. – the Supreme Soviet. A new amphitheatre-shaped wing was added while preserving the overall architecture. Subsequently, the building served as the headquarters for the Science Society.
Today, the edifice is gradually experiencing a revival, taking on a new life.
Architectural monument of national significance, officially recorded in the Register of Monuments of History and Culture by the municipality of [..]
Kligman House
Architectural monument of national significance, officially recorded in the Register of Monuments of History and Culture by the municipality of Chisinau, following the initiative of the Academy of Sciences.
In the mid-19th century, Major-General’s wife Maria Markiva constructed a single-story house at the intersection of Sfatul Țării Street, adhering to the prevalent architectural trends of that time. In 1896, the property changed hands and was acquired by the merchant Moisei Kligman. He proceeded to demolish the existing structures on the street corner and, in 1898, erected an architectural masterpiece in their place. Subsequently, in the post-war era, the building was connected to the neighboring Herta house by a gallery.
This structure stands out as one of the rare examples of neoclassical architecture that have endured in the town till the present day. Regrettably, it is currently in a state of neglect and disrepair.
It was founded on October 6, 1921, at the initiative of several personalities led by Sergiu T. Niță, who was [..]
National Theater ”Mihai Eminescu”
It was founded on October 6, 1921, at the initiative of several personalities led by Sergiu T. Niță, who was the Minister of Bessarabia in the Romanian government. Other notable figures involved in its establishment included Stefan Ciobanu (a member of the Romanian Academy), writers Nicolae N. Beldiceanu, Nicolae Beldiman, Leon Donici, and director Gheorghe Mitu Dumitriu.
The inaugural season commenced with the performance of “Fântâna Blanduziei” by Vasile Alecsandri. Despite operating for only one season, the theater successfully staged over 25 productions. In 1922, responding to a request from the Ministry of Culture in Bucharest, a project was developed to establish a Permanent Propaganda Troop of the Ministry of Arts for Bessarabia, Bukovina, and Transylvania. Bucharest actors Vasile Leonescu and Constantin Mărculescu were entrusted with the reorganization of the Chisinau Theater.
Over the next 10 years, the National Theater in Chisinau was directed by notable individuals such as George Topârceanu, Corneliu Sachel Arescu, and Ion Livescu. Renowned actors like Emil Botta, Stefan Braborescu, Sergiu Cujbă, and Mişu Fotino breathed life into characters and stories on the stage of Chisinau’s first professional theater.
However, due to financial constraints, as per the ministerial order of 1935, the National Theater in Chisinau, along with those in Craiova and Chernivtsi, was forced to close its doors.
Many years later, in 1994, the National Theater was revived under the name Mihai Eminescu. In a relatively short span, the Mihai Eminescu National Theater garnered approximately 30 significant awards, winning acclaim not only from the Chisinau audience but also earning recognition at national competitions and international festivals.
On July 5, 1957, the Minister of Culture of the MSSR, A. Lazarev, signed the order for the establishment of [..]
National Opera and Ballet Theatre “Maria Bieșu”
On July 5, 1957, the Minister of Culture of the MSSR, A. Lazarev, signed the order for the establishment of the Moldovan State Theater of Opera and Ballet “A.S. Pushkin,” marking an epochal moment for the further development of this prominent institution of national culture. The historical journey of the Moldovan Opera House begins its chronological account one year before the signing of the ministerial document – from the staging of the first Moldovan national opera on June 9, 1956, specifically, the opera “Grozovanul” by David Ghersfeld.
The theater has undergone several stages of development. The initial period shaped the repertoire and solidified the works, while the period of development of the academic singing school introduced unique names to the world, such as Prima Donna Maria Biesu. She earned the title of the world’s First Cio-Cio-San in 1967 and shared the stage with lyrical performers like Miura Tamaki (in Tokyo, Japan).
In 1983, the premiere of the national ballet “Luceafarul” took place, based on Mihai Eminescu’s poem. “Luceafarul” represents the first ballet work of the composer Eugen Doga.
In September 1990, due to the insistence of the Prima Donna, the First International Festival of Opera and Ballet Stars was inaugurated in Chisinau, titled “The Invitation of Maria Biesu.”
Following Maria Biesu’s death in 2012, the Festival’s name changed to the “Maria Biesu International Festival.” Today, the Festival stands as one of the main symbols of culture in the Republic of Moldova, with Chisinau emerging as one of the capitals of opera and ballet music in Europe.
It is one of the most famous theaters in Chisinau, founded on 11 September 1991. The theater was created at [..]
National Theatre “Eugene Ionesco”
It is one of the most famous theaters in Chisinau, founded on 11 September 1991. The theater was created at the initiative of a team of actors, graduates of the B. Shchukin Theatre School in Moscow, led by Petru Vutcărău. The playwright Eugène Ionesco personally agreed that the new theater should bear his name, a deeply symbolic gesture. Petru Vutcărău was the first director and artistic director of the theater, and he currently serves as the theater’s director.
The new troupe, already called the “Eugene Ionesco” Theatre, was temporarily based in Romania, in Râmnicu-Vâlcea, where they were provided with accommodation and a stage for performances. After five months of work in Vâlcea, the theater embarked on its first major tour, visiting the biggest cities of Romania. During this period, the troupe, taking its first steps, won several awards at various theater festivals and recorded two shows from its repertoire on Romanian Television.
In the summer of 1991, the theater returned to Chisinau. Its seat was temporarily located in different places, but finally, in February 2007, by governmental decision, the “Eugène Ionesco” Theatre was granted its own place – the building of the former recreation center, called “Moscow.”
The archaeological site known as the “Ruins of the Church Museum – Episcopal House – Teodor Sabau’s House” will be [..]
Teodor Sabau’s House
The archaeological site known as the “Ruins of the Church Museum – Episcopal House – Teodor Sabau’s House” will be included in the Register of Historical Monuments of Local Significance in the municipality of Chisinau.
In addition to the classification of the site as a historical monument, the proposed decision also allows for the continuation of archaeological research in the area of the Old Cathedral.
The remnants of the building were recently unearthed in the historical center of Chisinau, located in the Riscani sector. Foundations of structures and three subterranean stone constructions, which were demolished in the 1960s, have been discovered and partially excavated in this vicinity.
Teodor Sabău served as a captain in the border police in Soroca county. Following his retirement, he resided in his Chisinau house until the end of the 18th century. The subsequent owner of his residence was Metropolitan Gavriil Bănulescu-Bodoni. It is still unclear whether the house was purchased by the metropolitan or given to him as a gift.
In 1808, Sabău acquired a piece of land in Orhei county from the landlord Dumitrache Clemente and donated it to the Curchi Monastery, one of the wealthiest monasteries in the region between the Prut and Nistru rivers at that time. Subsequently, Teodor Sabău and his wife, who became monks and adopted the names Filaret and Magnisia, donated approximately 800 desetines of land within the boundaries of the village of Pripiceni to the Curchi monastery. Part of this land was afforested, now known as Monk Forest, while the remaining portion was allocated for agricultural use, cultivated by monks and novices from Curchi.
The National Theater “Satiricus Ion Luca Caragiale” is a municipal drama theater in Chisinau, the capital of the Republic of [..]
National Theater “Satiricus”
The National Theater “Satiricus Ion Luca Caragiale” is a municipal drama theater in Chisinau, the capital of the Republic of Moldova. It was established in 1990 through the initiative of the actor and director Sandu Grecu.
The theater’s repertoire primarily features satirical and humorous plays. It stands as the first satirical theater in the republic, born out of cultural and historical necessity, reflecting an innovative and combative spirit. Despite changing its location four times over its more than 30 years of existence, the theater has presented approximately 70 productions, with some enduring in the repertoire throughout the years.
The Republican Theater “Luceafărul” was established in 1960 as a theater for children and youth. On September 30, following the [..]
Republican Theater “Luceafarul”
The Republican Theater “Luceafărul” was established in 1960 as a theater for children and youth. On September 30, following the order of the Minister of Culture of the Moldovan Soviet Socialist Republic, Arteom Lazarev, and in accordance with the decision of the Bureau of the Central Committee and the College of the Ministry of Culture, invoking the meeting of August 18, 1960, it was decreed to rename the Youth and Children’s Theater to the “Luceafărul” Theater for Youth and Children.
From 1960 to 1991, “Luceafărul” was officially recognized as the Theater for Youth and Children, as specified in the founding order of the institution. In 1991, through the order dated March 18 and signed by the Minister of Culture and Cults of the Republic of Moldova, Mr. Ion Ungureanu, the “Luceafărul” Theater was granted the status of a dramatic theater and underwent a name change to become the “Luceafărul” Republican Theater.
Since 1991, the institution has been operating under the designation of the Republican Theater “Luceafărul,” being under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Research of the Republic of Moldova.
It first opened its doors on November 27, 1992. From its inception, the theater was conceived as an institution to [..]
Municipal Puppet Theatre “Guguță”
It first opened its doors on November 27, 1992. From its inception, the theater was conceived as an institution to educate children in the national spirit and to promote the cultural values of the nation. The idea for such a theater originated from a group of intellectuals of the time, including the first mayor of Chisinau after independence, Mr. Nicolae Costin, director Veniamin Apostol, and actor Victor Stefaniuc. The latter became the mentor and artistic director of the theater, dedicating 18 years of service until his passing. The inaugural plays were “Ivan Turbincă” and “Evoluție,” which aligned perfectly with modern puppetry art. Consequently, the theater received invitations to tour abroad and participate in various international festivals.
Geneza Art Theatre is one of the independent theaters in Moldova. The “debut” of the Theatre took place in January [..]
Geneza Art Theater
Geneza Art Theatre is one of the independent theaters in Moldova. The “debut” of the Theatre took place in January 2010 with the performance “Blue Flower,” a tribute to the great poet Mihai Eminescu’s “blond angel” poet Veronica Micle.
The year 2017 is the year in which the 8th season opens, having in its artistic palmares about twenty shows staged, ten of which are included in the repertoire for the current season.
Its main objective is to promote young actors and to choose a repertoire that is accessible to all ages but also authentic, drawing from the multicolored amalgam of states and situations that life offers us. A classic theater with a contemporary vision in the full sense of the word.
Each show has its own individuality and is conceived with team ambition, and the scenography of the shows is a representative axis of the Theatre, marking a non-conformist and personalized stylistics and aesthetics.
The Theatre advocates the exclusion of stereotypes in theatrical art; it is open to courageous theatrical experiments of the highest relevance.
The Theatre’s performances are awarded at festivals, nominated at the “UNITEM Gala,” and some of them are transmitted to the Public Company Teleradio-Moldova (TRM) for broadcasting on small screens.
Centre for Culture and Arts “Ginta Latina”/Theatre with no name
History of Creation: The Republican Theatre for Children and Youth was established on August 1, 1989, by the esteemed theater [..]
Centre for Culture and Arts “Ginta Latina”/Theatre with no name
History of Creation:
The Republican Theatre for Children and Youth was established on August 1, 1989, by the esteemed theater figure of the Republic of Moldova, Ion Sandri Șcurea. Since February 2018, the theater has been renamed “Theatre Without a Name” and is now part of the Centre of Culture and Arts “Ginta Latina.”
The initiative to rename the theater was introduced by the artistic director, Mihai Țărnă. Through this change, the theater has provided itself with an opportunity for a new existence and a fresh approach to connecting with the audience.
“Once you step into the theater, you leave your name behind, and you have two hours to be a person without a name or to become someone else. We simply choose to be. We don’t seek prominence; we enter into memory…”
Founded in October 1945, immediately after the Second World War, the Republican Puppet Theater “Licurici” remains an exceptional cultural center, [..]
Republican Puppet Theatre “Licurici”/”Fireflies”
Founded in October 1945, immediately after the Second World War, the Republican Puppet Theater “Licurici” remains an exceptional cultural center, presenting shows for all ages. The theater began its activity with the show “The Gazebo” by S. Marsak, reflecting the Moldovan-Russian-Ukrainian cultural relations established immediately after the war.
Professionalism and beautiful spiritual traditions attract approximately 100,000 spectators to its hall each year, showcasing over 500 shows both within the country and abroad. Over the course of 75 years, the theater has staged more than 300 shows based on the most famous fairy tales by H.C. Andersen, Brothers Grimm, Carlo Collodi, A. de Saint-Exupery, J. Rodari, A.S. Pushkin, N.V. Gogol, Mihai Eminescu, and Ion Creanga. The works of contemporary Moldovan playwrights such as P. Carare, Gh. Urschi, E. Plugaru, V. Grosu, L. Sobietschy, A. Strîmbeanu, I. Filip, V. Boldisor, Gr. Vieru have also achieved success.
The Theater operates with two troupes—the Romanian language troupe and the Russian language troupe. Some shows are additionally translated into Italian, German, Spanish, and French.
“Licurici” has educated generations of young spectators with important human values such as goodness, beauty, and sincerity. The puppetry from “Licurici” tells genuine stories, transporting the audience into the enchanted world of fairy tales and fiction. Children and the elderly alike have admired and applauded various types of dolls, vivid shadows, and charming masks.
Titus Jucov, the artistic director, actor, and general director, led the theater for 38 years, curating national and universal drama, and building a unique image for his creative team.
It was founded on November 5, 1934, in Tiraspol. The first show staged was “Hate” by S. Ialțev. In 1940, [..]
Russian State Drama Theater “A. P. Cehov”
It was founded on November 5, 1934, in Tiraspol. The first show staged was “Hate” by S. Ialțev. In 1940, the theater moved to Chisinau, where in the same year it presented the show “Unchaining” by B. Lavreniov. During the Second World War, the theater was evacuated to Turkmenistan, where it staged productions such as “Russian People” by C. Simonov, “Partisans in the Steppes of Ukraine” by A. Korneiciuc, “Machenka” by A. Afinoghenov, “Guilty without guilt” by A. Ostrovskii, and others.
Upon returning to Chisinau in 1944, the theater continued to stage plays from classical and contemporary Russian drama. Additionally, original performances were produced based on the works of Moldovan playwrights, including “When the Grape Ripens” by P. Darienco (1960), “The Source of Brotherhood” by L. Corneanu (1964), “And Under That Sky…” by A. Busuioc (1980), “The Year of Death, the Year of Immortality” by I. Druță (1982), “Badea Cozma” based on G. Malciuc (1984), and more.
From 1985 onward, Veniamin Apostol, an esteemed master of art from the Moldavian SSR, served as the theater’s chief director until his passing. The theater conducted numerous tours in Moscow, Leningrad, Kiev, Odessa, Breansc, Krasnodar, Stavropol, with its performances earning high praise from audiences.
Municipal Drama Theatre of “On the Street of Roses”
The Russian Drama Theatre was established in 1978 in Chisinau as a studio theatre. The theater’s repertoire includes contemporary plays [..]
Municipal Drama Theatre of “On the Street of Roses”
The Russian Drama Theatre was established in 1978 in Chisinau as a studio theatre. The theater’s repertoire includes contemporary plays by Russian and European playwrights. The theater gained recognition and popularity among the audience due to its unique repertoire and talented young actors. However, in the 1990s, many of the theater’s leading actors left for various theatrical institutions in Russia.
Over the course of 30 years, the theater has produced more than 150 performances of Russian and world drama. In 1995, Yurii Harmelin founded the Municipal Theatre Lyceum, which became a nurturing ground for young talent. Unfortunately, the 33rd theater season (2010-2011) began without the renowned actress, People’s Artist Eugenia Todorasco, who had performed on the theater stage for seven consecutive years.
The Municipal Drama Theatre “On the Street of Roses” is the organizer of the International Festival of Chamber Theatres and Small Form Performances “Moldfest.Rampa.Ru.” The first edition of the festival took place in November 2009, featuring 15 theaters from Moldova, Romania, Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Israel, and Germany.
In 2020, the Government of the Republic of Moldova approved the decision to name the Drama Theatre “S Ulitî Roz”/”On the Street of Roses” after its founder, Iurie Harmelin.
The building of the former girls’ gymnasium, founded by Baroness Iulia von Heyking (Gheiking), is a monument of architecture of [..]
The building of the former gymnasium for girls
The building of the former girls’ gymnasium, founded by Baroness Iulia von Heyking (Gheiking), is a monument of architecture of national significance, located at 85 Alexei Mateevici Street in Chisinau, which is currently in an advanced state of deterioration.
The building was constructed in 1886 as the residence of the prosecutor and politician Victor Schmidt. In 1914, seven years after the death of its first owner, it became the new seat of the girls’ gymnasium, the building having been rented by Baroness Iulia von Heyking from the widow of its former owner. In 1919, a year after the Union of Bessarabia with Romania, the gymnasium lost its right to a state subsidy. Since then, the main source of income for the institution has been the pension of the Baroness’s husband, Alexander von Heyking, a participant in the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878. The couple invested almost all their assets in the development of the school. Due to the dwindling number of students willing to study in Russian, the Baroness opened Romanian classes in the gymnasium in 1927, which, from 1929, received a state subsidy.
The school functioned until 1931, then it was closed, and the Romanian public high school “Alecu Donici” was opened in the building. At the end of the 1930s, it was part of the industrial high school. During the Soviet period, the Soviet People’s Commissars of the SSMR were headquartered here, then the Secondary School No. 5. In the early 1990s, the building became increasingly deserted and was abandoned after a fire towards the end of the decade.
In December 2009, the historic building, already in ruins, was sold to the German Embassy in Moldova for €1.5 million by a special decision of the Moldovan Parliament for the purpose of building the new Embassy headquarters. However, to date, no work has been carried out, resulting in the building falling into a disastrous state, and its reconstruction and adaptation have remained plans, although the German side has expressed intentions to recreate the building according to the historical appearance of the former gymnasium.
The building was constructed in two stories, built on an angular plan with an elongated wing in the depth of the plot. The main facade has a symmetrical composition, designed in the spirit of buildings for the education of young students. The building has a monumental appearance, and the façade is dominated by a four-column portico of the Doric order, the upper part of which has a balcony, serving also as a gallery for school festivities. The building was constructed with quality materials; the doors had bronze handles, and the stoves were made of earthenware.
Yulia von Gheiking was born in 1858 in St. Petersburg into the family of Lieutenant General Pyotr Osipovich Shumleansky. General Shumleansky’s family settled with the whole family in Bessarabia shortly after Yulia Shumleanskyi graduated from the Smolinyi Institute for Noble Girls. The Smolnyi Institute is the first educational institution for girls in Russia, established during the time of Catherine II, and was one of the most prestigious places for study in Russia. In Chisinau, Yulia Smolnyy met the German Baron Alexander von Gheiking. Information in the newspaper “Бессарабская жизнь” edition of 25.01.1912 presented Baron von Gheiking as a participant in the Russian-Turkish War of 1877-1878 and a laureate of the orders: St. Stanislav and St. Anne 3rd class. This baron, as a result of his participation in the Russo-Japanese war of 1904-1905, returned to Chisinau in the rank of sublieutenant, awarded with the order of St. Stanislav 2nd class, wearing gold arms on which were inlaid the words “For bravery.”
Baron Alexander von Gheiking married Yulia Shumleansky, and they had four children. His love for children extended beyond the family. In 1892, Baroness von Gheiking built a kindergarten for children. Within 10 years, the Baroness transformed this kindergarten into a primary school, and in 1909 the institution became a gymnasium for girls and was transferred in 1914 to the premises at 85 A. Mateevici. Alexander died in 1930, and Iulia passed away over 6 years later.
The von Gheiking family lived in a very modest building, not far from the gymnasium, located on Gavriil Banulescu-Bodoni 3 street in Chisinau.
The first documented information on the property dates back to 1863 when it belonged to the college secretary Aristotle Londis. [..]
Casso House
The first documented information on the property dates back to 1863 when it belonged to the college secretary Aristotle Londis. In 1867, this property was purchased by Yulia Vichentievna Yanuchyevsky, the wife of retired porcupine, and in 1869, she commissioned the construction of a house with a basement. The project was designed by the urban architect Alexander Bernardazzi. In early 1870, the house was sold to Elena St. Casso, who later married Gheorghii Nic. Donici, a state councillor, and remained the owner of the house until 1897. In 1901, the property came under the ownership of Mihail Katakazi, a deputy of the Assembly of Deputies of the Basarabian Nobility, and in 1916, it was owned by the Anghel family. During the interwar period, the building served as the headquarters of the National Bank. In the 1980s, the building underwent enlargement.
The most interesting chapter in the history of this house unfolded in 1878 when Elena St. Casso was the owner. After the conclusion of the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878, Osman Pasha, the former commander of the Ottoman Army who had originally surrendered in Plevna…
“Bogdan Petriceicu Hasdeu” Municipal Library Building
The history of the building that houses the Municipal Library “Bogdan Petriceicu-Hasdeu” in Chisinau began in 1835 when the municipality [..]
“Bogdan Petriceicu Hasdeu” Municipal Library Building
The history of the building that houses the Municipal Library “Bogdan Petriceicu-Hasdeu” in Chisinau began in 1835 when the municipality allocated a plot of land for individual construction to the family of college counselor Ivan Monastarsky, a clerk at the Spiritual Consistory of Bessarabia. The house, designed with two floors, was constructed between 1835 and 1844.
Starting in 1846, the building was rented to the Regional Gymnasium in Chisinau, which lacked its own premises. In 1863, the gymnasium relocated to another building, and the house was purchased by the Theological Seminary in Chisinau, using it for one year to accommodate students.
In 1864, the house was rented by Swiss citizen Charles Thomas Accordingidenis, who transformed the student dormitory into a hotel, giving rise to the famous “Suisse” hotel in Chisinau. The Hotel Suisse operated until the years of World War II.
The biography of the scientist-encyclopedist Bogdan Petriceicu-Hasdeu, the Romanian classical writers Constantin Stamati-Ciurea and Constantin Stere, the historian Nicolae Iorga, the Russian singer Fyodor Şaleapin, and the French political activist Henry Barbusse is also associated with this location. All of them stopped in Chisinau on various occasions, being hosted at the Hotel “Suisse.”
In its current form, the building dates from 1946-1947 when it was reconstructed from the ground up after the bombings that the capital endured during World War II. The restoration project was developed by the architect E. R. Spirer under the supervision of the academician A. V. Şciusev. During this restoration, the house underwent several modifications, including the addition of the third floor.
In March 1950, by a decision of the City Committee, part of the rooms on the ground floor was made available to the municipal library, coexisting in close proximity with Pharmacy No. 77 and the “Academic Book” bookstore.
Since June 21, 1988, the library has been named after the illustrious man of culture Bogdan Petriceicu Hasdeu.
Located at the entrance of Chisinau, near the City Gates, the Village Museum can be considered an oasis of revelation [..]
The Village Museum
Located at the entrance of Chisinau, near the City Gates, the Village Museum can be considered an oasis of revelation and tranquility. It is the perfect place for meditation, where visitors are enchanted by the enchanting landscape that exudes a fairy-tale atmosphere.
Established in 1991 as a branch of the National Museum of Ethnography and Natural History, the Village Museum was officially inaugurated as such in May 1995, showcasing the ambiance of a Basarabian village from the 17th to 19th centuries. The museum is home to a collection of folk architecture monuments.
The inaugural addition to the museum in 1995 was the windmill from the village of Opaci, in the Causeni district. Unfortunately, this windmill was destroyed in a fire in 2001 and has yet to be restored. Currently, the museum complex is home to the oldest ecclesiastical monument in the Republic of Moldova – a wooden church brought from the village of Hirișeni for restoration and preservation. Erected in 1642, this church stands as one of the tallest wooden churches in the country, reaching a height of 27 meters.
National Museum of Romanian Literature “Mihail Kogălniceanu”
The National Museum of Literature “Mihail Kogălniceanu” was established in the autumn of 1965 under the auspices of the Writers’ [..]
National Museum of Romanian Literature “Mihail Kogălniceanu”
The National Museum of Literature “Mihail Kogălniceanu” was established in the autumn of 1965 under the auspices of the Writers’ Union of Moldova. The museum’s collection comprises over 100 thousand exhibits, including books, art objects, and documents.
Originally named the Republican Museum of Literature of the MSSR, it received several exhibition rooms, a basement for storing collections, staff offices, and a library after the opening of the present House of Writers in Chisinau. At that time, the museum employed 35 people, including researchers in three scientific sections.
In 1983, it was named after Dimitrie Cantemir. In 1990, it was disbanded as a museum and became the “Mihail Kogălniceanu” National Centre for Literary Studies and Museography. In 1997, it was renamed the Museum of Romanian Literature “Mihail Kogălniceanu.” By government decision, it was transformed into a national museum as of January 1, 2013, transferring from the Writers’ Union to the Ministry of Culture and gaining the right to manage its branches. In 2015, the Grigore Vieru House-Museum was inaugurated in the village of Pererîta, and in 2019, the Alexandru Donici House-Museum in the village of Donici was also transferred to the museum.
The museum did not originate from existing collections or funds. Most pieces in the collection were amassed between 1965 and 1991 through the research and collection efforts of the institution’s museographers. In 2019, the museum counted 147,386 items, including books, manuscripts, a rich fine art collection, photographs, audio cassettes, video recordings, etc. The manuscript collection is the largest, with 28,000 items, followed by the book collection with about 22,000 volumes from the 16th to the 21st century. The oldest book is an edition of “Beati Dionysii Areopagitae martyris inglyti” by St. Dionysius the Areopagite (1572). Based on the museum’s exhibits, house-museums for “Alexander Donich,” “Constantine Stamati,” and “Alexei Mateevich” have been established. Unfortunately, a significant portion of the museum’s collections was destroyed, including part of the patrimony gathered under the founding director Gheorghe Cincilei, due to disapproval from communist authorities.
The Zemstvo Museum, listed in the Register of Architectural Monuments as the “Building of the former orphanage, later the headquarters [..]
Zemstvо Museum
The Zemstvo Museum, listed in the Register of Architectural Monuments as the “Building of the former orphanage, later the headquarters of the Zemstva Guberniale of Bessarabia,” is a historical building located at 103 Alexei Shciusev Street in Chisinau. It is a monument of architectural and historical significance on a national scale, consisting of four buildings, and has been entered into the Register of Monuments of History and Culture of the municipality of Chisinau with the initiative of the Academy of Sciences. However, at the moment, it does not operate as a museum.
In 1918, when Bessarabia became part of Romania, the Zemstva ceased its activities, and the building served exclusively as a museum space until 1932. From 1932 to 1938, the building complex was taken over by the Faculty of Agronomy of the University of Iasi.
After World War II, there were plans to revitalize the museum, but these were not successful. The opportunity for redevelopment occurred only in 2010 when the building came under the administration of the Museum of Ethnography, and the entrance received the inscription “Muzeul Zemstvei.” One of the four buildings (located at the corner of Sfatul Țării Street) has been rehabilitated and now serves as the headquarters of the Agency for Inspection and Restoration of Monuments.
There are ongoing plans to rehabilitate and restore the museum, but these have not been realized yet.
It is a concert and festival venue in the center of Chisinau. The construction of the Palace was completed in [..]
The National Palace “Nicolae Sulac”
It is a concert and festival venue in the center of Chisinau. The construction of the Palace was completed in 1972, and at that time, it was called Sala de Sesiuni (Hall of Sessions), where theater and entertainment performances were organized. It was later renamed in honor of the folk singer Nicolae Sulac (1936-2003).
The building, where the Union of Bessarabia with Romania was voted in 1918, is today the seat of the Academy [..]
Former Seat of the County Council
The building, where the Union of Bessarabia with Romania was voted in 1918, is today the seat of the Academy of Music, Theatre, and Fine Arts. Here, the young generation of artists is trained, engaging in theater performances, learning directing, and rehearsing, sometimes until midnight.
Over 100 years ago, the walls of this building witnessed a historic event. The speeches of the Great Union echoed within these walls: “In the name of the people of Bessarabia, the Council of the Country declares: Bessarabia, in its borders between the Prut, the Dniester, the Black Sea, and the old borders with Austria, torn a hundred years ago from the body of the old Moldavia, in the strength of the historical right and the right of the nation, on the basis of the principle that nations alone decide their fate, from today onwards and forever unites with its Mother, Romania.” From 1917 to 1919, the Council of the Country made history in this building.
The building of the former Council of the Country was designed in 1902 by the architect Vladimir Țâganco. Originally, it served as the site of the 3rd Gymnasium for boys. The First World War transformed the institution into a military hospital.
Built in the French classicist style, the two-storey building now housing the Academy’s Faculty of Theatre, Film, and Dance appears well-preserved from the outside. Posters of student performances in the courtyard invite you in. However, upon entering, you may notice leaky floors and a rain-damaged ceiling. The building is in need of renovation, along with other structures of historical and cultural importance in Chisinau.
The former gymnasium for girls of the Bessarabian Zemstva
The private gymnasium for girls, which was set to relocate its headquarters to this building, was founded in 1864 by [..]
The former gymnasium for girls of the Bessarabian Zemstva
The private gymnasium for girls, which was set to relocate its headquarters to this building, was founded in 1864 by Liubovi Beliugova. At one point, it came under the management of the Bessarabian governmental Zemstva. In March 1880, Zemstva acquired a plot of land at the intersection of Gubernială and Podoliei streets (old names), so that on May 24, 1881, the foundation stone of the gymnasium could be laid. The construction of the building lasted for two years, with the project and estimate being the work of G.F. Lonsky, and supervision provided by the architect Constantin Kurkovsky. Currently, this building is under the administration of the Romanian-French Lyceum “Gheorghe Asachi” in the center of the capital.
Let’s first talk about the biography of Queen Natalia Cheșco-Obrenovic. Natalia was born on May 15, 1859, in Florence, the [..]
Urban mansion of the Cheșco family
Let’s first talk about the biography of Queen Natalia Cheșco-Obrenovic.
Natalia was born on May 15, 1859, in Florence, the daughter of Petre Cheșco, a descendant of a branch of the Wassilko family, a Basarabian colonel in the Russian army, and Pulheria Sturdza, a member of the Sturdza family of noblemen from Moldavia, and granddaughter of the Moldavian prince Ionita Sandu Sturdza. Orphaned at an early age, Natalia was raised by her uncle, Constantin D. Moruzi, who owned the Danuteni estate near Ungheni, Bessarabia. Natalia traveled frequently to Iasi, Vienna, Odessa, and Chisinau. When in Chisinau, Natalia stayed at her grandmother Zamfira Cazimir-Cheșco’s house. Grandfather Ioan Cheșco was a member of the Supreme Council of Bessarabia, as well as a leader of the nobility of the counties of Chisinau and Orhei, then of Soroca and Iasi.
These two could not have an ordinary house, so they bought from Prince Mihai A. Cantacuzin a house with 11 rooms, which was built according to a project confirmed by the Construction and Roads Commission in November 1857, the construction being finished in 1858. The house is built in the “Turkish Empire” style, with a location that was rare in Chisinau at the time: in the middle of a garden, away from the street.
A few years later, in Vienna, Natalia met her future husband, Prince Milan Obrenovic of Serbia, and it was here that their engagement took place. Milan Obrenovic was born in exile in Moldova as the son of Miloš Obrenović and Elena Maria Catargiu from Moldova (known in Serbia as Marija Obrenović). Shortly after his birth, his parents divorced. Two years later, at the age of seven, Milan lost his father who died in battle with the Turks near Bucharest. His mother, Maria, was given legal custody, but soon became the mistress of the ruler Alexandru Ioan Cuza with whom she had two children – Sașa and Dimitrie. Because of this, she neglected her child from her marriage to Milos, so an agreement was reached that young Milan would be legally adopted by his cousin, Mihailo Obrenovich III, who had become the prince ruler of Serbia.
On Sunday, October 17, 1875, a religious wedding took place in Belgrade Cathedral between Natalia and Milan, the son of Alexander Ioan Cuza’s mistress. The couple had two sons, the future King Alexander I, born in 1876, and Sergei, who died a few days after his birth in 1878.
When Prince Milan proclaimed the Kingdom of Serbia in 1882, Princess Natalia became Queen of Serbia. In 1888, the couple divorced. Five years later, in 1893, they reconciled and asked the church to annul their divorce. In 1889, after the abdication of King Milan, his and Natalia’s son Alexander became King of Serbia as Alexander I. The new King Alexander and his wife Draga Mašin were assassinated by the Black Hand organization in 1903 for ‘pro-western attitudes’. Queen Natalia remained the only living member of the Obrenovic dynasty. The queen donated her wealth to the University of Belgrade, churches, and monasteries in Serbia, then converted to Catholicism. She became a nun in 1903 and worked as a nurse for several years. The former queen spent the rest of her life in France. She died in 1941 in St. Denis, and her memoirs are preserved in the Vatican Museums.
The Cazimir – Cheșco Mansion, located at 24 Serghei Lazo Street, is the first building to appear in this area and is unfortunately currently in disrepair.
This poignant monument, resembling a painful shard of memory frozen in time, is the creation of the renowned artist and [..]
Memorial to the Victims of Fascism
This poignant monument, resembling a painful shard of memory frozen in time, is the creation of the renowned artist and sculptor Aurel David. Erected in 1991, it serves as a solemn reminder that “nobody forgets, nothing is forgotten.”
Situated in the Râșcani sector (“Poșta Veche”) of the capital, it stands on the grounds where mass executions of Moldovans, Jews, Roma, and Russians took place during the years of World War II.
The Red Mill was one of the earliest steam mills constructed in Chisinau. Originally built with wood in the 1850s [..]
Red Mill
The Red Mill was one of the earliest steam mills constructed in Chisinau. Originally built with wood in the 1850s and 1860s, it had a single floor. In 1884, it underwent reconstruction using stone, now featuring three levels. After changing ownership multiple times, in 1890, the mill came under the ownership of the merchant Abram Levenzon, who added an elevator and constructed an adjacent shop. In 1901, the third level suffered damage in a fire. A year later, it was reconstructed, now with an additional floor and a stone attic. The newly added floors were adorned with red brick (fire-resistant), giving rise to the current name “Red Mill.” Equipped with state-of-the-art German machinery for its time, the mill operated until the 1950s. During the Soviet era, the mill building was repurposed for use as a warehouse.
The Academy of Music, Theatre, and Fine Arts is a public institution of higher education in Chisinau. It traces its [..]
Academy of Music, Theatre and Fine Arts
The Academy of Music, Theatre, and Fine Arts is a public institution of higher education in Chisinau. It traces its roots to the Chisinau State Conservatory founded in 1940, and the music education institutions that have been active in Chisinau since 1919, with the establishment of the “Unirea” Conservatory initiated by George Enescu.
In its current iteration, the Academy of Music, Theatre, and Fine Arts was formed through the reorganization of the State University of Arts. The university resulted from the merger of the “Gavriil Musicescu” Academy of Music and the State Institute of Arts in 1999. This reorganization took effect on September 1, 2002.
The Academy of Music, Theatre, and Fine Arts of the Republic of Moldova offers training programs for specialists in the following fields: Fine Arts, Culturology, Design, Multimedia, Music, and Theatre.
The University was founded on October 1, 1946. Initially, it had 320 students enrolled in 5 faculties: Physics and Mathematics, [..]
Moldova State University
The University was founded on October 1, 1946. Initially, it had 320 students enrolled in 5 faculties: Physics and Mathematics, Geology and Pedology, History and Philology, Biology, Chemistry. There were 35 teachers working in the 12 departments. Among the founders of the university were Macarie Radu and Mihail Pavlov.
In 1969, the State University of the Republic of Moldova joined the International Association of Universities as a plenipotentiary member. USM’s prestige on the international stage was further enhanced by the recognition of 14 distinguished individuals in science and culture from 9 countries around the world, who were awarded the title of Doctor Honoris Causa of USM. The State University of the Republic of Moldova has entered into more than 60 cooperation agreements in the field of education and science with university centers in 25 countries. Young people from around 80 countries have studied at USM.
Over the years, additional faculties and structures have been established beyond the original ones:
Faculty of Economics (1953, 2002);
Faculty of Law and Faculty of Engineering and Technology (1959);
Faculty of Foreign Languages and Literatures (1964);
Faculty for the instruction of foreign students (1967);
Computing Centre (1973);
Faculty of Journalism (1980);
Central University Library and Faculty of Philosophy and Psychology (1994);
The National Library of the Republic of Moldova, located in Chisinau, serves as the primary state library entrusted with the [..]
National Library
The National Library of the Republic of Moldova, located in Chisinau, serves as the primary state library entrusted with the preservation, valorization, and safeguarding of the written cultural heritage. Operating in accordance with UNESCO’s guiding principles for this type of library, it is also a part of the European Digital Library. Its history dates back to 22 August 1832, marking the inauguration of the Governmental Public Library of Basarabia. Today, the National Library stands as one of the most valuable components of the national heritage, housing a treasury of written and printed cultural heritage from the Republic of Moldova. The library opens its collections for research, study, and informational purposes, providing access to all citizens who have reached the age of 14.
The Alley of Painters is situated on the periphery of Cathedral Square, adjacent to the “Eugen Doga” Pedestrian Street. This [..]
The Alley of Painters
The Alley of Painters is situated on the periphery of Cathedral Square, adjacent to the “Eugen Doga” Pedestrian Street. This municipal project, conceived in 2021, incorporates 20 concrete supports, each spanning 3 meters in width, designed as display areas for painters. The stands are encased in robust metal structures. Architect Alexandru Sava is credited as the designer behind the project for the Alley of Painters on Columna Street.
Valea Trandafirilor (The Valley of Roses) is a renowned park situated in the Botanica district, spanning an impressive area of [..]
The Valley of Roses
Valea Trandafirilor (The Valley of Roses) is a renowned park situated in the Botanica district, spanning an impressive area of 145 hectares, with 9 hectares dedicated to the lake within its bounds. Established in 1968, the park holds a unique history, having been arranged on the grounds of a hill that locals cultivated for many years with roses. This tradition, involving the preparation of the famous Chisinau jam from rose petals, has endured, with the park continuing to introduce special and fragrant species of roses each year. It is from this rich tradition that the park derives its name – the Valley of Roses.
During the communist period, the park bore the name “Lenin City Park of Culture and Leisure.”
Within the park’s expansive grounds, visitors can find several restaurants, landscaped beaches along the lake, children’s playgrounds, and sports fields.
Adjacent to Trandafirilor Street at the park’s edge stands the Chernobyl Victims Memorial, commemorating the tragic events of Chernobyl.
For recreation and entertainment, the park hosts an amusement area catering to both children and adults. Notably, this area features the only Ferris Wheel in Chisinau, reaching a height of 20 meters, affectionately referred to as the “devil’s wheel” by the locals.
he TUM Park was conceived in 2004 through the initiative of Mr. Ion Bostan, who served as TUM’s rector from [..]
Park of the Technical University of Moldova
he TUM Park was conceived in 2004 through the initiative of Mr. Ion Bostan, who served as TUM’s rector from 1992 to 2015, with the intention of creating an open-air technical museum.
Within this park, visitors have the opportunity to admire an impressive gallery of exhibits displayed in the open air. These include the TUM Stela, symbolizing technical education, and the Thinker’s sculpture, representing the creative thinking of human society. The exhibits range from symbols of the first inventions of humanity, such as the lighting of fire by spark, to the most modern and ingenious innovations. Notably, many of these exhibits were created or reconstructed by the University’s students and teachers.
The park also houses helicopters and trams from the last century, with one tram being particularly unusual – pulled by two iron horses, reminiscent of the famous horse-drawn tram that operated in Chisinau on the central Alexandru cel Bun Street (now Boulevard Stephen the Great and Holy) in the 1930s and 1940s.
In the park’s center, a unique fountain adorned with steel sculptures of the 12 zodiac signs serves as a distinctive feature.
Even the benches installed in the park are unique creations, embodying two intertwined universal symbols – the heart and the infinite. These benches, affectionately nicknamed the ‘Lovers’ Benches,’ add a special touch to the park’s atmosphere.
The Circus of Chisinau was constructed in 1981 by architects S. Shoihet and A. Kiricenko. For an extended period, the [..]
The Circus of Chisinau
The Circus of Chisinau was constructed in 1981 by architects S. Shoihet and A. Kiricenko. For an extended period, the Chisinau Circus held the fourth position globally and the first in the USSR in terms of convenience and capacity, boasting 1900 seats for spectators and 100 for the members of the artists’ bands. The building was designed on a circular basis with a traditional arena diameter of 13 meters. The circus dome, constructed of reinforced concrete, marble, and granite, is removable.
On the front of the Circus, a sculptural-decorative relief showcases a figurative composition featuring two clown-acrobats welcoming visitors. The late sculptor Valeriu Rotari, the author of this emblem, did not live to see the completion of his final work.
In 1982, a veterinary clinic was established behind the Circus, gaining popularity among the townspeople. The clinic operated for over 25 years, initially as a state clinic primarily caring for the Circus’s animal performers, and later as a private clinic.
At present, the Circus is undergoing a restoration phase as the building requires significant repairs.
Shapiro’s Report House is a monument of national architectural significance, listed in the Register of Monuments of History and Culture [..]
Shapiro’s House
Shapiro’s Report House is a monument of national architectural significance, listed in the Register of Monuments of History and Culture (No. 114) of Chisinau, and in the Register of Monuments of the Republic of Moldova protected by the state (No. 68). It is situated in the Historic Center, at 60 Bucharest Street. The ensemble comprises two buildings (“A” and “B”) erected in the late nineteenth century to the early twentieth century, which were owned by the Shapiro-Rosenfeld family between 1907 and 1940.
The architect responsible for the building was Țalel Ginger, a Bessarabian Jew. His initials, “Ц.Г.,” and his emblem can still be observed on the building today.
From 1940 to 1944, as per accounts from former locals (though official documents are still archived), the building served as the headquarters for the “Security” (Romanian Intelligence Service). Subsequently, from 1944 until 1955, it functioned as a section of the Soviet Ministry of Security. The secrets and traces of detainees are said to linger in the basement walls, and the windows are adorned with robust metal bars.
The Museum of Human Anatomy at “Nicolae Testemitanu” University is far more than a simple exhibit; it is a unique [..]
Human Anatomy Museum
The Museum of Human Anatomy at “Nicolae Testemitanu” University is far more than a simple exhibit; it is a unique collection renowned at the international level for the quantity and quality of the specimens it houses.
Presently, the Anatomy Department’s museum boasts one of the most valuable and impressive collections of unique anatomical pieces, ranking among the few of its kind in Europe. It has garnered high esteem from international experts. The museum is widely popular, playing a vital role in disseminating knowledge about the human body, morphological and functional peculiarities at different stages of pre- and postnatal ontogenesis, the impact of various harmful factors, and the influence of lifestyle on the activity of organs and organ systems. It is a frequent destination for pupils and teachers from towns and villages across our country, as well as for students from local colleges and universities, and numerous foreign delegations.
The collection of the Museum of Human Anatomy comprises approximately 2000 items of significant scientific and didactic value. It includes bones, skeletons, wet preparations (joints, muscles, internal organs, and organ systems), embryos in various stages of development, plastinated anatomical sections, malformations, monstrosities, etc. These specimens are preserved in a formalin solution, and they also encompass pieces obtained through corrosion and mummification, as well as anatomical dummies. Together, they constitute a valuable treasure at our Alma Mater.
This museum is also an important national monument, listed in the Register of Historical and Cultural Monuments of Chisinau. The [..]
The Chisinau „Aleksandr Pushkin” House-Museum
This museum is also an important national monument, listed in the Register of Historical and Cultural Monuments of Chisinau.
The building is historically significant because it was the residence of the young Russian poet Aleksandr Pushkin, who, at the age of 21, lived here for several months after being exiled by the Russian Tsarist government to the capital of Bessarabia. Pushkin arrived in Chisinau in September 1820.
Originally owned by General Inzov, the house became an official museum on February 10, 1948. The museum’s exhibits include materials related to Pushkin’s time in Chisinau, such as paintings, prints, decorative art objects from the late 18th and early 19th centuries, sculptures, and editions of his works written during his time in Bessarabia.
It is worth mentioning that only two houses where Pushkin lived are believed to have been preserved worldwide, and one of them is located in Chisinau.
The single-storey building at A. Mateevich, 62, more modest compared to his other works, was constructed at the intersection of [..]
House of Architect Gh.Cupcea
The single-storey building at A. Mateevich, 62, more modest compared to his other works, was constructed at the intersection of the 19th and 20th centuries (when the street was named “Sadovaya”). Remarkably, to this day, due to favorable circumstances, it has not only avoided collapse but has not even deteriorated.
Gheorghe Cupcea, born in Chisinau in 1873, graduated from the city’s Royal School and pursued studies at the Institute of Civil Engineering in St. Petersburg. Upon returning to Chisinau, he initially worked as a junior engineer in the construction department of the Basarabian Government Administration. In December 1902, he was promoted to the position of government architect. From 1909 onwards, he also held the role of eparchial architect, explaining the numerous religious structures in his portfolio. During the interwar period, he continued his professional career, overseeing the restoration of the Chisinau Cathedral and commissioning the construction of several monastic churches.
One interesting fact from Gheorghe Cupcea’s biography is the existence of the house where he lived with his young wife, Ecaterina, until 1895. This house, built according to his personal design, still stands on Alexei Mateevich Street (formerly Sadovaya) at the corner of Sfatul Țării (at that time named “Meșcianskaia”). The monogram with his wife’s initials – “EK” – can still be seen in the metal braiding above the entrance door from Sfatul Țării Street (house no. 3).
The house designed by Gheorghe Cupcea for his family differs stylistically from his other works. It embraces eclectic architecture with an asymmetrical composition and curved lines in the spirit of modern architecture. The façade features a rounded corner, a polygonal-shaped lounge with a belvedere, and an entrance portico with a five-stepped pediment supported by two Doric order columns. The house is structured in a careu shape with an interior courtyard, where outbuildings such as the kitchen, laundry, and bathroom are grouped in a separate wing facing the courtyard.
The stone parapet of the house harmonizes with the upper part of the façade, and the entrance to the courtyard is complemented by a stone wall in a similar architectural style. Due to its location on the “red line” of the street, a triangular square has formed between the street and the built front, intersecting with Mitropolit Gavriil Bănulescu-Bodoni Street at an acute angle.
Since the 1970s, the renowned opera singer Maria Biesu lived in this house, prompting the installation of two commemorative plaques on the outside wall—one for Gh. Cupcea and the other for Maria Biesu.
The museum is situated within the house where the renowned Soviet architect Alexei Shchusev (1873-1949) was born and lived for [..]
Alexei Shchusev House-Museum
The museum is situated within the house where the renowned Soviet architect Alexei Shchusev (1873-1949) was born and lived for 24 years. Erected in 1851-1853, this building is now recognized as a monument of national architectural and historical significance, duly recorded in the Register of Monuments of History and Culture of the municipality of Chisinau.
The museum’s origin dates back to 1947 when Alexei Shchusev himself organized the Museum of Soviet Architecture. It was initially curated with drawings, models, documents, and letters from the architect’s personal archive. However, the museum did not withstand the test of time and was dismantled in the early 1950s.
In 1973, on the occasion of the great architect’s 100th anniversary, the museum was rejuvenated. A permanent exhibition dedicated to the life and work of Alexei Shchusev was inaugurated, and it continues to operate to this day.
Additionally, the museum hosts a mini-exhibition paying homage to another notable personality—Alexandro Bernardazzi, the first official architect of Chisinau (1831-1907).
The museum’s collection comprises over 20,000 items, including photographs, documents, and military artifacts. These exhibits were gathered by the museum’s [..]
Military History Museum
The museum’s collection comprises over 20,000 items, including photographs, documents, and military artifacts. These exhibits were gathered by the museum’s staff from the residents of Chisinau, with some originating from the National Army.
Beyond the hall dedicated to the armed conflict in Transnistria, the museum boasts additional permanent exhibition spaces covering a broad historical spectrum. The exhibits span from the ancient period and Daco-Roman wars to the medieval and modern eras. Visitors can explore displays on Russo-Turkish wars, the First and Second World Wars, and the intervening period.
At the entrance to the Military Museum, visitors can access valuable information about the establishment of the “Sfatul Ţării” (The County Council). In 2015, the museum inaugurated a new section that delves into the events spanning from June 28, 1940, to March 5, 1953, focusing on the three waves of mass deportations.
It is the newest museum in Chisinau, inaugurated in 2018 within the National Library. The museum’s collection is primarily sourced [..]
The Museum of Books
It is the newest museum in Chisinau, inaugurated in 2018 within the National Library. The museum’s collection is primarily sourced from the library’s “Old and Rare Books” section, which currently houses over 30 thousand documents.
The museum showcases various intriguing forms of books that have existed throughout history. The compact hall is filled with information, exhibits, and curiosities, offering insights into book binding, the evolution of writing systems, the earliest manuscripts, the history of printing, and the pioneers of printing art, including the fascinating world of “tiny books.”
Among the notable items at the Museum of Books are a fragment of The Quran, a medallion book measuring 11-15 mm, a souvenir edition of the Two Penny Bag measuring 60×40 mm, and many others. The oldest exhibit on display is the manuscript “Ostrog’s Gospel,” dating back to 1056, while the oldest printed book in the collection dates to 1551, featuring a commentary on “Aristotle’s Categories.”
Located right in the city center, at the intersection of Bd. Mitropolit G. Bănulescu-Bodoni and Bd. Ștefan cel Mare, it [..]
„Alexander” Art Gallery
Located right in the city center, at the intersection of Bd. Mitropolit G. Bănulescu-Bodoni and Bd. Ștefan cel Mare, it was founded in 2000 by Alexandru Neceainecu (architect) and Natalia Obadă (artist).
Here, in a small room, the works of several artists from Moldova are exhibited for sale, showcasing different styles such as symbolism, naive art, or primitivism. Paintings, graphics, sculptures, papier-mâché, ceramics, and interior decorations constitute just a small part of the diverse collection on display in this compact space in the center of the capital.
The largest and most significant art exhibition center in the country and the capital, it consistently hosts exhibitions featuring the [..]
Exhibition Centre “Constantin Brancusi”
The largest and most significant art exhibition center in the country and the capital, it consistently hosts exhibitions featuring the titular members of the Union of Artists of the Republic.
Temporary exhibitions encompass paintings, graphics, decorative arts, ceramics, and sculptures created by artists—both emerging talents and renowned figures, hailing from both local and international art scenes.
The exhibition center’s openings are renowned for their exceptional contributions to the realm of contemporary art.
The monument was inaugurated on May 9, 1975, on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Soviet victory in [..]
“Eternity” Memorial Complex
The monument was inaugurated on May 9, 1975, on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Soviet victory in World War II.
During the Soviet period the complex was known as the “Victory Memorial”. Under the 25 m high pyramid, consisting of 5 bayonets, in honor of the 5 years of war, burns an eternal flame of memory. Authors – sculptors A. Maiko and I. Poniatowski, architect A. Minaev.
The Memorial Complex “To the Sons of the Motherland – the Eternal Memory”
The idea of erecting a monument in honor of the 12,500 soldiers who did their “international duty” and the 301 [..]
The Memorial Complex “To the Sons of the Motherland – the Eternal Memory”
The idea of erecting a monument in honor of the 12,500 soldiers who did their “international duty” and the 301 soldiers who fell in the war in Afghanistan came up in 2002. The place for the monument was chosen and accepted in the Rascani sector the capital.
The authors of the project are were the architect Vasili Eremciuc and the sculptor Boris Dubrovin.
The monument in memory of the victims of the deportations of the communist regime „The Train of Pain”
A Monument erected in honor of those deported people from Moldova during the three waves of deportation: in June 1941, [..]
The monument in memory of the victims of the deportations of the communist regime „The Train of Pain”
A Monument erected in honor of those deported people from Moldova during the three waves of deportation: in June 1941, July 1949 and April 1951 (a total of about 58,000 people were deported). It was inaugurated on August 23, 2013 on The Train Station Alley. The author of the monument is the sculptor Iurie Platon. The bronze sculpture is 3 meters high and 12 meters long.
Monument-spring “Cișmeaua General Georgescu P. Ion”
On the Romanian Army Day, marked annually on October 25, the monument “General Georgescu P. Ion’s Cemetery”, located in Valea [..]
Monument-spring “Cișmeaua General Georgescu P. Ion”
On the Romanian Army Day, marked annually on October 25, the monument “General Georgescu P. Ion’s Cemetery”, located in Valea Morilor Park, was re-inaugurated and consecrated in Chisinau.
It was originally installed in 1937, in honour of the victories of the Romanian Army in the battles of Mărăști and Mărășești in the First World War. The Cișmeaua was once known as “General Pion’s Spring” because General Pavel Ion Georgescu, who was called Pion for short, was the initiator of this monument.
Behind this monument there are now three plaques, which commemorate tragic events in our history. It is about the year 1940 – when the USSR conquered Bessarabia, northern Bukovina, Herta County and in the period from June 1940 to July 1941, several historical personalities were captured and tortured. Their bodies were found many years later in mass graves at the exit of the “Valley of the Mills” park.
He was born on 25 December 1883 in Zănoaga (Romania) in a priest’s family.
He attended the “Carol I” National College in Craiova and the “Mihai Viteazul” High School in Bucharest, then the Military School of Artillery and Engineering (1904-1906) and finally the Faculty of Mathematics.
Military ranks: second lieutenant-1906, lieutenant-1910, captain-1914, major-1917, lieutenant-colonel-1920, colonel-1926, brigadier general-1935, major general-1942.
Military functions: teacher and commander of the Artillery School in Timișoara (1926-1928) and of the Army Arsenal (1930-1931), of the 1st Artillery Brigade in Chișinău until 1937, of the 20th Infantry Division in Tg. Mures (1937-1939), then of the 7th Territorial Corps Sibiu.
He was a professor of ballistics at the Polytechnic Institute of Timișoara.
In the First World War he distinguished himself in the battles of Cașin and Mărășești (Pion trench).
In the village of Seini (Satu Mare, Romania) he built an Orthodox church and in Zănoaga he erected a bust of Stephen the Great.
Between 1937 and 1939, as a division general, he was commander of the fortifications at Poarta Someșului. Also during this period he erected a living monument, made of 10,000 fir trees, on Comja Hill (650 m – Gutâiului Mountain), inscribed with the poet’s name – “Eminescu”. The cemetery of General Georgescu P. Ion (“PION” – as he was called, honorary citizen of Seini, post mortem) is visible from the plane, from the DE 58, towards Satu Mare.
On 1 September 1940, as commander of the 7th Territorial Corps, he and other officers took part in leading the demonstration in Sibiu against the Vienna Dictatorship.
He was decorated with several Romanian and foreign orders and medals.Since 1946 he has been under constant surveillance by the Securitate and has been arrested several times. He died in 1956.
In the past, it was the church of the cemetery of the village of Visterniceni, later annexed to the city [..]
Church of Saints Constantine and Helen (1777)
In the past, it was the church of the cemetery of the village of Visterniceni, later annexed to the city and became the Riscani district of the capital.
The church bears its present name since 1834, after the request of the nobleman Iorgu Râșcanu to change the name of the church from Resurrection of the Lord to the present name of Saints Emperors Constantine and his mother Elena, a change made in memory of the founder and his father – Constantin Râșcanu, a merchant and nobleman from the city of Iași.
Constantin Râscanu’s mother (supposedly named Elena) was a half-sister of Vasile Măzărache, the founder of the church of the same name.
The church owns an important library of church books, written in Greek, Romanian and Slavonic, the most important being: Greek Anthologhin (1686), Greek Penticostaion (1687), Bible (1755), Greek Triod (1777) printed in Venice; Romanian Triodian (1731), Romanian Apostle (1794), Gospel (1794) printed in Râmnic, Romania. There are also books printed in Chisinau: Liturgy (1815), Molebnic (1817), Psalter ( 1857), Anthologhion (1861), Octioh, Triodion (1862), Trebnic (Molitvenic, 1908).
In the altar of the church there is also an The aër covering, measuring 88/7.8 cm. The canvas is sewn with silk thread in several colours and with gold and silver threads. There’s an inscription on this canvas in Greek, which translates “Praise God your servants Constantine, Catherine and Evpraxia the nun, 1765”, meaning that this the aër covering was given to the church by its founder, and the date proves, that the church was functioning even before the year of 1777.
In the cemetery next to the church we can still find tombstones, on which we can still decipher the names of great families of Moldovan nobles and dignitaries: Rascanu, Donici, Krupenscki, Russo…
The Armenian Apostolical Church, The Holy Mother of God (1803–1804)
After the annexation of Bessarabia to the Russian Empire in 1812, the Armenian Archbishop (1809-1828) of Moldo-Vlachia, Grigor Zakarian, had [..]
The Armenian Apostolical Church, The Holy Mother of God (1803–1804)
After the annexation of Bessarabia to the Russian Empire in 1812, the Armenian Archbishop (1809-1828) of Moldo-Vlachia, Grigor Zakarian, had to move to Chișinău, his title being limited to that of Archbishop of the Armenians of Bessarabia, although the Armenians across the Prut continued to subordinate themselves to him. The 400 parishes and five churches (Akkerman, Ismail, Tighina, Chisinau, Hotin) of the Armenian community in the region came under the jurisdiction of the Armenian community in Bessarabia.
The Armenian Apostolic Church “Holy Mother of God” in Chisinau dates back to 1803 and was built on the foundation of an old damaged Moldovan church. Built in 1645, during the reign of Vasile Lupu (1634-1653), it was dedicated to “St. Nicholas” and was also known as the “Domnească Church”. Frequent invasions by the Tatars, several earthquakes and destruction caused by the Russo-Turkish wars destroyed it to such an extent that by 1741 it was in total ruin.
At the beginning of the 19th century, the land, and what remained of the church once founded by Vasile Lupu, was bought by an Armenian from the local authorities. This one was Baron Oganes, who contributed to the creation of the church in memory of his parents in 1803.
During the Soviet period, according to the Armenian community, the church was used as a warehouse. From archival documents, we know that its conversion into a storage facility took place in the summer of 1944.
Despite the fact that the building had its religious activity suspended, it continued to gather all the Armenians of the Moldovan SSR, becoming a symbol of the preservation of their spiritual unity and identity – “the Armenian community always gathered around the church, even when it was closed”.
The Armenian community took possession of the Armenian Church again in 1992. The church resumed its activities on 19 June 1993, when it was inaugurated by the head of the Moscow and Nahicevan Eparchy in the presence of high dignitaries, and was served by a priest assigned by the Armenian Patriarchate of Etchimiadzin.
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Who was Manuc Bey?
Armenian, Emanuel Mârzaian was born in 1769 in Rusciuc to a wealthy merchant family. After the death of his parents and his marriage to a wealthy Armenian woman, he took over the family business and established trade links with Constantinople. Thanks to his talent for cultivating relationships, bribing and sensing opportunities, he soon became the richest man in the Balkans. One of the first people he corrupted was the governor of Rusciucco, who offered him a large sum of money in exchange for guaranteeing his import and export business.
He also turned his business to the Romanian Country and got in the good graces of the ruler Constantine Ipsilanti from whom he obtained the dignities of serdar and paharnic. With a remarkable political intuition he sensed the approach of the Russo-Turkish war and in 1806, through high intermediaries such as the ruler of Muntenia and the Russian consul in Iasi, he requested and obtained Russian citizenship.
During the Russo-Turkish war of 1806-1812, Manuc turned his main business to Wallachia where he began to build the inn that bears his name in Bucharest. He also bought large estates in Wallachia.
Enjoying the trust of the Ottomans, Manuc was commissioned by Pasha to supply the army, maintain the Danubian fortresses and negotiate with the Russians.
He also gained the trust of the Montagnards (Muntenians) by offering the Romanian Country a loan of 160,000 talers without interest and by paying (non-refundable) a debt to the Turks of 60,000. In the meantime the Turks also granted him the title of bei or prince of Moldavia.
Manuc bei, a trusted Turkish agent of the Russian Empire, took part in and hosted in his inn the negotiations at the end of the Russo-Turkish war in 1812, negotiations which for us resulted in the loss of Bessarabia. For this Tsar Alexander I decorated him with the medal of Knight of the Order of Saint Vladimir.
After a short journey to Sibiu, the prudent Manuc Bei moved to Chișinău, where in 1816 he bought a 10-hectare estate in Hâncești for 300,000 lei-gold. He did not get to see the finished palace because he died in suspicious circumstances on June 20, 1817 at only 48 years old in a hunting accident, in which Russian generals were taking part, or, according to other anonymous sources, he was killed by the Ottomans for high treason.
He was buried in the courtyard of the Armenian Church in Chisinau.
Cathedral “The Transfiguration of the Saviour” (1898-1902)
It is a place of worship and an architectural monument of national significance, entered in the Register of monuments of [..]
Cathedral “The Transfiguration of the Saviour” (1898-1902)
It is a place of worship and an architectural monument of national significance, entered in the Register of monuments of history and culture of the municipality of Chisinau. It is the former chapel “St. Emperors Constantine and Helen” of the gymnasium no. 2 for boys (in the interwar period – military high school “Mihai Viteazul”), built between 1898-1902, under the direction of the diocesan architect Mihail Seroținski.
It has an inscribed Greek cross plan with four pillars on which the circular dome drum rests. The exterior is decorated in the spirit of the Byzantine-Russian style. In front of the entrance is a porch with sturdy columns. During the Soviet period it was long used as a planetarium.
Monastery ,,Saint Great Martyr Teodor Tiron” (Ciuflea) (1854-1858)
It is the only convent of nuns in the territory of Chișinău. Its cathedral is a white stone temple with [..]
Monastery ,,Saint Great Martyr Teodor Tiron” (Ciuflea) (1854-1858)
It is the only convent of nuns in the territory of Chișinău. Its cathedral is a white stone temple with nine gilded domes and was built at the request of brothers Teodor (1796-1854) and Anastasie (1801-1870) Ciufli, based on the design of architect Luca Zaușchevici. It is popularly known as “Ciuflea Monastery.” The construction of the cathedral began in 1854 and was completed in 1858. The founders of this holy place, brothers Teodor and Anastasie, are buried near the south wall, as evidenced by the inscription on the marble slab inside the cathedral of the monastery. A tragic event, related to the First Jewish Pogrom in Chișinău, is also associated with this holy place. The pogrom began on Easter Day, 6 April 1903, in front of Ciuflea Cathedral, where Jewish shops and stores were located. The pogrom lasted three days: 6, 7, and 8 April 1903. These days coincided with Orthodox Christian Easter. According to the Jewish calendar, the first day corresponded to the last day of Pesach (Passover), called “Acharon shel Pesach.” The pogrom in Chișinău attracted attention from the Jewish world, Russia, and the entire civilized world due to a new element: people being killed. Previously, in the pogroms of 1881-1882 in southern Russia, the defining element had been robbery. This time, however, there was murder — a type of murder that had not occurred in pogroms for about 250 years. During the Chișinău pogrom, 51 people were killed, including 49 Jews (24 women and children), over 300 were wounded (75 of them seriously), and about 800 Jewish homes and shops were destroyed, damaged, or looted. The former cathedral, now the Monastery of Saint Great Martyr Teodor Tiron, remained a beacon of the ancestral Orthodox faith throughout the difficult years of Soviet atheism (1962-2002). On 2 May 2008, the Icon of Our Lady ” Panagia Portaitissa ” was brought to Ciuflea Monastery from Mount Athos. The icon is currently kept in the Winter Church of the monastery. A small part of the Holy Relics of the Great Martyr Teodor Tiron is also kept here.
It was inaugurated on April 22, 1993. The authors – the architect S. Şoihet and the sculptor N. Epelbaum. The [..]
Monument to the Victims of the Chisinau Ghetto
It was inaugurated on April 22, 1993. The authors – the architect S. Şoihet and the sculptor N. Epelbaum.
The Chisinau ghetto was created on July 25, 1941 by order of the military governor of Bessarabia, General Constantin Voiculescu. On August 11, there were 10,578 people in the ghetto, later the number increased to 11,525 with the arrival of Jews from nearby towns. According to the 1942 census of the authorities, only 100 Jews remained in Chisinau, of which 99 were in the ghetto. Only 6 Jews survived until the Soviet army entered Chisinau in the summer of 1944.
The memorial complex was erected in honor of the detachments of Bulgarian volunteers, formed in Chisinau on the eve of [..]
Shipka Obelisk
The memorial complex was erected in honor of the detachments of Bulgarian volunteers, formed in Chisinau on the eve of the Russo-Turkish war of 1877-1878.
The complex consists of an obelisk, a chapel and a square. The chapel was built in 1882 on the site where on April 12 (1877) the parade of Russian troops and Bulgarian volunteers took place (the famous “Skakovoie Pole” (horse racing ground).
The obelisk was inaugurated in 1966. The guest of honor at the opening of the monument was the world’s first cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin.
„Mykhailo Kotsyubinsky” Lyceum is an educational institution of the municipality. It is located in the center of Chisinau. The building [..]
„Mykhailo Kotsyubinsky” Lyceum
„Mykhailo Kotsyubinsky” Lyceum is an educational institution of the municipality. It is located in the center of Chisinau.
The building of the lyceum is of historical value: it was founded in 1864 by a pupil of the famous architect Alxandr Bernardazzi. Here in 1873-1918 there was the local superintendence of estates of foreign ecclesiastical establishments of Bessarabia, from 1918 to 1940 – the school for girls F. Nitze, from 1944 to 1952 – the Moldovan men’s school № 4, from 1952 to 1992 – the Russian secondary school № 15. The Lyceum inherited a marble staircase and ceiling molding.
The profile of the lyceum is humanitarian, the language of instruction is Russian.
Languages studied: Romanian, Ukrainian, English, French.
The lyceum cooperates with other educational institutions of the municipality and the Republic, as well as with Ukrainian, Polish, Romanian and other countries….
Mykhailo Mykhailovych Kotsyubinsky (Mykhaylo Mykhailovych Kotsyubinskiy) – Ukrainian writer, public figure, classic of Ukrainian literature (September 17, 1864 – April 25, 1913).
Years of Kotsyubinsky’s stay in government service in Moldova and in Crimea gave vital material for his works “For the Common Good” (1895), “Ambassador of the Black Tsar” (1897), “The Witch” (1898), “In the bonds of Shaitan” (1899), “At a dear price” (1901), “On the Stone” (1902), “Into the Sinful World”, “Under the Minarets” (1904). One of the evidences that Kotsyubinsky’s works of the Moldavian-Crimean cycle went beyond local problems is that his story “For the Common Good” was printed in Russian translation in the magazine “Life” (1899, book 12).
Kotsyubinsky’s work still serves as an artistic example for more than one generation of Ukrainian writers.
His works have been translated into Russian, Polish, French, Italian, German, Japanese and Norwegian languages.
Based on the works of the writer, the movies “Bloody Dawn” (1957), “Horses are not to blame” (1957), “At a high price” (1958), “Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors” (1965), “Birthday Present” (1991) were created.
Architectural monument of national significance, entered in the Register of Monuments of History and Culture of the municipality of Chisinau [..]
Church Annunciation (1810)
Architectural monument of national significance, entered in the Register of Monuments of History and Culture of the municipality of Chisinau at the initiative of the Academy of Sciences.
The church was built in 1810 on the site of an older one, burnt down by the Ottomans in the late 18th century.
It possesses the characteristics of the architecture of the 18th century churches of Iasi, with classicist influences in the plastic decoration. These elements are particularly noticeable in the architecture of the bell tower above the pronaos and the bulbous tower on the nave. The side walls are reinforced with buttresses.
It is a church with a traditional three-compartment plan: nave, altar aisle and pronaos, to which an external porch has been added.
In 1893 a library was opened next to the church and since 1895 – a church school.
It was only on 28 June 1990 that the Orthodox church was re-registered and the church “Annunciation” was returned to the parishioners.
The church was founded by two brothers of Greek origin, Ivan and Victor Sinadino, honorary citizens of Chișinău. They were [..]
Church of St. Great Martyr Panteleimon (1891)
The church was founded by two brothers of Greek origin, Ivan and Victor Sinadino, honorary citizens of Chișinău. They were the sons of Pantelimon Sinadino, a former mayor of the city who served two terms, from 1837-1839 and 1840-1842. Construction of the church, designed in the neo-Byzantine style by architect Alexander Bernardazzi, took five years to complete. The church was built with a basement and vault intended to hold the remains of up to 26 individuals. Through this ecclesiastical gesture, the Sinadino family ensured their burial place within the church. The last member of the Sinadino family to oversee the church was Pantelimon Victor Sinadino, grandson of another mayor from the same family, also named Pantelimon Sinadino, who served from 1905-1910.
The family tomb, which contained the remains of Sinadino family members, was destroyed by the Soviet authorities, and the remains were reported as missing. For many years, the church was repurposed for various functions, including as a warehouse for building materials, a film storage facility, and later as an exhibition space and room for tasting alcoholic beverages.
After a long period of disuse, the church was reopened in 1992 thanks to the efforts of Father Valeriu Bazatin. On November 8, after necessary preparations, he celebrated the first mass in the church after its reopening.
The chapel of the Bessarabian Zemstva’s high school for girls was built in 1895, with Teodor Krupensky and his daughter [..]
Saint Theodora of Sihla Church (1895)
The chapel of the Bessarabian Zemstva’s high school for girls was built in 1895, with Teodor Krupensky and his daughter Euphrosinia, who was married to Prince Viazemski of Russia, as its founders. The architect of the Byzantine-style project was Alexander Bernardazzi.
The consecration of the chapel did not take place for another 27 years due to a tragic event in its altar, that made it impossible to continue using it, the gymnasium having at the time another chapel built in its courtyard. It was consecrated only in 1922, and was given the name “St. Theodore Tiron” of the “Regina Maria” High School for Girls. During the USSR regime, the Chisinau Museum of Atheism was opened here.
Only after the independence of the Republic of Moldova, the church was returned to the parishioners and received a new name – Saint Theodora of Sihla. The stone under the bas-relief of A. Bernardazzi, which is located on an outer wall of the church, was brought from the cave in the area of Neamț (Romania), where St. Theodora lived in the sixtystery.
The Roman-Catholic Cathedral of Divine Providence (1840)
The Roman Catholic community in Chisinau, composed almost exclusively of Polish people, was formed in the late 1830s. Ten years [..]
The Roman-Catholic Cathedral of Divine Providence (1840)
The Roman Catholic community in Chisinau, composed almost exclusively of Polish people, was formed in the late 1830s. Ten years later, with their own financial contributions, the community builts a holy place, in 1840.
The church project was approved in St Petersburg. The architect and sculptor Joseph I. Charlemand played an important role for the design.
The architecture of this cathedral was designed in the spirit of late neoclassicism, influenced by Italian Renaissance architecture.
On 30 September 1964, the church was handed over to the School No 56 and converted into an assembly hall. Later, the church also housed a recording studio and a warehouse of the film studio “Moldova Film”. In 1988, the church was converted into a poetic theatre.
Only at the end of 1989, after numerous appeals to the central authorities of the USSR, the Red Cross and the ONU, was the church returned to the parish and the faithful.
Nowadays, there is an estimated number of 20,000 Catholics in Moldova.
From historical sources we learn that the construction of the Church “Saint George” began in 1814, in the historic center [..]
Saint George the Great Church (1819)
From historical sources we learn that the construction of the Church “Saint George” began in 1814, in the historic center of Chisinau, with the blessing of Metropolitan Gavriil Bănulescu-Bodoni.
The works started under the guidance of the priest Gheorghe, helped by his Bulgarian compatriots. One of the architects of the shrine was Archimandrite Ioanikie, a guest from St Petersburg. The main burden fell on the shoulders of Costin Stavaraki.
He was appointed abbot of the church, where he served until 1830. The construction was completed around 1818 and on November 3rd, it was consecrated by the Bishop of Bender Akerman Dumitru, vicar of Chisinau. The official year of completion was 1819, when the Iconostasis was installed.
During the interwar period, divine services were conducted in Romanian and Russian languages.
In the summer of 1940, following the devastating earthquake, the church suffered a major setback. Efforts were needed to restore the holy place.
In 1959 the church was closed. In 1978 the building was declared a monument of architecture protected by the State, and then restoration was carried out.
After the national revival, the church was returned to the faithful.
The holy place was given the name “Saint Hierarch Nicholas” in memory of the first founder – the felcher Nicholas [..]
Saint Hierarch Nicholas Church (1901)
The holy place was given the name “Saint Hierarch Nicholas” in memory of the first founder – the felcher Nicholas Ivanov. The construction of the church began in 1901, according to the project of the city architect Vladimir Tiganko.
After the death of the main founder, Catherine’s wife sells the house for 5500 rubles and the whole amount is transferred to the account of the future church. The construction of the building was finished in December 1901.
The total amount for the erection of the church was 20 thousand 944 rubles 45 kopecks. The first parish priest was Sofronie Celan.
Next to the church a home for the elderly was built and operated for a long time, where 20 people were housed at the same time.
The church has a combination of different styles, so that each parishioner can find comfort in his soul.
It was closed in 1940 during the period of rampant atheism. During the USSR, the House of Culture of the medical faculty students operated here.
The holy place was reopened in 1992, when it was given back to the Metropolitanate of all Moldova by the administration of the Institute of Medicine.
In one of the courtyards of the Rascani sector an older monument was hidden. Supposedly erected around 1960-1964, it is [..]
Monumentul Naiului
In one of the courtyards of the Rascani sector an older monument was hidden. Supposedly erected around 1960-1964, it is dedicated to the most famous national musical instrument – the Nai.
General name: Nai
Local name: Fluierar, Fluieraș, Fluierici, Fluierător, Moscal, Muscal, Șuieriță
Short definition: The Nai is a traditional end-blown woodwind instrument of the flute family.
Circular: The Nai is one of the oldest musical instruments in the world and one of the most perfect archaic instruments. The origin of the nai is lost in times long gone. Neither the inventor nor the area of origin of the nai has yet been established. As with other traditional musical instruments, polygenesis also applies to this aerophone. According to some sources, the instrument is about six thousand years old. Six thousand years ago, musical sounds were defined by the order of this reed-pipe link, which was the primordial pipe. Archaeological and historical records prove the presence of the pipe in all corners of the world. Under different names, the nai is found in many countries around the world: antara – in Peru and Bolivia; biwabon – in Japan; kuviklî, kuviciki or pipe – in Russia; lalave, palina, rihe or tenaho – in the Solomon Islands; mishi – in the Democratic Republic of Congo; musikâr – in Turkey;
syrinx – in Greece; skuduciai or skadutas – in Lithuania; zuffolo or zuffolo pastorale – in Italy, etc. Throughout the world, the instrument has circulated and still circulates under the name of Pan’s flute, a name that has become established due to the legend that depicts the Greek god Pan playing this instrument, attributing to this deity the role of creator of the flute. Philologists explain the etymology of the instrument’s name in the Persian-Arabic-Turkish word nay or ney, which, according to Curt Sachs, means reed whistle. Nay mus in Persian means Pan’s whistle, and miskal, musikâr or musqal in Persian, Arabic and Turkish also means Pan’s whistle.
In our cultural-ethnic space, the flute has been known since ancient times. Pictorial evidence from antiquity, found in centres inhabited by the Geto-Dacians, depicts musical-choreographic scenes with the presence of mythological divinities (heroes dancing to the sounds of the flute, fauns with a flute, Pan with a kettledrum and flute, etc.), all dating from long before our era (from the 6th century BC). Sculptural images and inscriptions attested at Histria, Tomis, Callatis depict several musicians (instrumentalists) playing musical instruments, including the syrinx (nai), in various poses. We find it depicted on the bas-relief on the wall of the sarcophagus from the discovered in Oltenia. In the historical and literary writings of the Roman poet Ovid (1st century AD) the presence of the nai in the musical practice of the Geto-Dacians is mentioned. Mention of the presence of the syrinx in choreographic performance is attested in the 1st century AD. 2nd century AD north of the Danube by the Greek writer Lucian of Samosata. The Dionysian deity’s relief appears on a marble slab with an inscription (241 AD), discovered at Tomis, two corybanites armed with swords and shields rhythmically support a war dance in the presence of Pan (with the traditional nai) and Dionysus. The nai is referred to as a pipe in the work ‘The Teachings of Neagoe Basarab to his son Theodosius’ (1512-1521). In the Principality of Monaco, the nai began to be popularised on a massive scale in the 18th century, when it was included in lute bands alongside the violin and the cobza. The organologist Tiberiu Alexandru suggests the hypothesis that the construction of the reed-pipe nai proves its primary functionality in the rustic and bucolic environment. The next mention of the functioning of the pipe in our traditional musical culture comes from 1774, when the Russian General-feldmarshal Pyotr Rumyantsev, who took part in the Russian-Turkish war of 1768-1774, including the battles of Larga and Cahul (1770), addresses the Divan of Moldavia and Wallachia with the request to send to the imperial palace in St. Petersburg the instrumental ensemble composed of the violinist-brothers Ivanta and the naist Stancu. Fr.J. Sulzer in his work History of Transalpine Dacia (1781, Vienna, vol. II, p. 417) also reports on the existence of the nai in the lute inlays in the lowlands of Moldavia and Wallachia. The fame of the naijo reached beyond the borders of the country from the second half of the 18th century, and the former French secretary to Grigore III Ghica Jean-Louis Carra noted in 1777 in Histoire de la Moldavie et de la Valachie, avec une dissertation sur l ‘etat actuel de ces deux Provinces that the naijo (‘the eight-holed whistle’), together with the violin and the cobza, was one of the country’s instruments. History has preserved several names of famous instrumentalists, who delighted listeners in the country and abroad with their interpretive art: Stancu, Năstasă Muscalagiul, Paraschiv Muscalagiul, Mihalachi Roșu – a member of the Taraf led by the famous Barbu Lăutarul who is said to have possessed the naiola, T. Teodorescu, I. Pădureanu, Angheluș Dinicu, Radu Ciolac and others. Under different names the naius is recorded in several written sources published in the country and abroad: Papageno’s flute (in the German Allgemeine Musikalsche Zeitung, nos. 46 and 47, 1821), muscal (in Dionysius Fotino’s General History of Dacia, 1819, reed (in the travel notes of the Russian officer V. Gorceakov, 1820-23), Pan’s flute (in the work of the English traveller W. Wilkinson’s Tableau historique, géographique et politique de la Moldavie, 1821), nai (in the songbook of the Austrian violinist and critic Alfred Henrich Ehrlich Air nationeax roumains, 1850 and in the novel by the German writer Wilhelm de Kotzebue Lascar Viorescu, 1851).
In the second half of the 19th century, the art of playing the nai was presented and appreciated abroad: in Belgium, in Russia – in Sankt-Petersburg, Moscow, Baku, the nai performers were accompanied by the tarafols led by G. Ochialb, S. Pădureanu. It is even believed that it was under the impression of these ensembles that the Russian composer N. Rimsky-Korsakov introduced the naiola in the third act of the score of his opera “Mlada” (1893). However, it was also during this period that the naius was gradually suppressed from the composition of the inlays. In the ensembles conducted by I. Perja, C. Marin, C. Parno, Gh. Heraru – the most representative for the late sec. XIX – înc. sec. 20th century in Moldova on the left of the Prut – the nai mike is not recorded. It gradually returns again in the composition of instrumental ensembles in the second half of the 20th century. Nowadays, the nai is mainly used in non-traditional environments as a component instrument in folk music bands and folk ensembles.
The Church Museum was legally founded on April 4, 1904, with the establishment of the Church Historical-Archaeological Society in Chisinau, [..]
Ruins of the Church Museum/Old Cathedral
The Church Museum was legally founded on April 4, 1904, with the establishment of the Church Historical-Archaeological Society in Chisinau, initiated by the distinguished Basarabian scholar Ioan Halippa.
According to the by-laws, the Society’s objective was the comprehensive study of the local Church’s history, starting from the dawn of Christianity in Bessarabia. The Society focused its activities on researching, preserving, and studying monuments related to the establishment of churches, the formation of parishes, the ecclesiastical hierarchy, religious-moral life of the clergy and laity, educational aspects, and efforts against the spread of heresies and sects. The Society collected written documents concerning the ecclesiastical domain, ecclesiastical books, icons, and other ecclesiastical items. It also gathered, described, and processed archaeological-church, historical, and ethnological materials held by institutions and private individuals.
To achieve its goals, the Society had the authority to maintain church antiquities, operate a museum, library, archive, and publish a magazine. Between 1909 and 1934, the Society published a scientific magazine, featuring contributions from Romanian hierarchs, priests, theologians, and researchers from Bessarabia and later from all over Romania, totaling twenty-four volumes.
The Society pursued another goal outlined in its regulations, namely, to enrich the collection of the church museum.
In 1920, the museum received a visit from Romanian King Ferdinand I and Queen Maria, accompanied by Royal Princess Elisabeth. Other notable visitors included Metropolitan Miron Cristea (future patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church), Octavian Goga (Minister of Religious Affairs), and Visarion Puiu (Bishop of Argeș). In 1919, O. Tafrali, a professor at the University of Iasi, visited the museum. Nicolae Iorga, who took interest in the museum’s treasures, noted his impressions in the visitors’ golden book in 1919: “I have examined the beautiful collection, taking it upon myself to enrich it; I have admired what love united with faith and hard work can do.”
Until 1940, the Museum was situated in the building of the Diocesan House on Emperor Alexander Boulevard, known as the “Serafimovsky Dom” (Serafim’s House) in honor of Archbishop Serafim Ciceagov, the building’s founder. In 1941, the Soviet army demolished the building, and after the war, it was completely razed.
In 1940, the museum was evacuated to Romania. With the re-establishment of church life in Bessarabia in 1941, efforts were made to revive the Museum, initiated by parish priest Father Paul Mihail. However, the Soviet return halted the Museum’s progress, and the heritage disappeared without a trace.
After 1944, the museum was devastated, and the museum’s possessions were evacuated to Plopșor, Dolj County, Romania. When the Soviet army occupied Romania, the crates containing the museum’s possessions disappeared, and the fate of the exhibits remains unknown.
The curator of the Museum, Father Paul Mihail, worked tirelessly for the rehabilitation and conservation of church antiquities. However, he suffered greatly after the museum’s destruction and the disappearance of the artifacts.
The building of the Museum, situated near the church of St. Archangels Michael and Gabriel, was demolished in the 1960s. The Old Sobor was also demolished by Soviet authorities and replaced by the “Moscow” cinema, later transformed into the “Eugen Ionesco” Theatre. The Diocesan House building was demolished in 1960 during urban architectural changes, with a monument dedicated to the heroes of the komsomol erected in its place.
On November 5, 2021, on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the death of Metropolitan Gavriil Bănulescu-Bodoni and his canonization, archaeological excavations were initiated near the “Eugen Ionesco” Theatre to uncover the foundations of the Church Museum building and the residence of Metropolitan Bănulescu-Bodoni. Traces of a building and three underground stone structures, demolished in the 1960s, were discovered and partially excavated in this area. Plans are underway to initiate a project to preserve and transform the remnants of the disappeared buildings, including the Church of Archangels Michael and Gabriel (Old Cathedral) and the Church Museum, into a museum complex on the land adjacent to the Eugen Ionesco Theatre.
These actions aim to contribute to the restoration, preservation, and sustainable valorization of archaeological sites with significant historical and architectural value.
The provided text is based on an article signed by Father Maxim Melinti.
The mural with the name “Hope” was painted by the painter Dmitrii Potapov in collaboration with several students from the [..]
Mural painting “Hope”
The mural with the name “Hope” was painted by the painter Dmitrii Potapov in collaboration with several students from the State University “Ion Creanga”. “Hope” was painted on a 14-storey block of flats from the 17th century. Botanica in Chisinau, near the “Zimbru” stadium (47/6 Dacia Boulevard).
The work depicts the image of a schoolgirl coming home from school. On her way home, the girl makes friends with everyone around her: with nature and birds, she plays with the sun’s rays, but her aspirations lead to the stars…
It is believed that this very church in the town has been built the longest – just over 100 years! [..]
Church All Saints Sunday (1819- 1930)
It is believed that this very church in the town has been built the longest – just over 100 years! It is also the church that is most often visited by parishioners – it is located at the entrance to the Central (also called Armenian) Cemetery.
The present appearance of the church consists of a circular volume crowned by a dome, to which a high bell tower is attached to the west by a lower room. The cylindrical part is the old one and represents the chapel of the Orthodox cemetery founded on this site in 1814.
The construction of the chapel began in 1818, dedicated to St. Nicholas, with Elena Matasariță as the founder. The construction plan was chosen by Metropolitan Gavriil Bănulescu-Bodoni himself.
It was a building that was part of the structural type of the rotunda, characteristic of the necropolis built at the turn of the 18th-19th centuries.
Transformed into a parish church, it became too small and in 1863 a bell tower and an intermediate space were added. The gaps between the columns of the outer gallery were built up, leaving only half the thickness of the columns open to view, interspersed with window openings and a doorway.
In 1880 the belfry in front of the entrance was added. The building has achieved a look typical of Russian churches, which were erected in the gubernias of south-eastern Russia.
Among the objects of worship here, undoubtedly the most important is the Icon of Our Lady of Poceyev.
The “Holy Trinity” Church was founded and consecrated by Archbishop Antonie Shocotov, on the territory of the former cemetery of [..]
Holy Trinity Church (1852-1862, or 1869)
The “Holy Trinity” Church was founded and consecrated by Archbishop Antonie Shocotov, on the territory of the former cemetery of the village of Muncesti (nowadays Botanica sector). It is a church built according to one of the model projects, which were widespread in Bessarabia at that time and used in ordinary cases. The architecture of the church is eclectic, based on the classicist style with elements of Russian architecture. The plan consists of two compartments: the altar apse, polygonal in plan, and the nave, square in plan, dominated by a pyramidal roof, crowned with a false spire like an onion bulb. The church was joined with the two-storey belfry, with a prismatic bell chamber and wide arched openings.
Part of the land in the cemetery of the church during Soviet times was levelled with bulldozers. Several residential blocks were built on that site. On the small remaining area of the cemetery, tombstones dating from the 18th-20th centuries can still be found. During the Soviet period it was one of the few places of worship in Chisinau that were not closed permanently.
Next to the church is the former Romanian Military Cemetery, which was established in 1918.
During the interwar period, the cemetery was set up by the “Regina Maria” National Association for the Cult of Heroes, and a chapel in memory of the Czech Legion was built in the same period. The entrance to the cemetery had a massive architecture, with large staircases and columns of 10 metres high.
After the end of World War II, the chapel was demolished and the land leveled. Over the remaining tombs was built in 1961 the “Chiril Draganiuc” Institute of Pulmonology and Physiatry, a hospital that was also destroyed in 2007.
It is documented that from the total number of 1645 soldiers that were buried there 431 of them were Romanians who died during the World War I, 96 Romanians who died during the World War II, the rest being Russian, Austrian, Czech, French and Polish soldiers.
One of the old Jewish cemeteries preserved in what is now the city is the one in the Buiucani sector, [..]
Jewish cemeteries
One of the old Jewish cemeteries preserved in what is now the city is the one in the Buiucani sector, next to the fire station on Milano Street. It is estimated that between 40,000 and 50,000 Jews are buried here. The current land is 12 hectares, originally around 15-16 hectares. The town gradually “swallows” its territory.
According to statistics, the dead were buried here at the beginning of the 19th century. Here, among the later monuments, is a memorial to the victims of the 1903 Chisinau pogrom, and not far from it is the grave of Rabbi Leib Jehuda Cirilson, chief rabbi of Bessarabia for many decades. It is believed that the rabbi died during a bombing raid under the roof of his house in August 1944.
There are also the ruins of a synagogue, the only one of its kind in Moldova. The aviator’s grave has also been preserved – the monument is decorated with a propeller, which still rotates in the wind to this day…
During World War II, the eastern part of the cemetery was badly damaged. In 1958, the area was divided into two parts, one of which the authorities later turned into a farmers’ market. By 1960 the eastern part of the cemetery was completely destroyed, the tombstones were crushed and used to build the fence for the rest of the Jewish cemetery and other cemeteries in Chisinau, as well as to pave paths in the park. Alunelul Park, tennis courts, and residential neighborhoods were developed on the territory once occupied by the cemetery.
The western part of the Jewish cemetery survives to this day, but most of the graves are in poor condition, with gravestones damaged, plaques broken and erased, and fences rusted. Vandals, natural influences and ruthless time are destroying even the most durable stones and memories…
All Saints Glorified on the Land of Moldova – Bulgarian Chapel (1882)
On this site, where the Obelisk and Chapel now stand, in 1887, Emperor Alexander II read out the manifesto of [..]
All Saints Glorified on the Land of Moldova – Bulgarian Chapel (1882)
On this site, where the Obelisk and Chapel now stand, in 1887, Emperor Alexander II read out the manifesto of Russia’s declaration of war against the Ottoman Porte in front of Russian troops and Moldovan and Bulgarian volunteers. On this day the last Russo-Turkish war began, ending with the victory of Russia and the formation of the Bulgarian state. A parade of troops took place before being sent to the Balkans. In honour of this event, a small chapel was built on the eastern side of the field in 1882.
A year before the outbreak of war, Gustave Eiffel was specially invited to Basarabia to build a bridge across the Prut. The inauguration of the bridge took place on 21 April 1877, and three days later the Russo-Turkish war began.
In 1876, the Bulgarian Charity Committee was set up in Chisinau to help the national liberation movement in Bulgaria. The committee gave extensive support to the Serbs during the war in Serbia and Montenegro against the Turks. It facilitated the sending of volunteers, combat equipment and food from Kishinev to Serbia. At the Committee’s initiative, charity concerts, plays and lotteries were organised in Kishinev, the proceeds of which went to the Bulgarians. A collection of shoes, clothes and food for the Bulgarian volunteers took place in the capital and southern Bessarabia.
The formation of the Bulgarian volunteer detachment began in March 1877, and at the end of the same month 1. volunteers were gathered into the Armenian subaltern and from them three divisions were formed under the command of Major-General N. G. Stoletov.
The chapel caretakers said that the icon in the centre (roses are always placed under it) is the only one in Moldova that helps cancer patients. That’s why many people bring expensive jewellery as a sign of gratitude.
During the Soviet period, the chapel housed the Bulgarian Militia Memorial Museum.
Not far from the chapel, in memory of the events of 1877 and in honour of Bulgarian-Soviet friendship, a 16-metre granite obelisk in the shape of a needle was erected in 1966, on the eve of the mistaken celebration of the 500th anniversary of Chisinau. The unveiling of the obelisk was attended by the guest of honour – Iury Gagarin, the first cosmonaut of the Earth. He also planted a tree next to the chapel.
In the Valley of Roses, we find the ruined Catholic cemetery chapel: Polish and Armenian, built in 1912. In the [..]
Tomb of the Oganowici family
In the Valley of Roses, we find the ruined Catholic cemetery chapel: Polish and Armenian, built in 1912. In the west wing, we encounter a memorial building – the tomb of the Polish Oganowici family.
Of modest proportions, the chapel is designed in an eclectic style, inspired by the Gothic style. The plan consists of a nave with a small altar apse, polygonal in shape, with the corners supported by stepped buttresses. The appearance of the building is reminiscent of the small-scale places of worship from the flourishing period of Gothic architecture in the 12th-13th centuries in Eastern Europe, including Poland and Galicia, from where the Polish and Armenian Catholics migrated to Bessarabia…
Construction of the chapel began in 1913, commemorating the burial place of Joseph Kaetanovich Oganovich, who passed away on 14 January 1909.
The construction was completed in 1922 by G.A. Demzhanovich.
Unfortunately, today, the chapel is in an advanced state of decay…
The Central Cemetery in Chisinau was founded in 1811. In 1818 the Church of All Saints was built on its [..]
Central Cemetery (Armenian)
The Central Cemetery in Chisinau was founded in 1811. In 1818 the Church of All Saints was built on its territory.
Nowadays the cemetery is located in the triangle of Alexei Mateevici (former Sadovaia), Vasile Alecsandri (former Kotovski) and Panteleimon Halippa streets.
The only entrance/exit is from the street. A. Mateevici, and from its gate starts Armenian Street. That is why the cemetery is called Armenian Cemetery.
Today the Central Cemetery is the most honorable and official cemetery in the city. In the special places of the Central Cemetery within the limits of availability, at the proposal of some public institutions, the mayor general approves the distribution or concession of plots for the burial of outstanding personalities of the Republic of Moldova. The right to reserve plots in the Central Cemetery shall also be granted to the first-degree relatives of persons who have died and are buried there, on the basis of documents confirming the degree of kinship. Where appropriate, the burial of relatives in the same graves is allowed.
Here we find destined names, buried for eternity – Maria Biesu, Ion and Doina Aldea-Teodorovici, Grigore Vieru, Alexe Mateevici, Nicolae Sulac, Ion Vatamanu, Leonida Lari, Natalia Dadiani, Alexandru Plămădeală, Grigore Grigoriu, Timofei Moșneaga, Vladimir Herța, as well as other famous names of our glorious past …
The Armenian community has left a serious mark on the history and geography of Chisinau. In fact, the Armenian community [..]
Armenian streets
The Armenian community has left a serious mark on the history and geography of Chisinau. In fact, the Armenian community feels honored that there is a street here that marks their identity and claims that the Armenian Apostolic Church “Holy Mother of God” in Chisinau, together with the Armenian street, is the place where all Armenians belonging to this area and who left their homes are reunited. And some curious moments will be described below:
1. Historical sources speak about the existence of two Armenian streets. The first one (unofficial) was on the right side of the Bîc river (the old part of the town). The second, which was established in the new part of the city in 1835, when the new urban plan of Chisinau was being finalised, can still be easily found today on the street map of the capital of the Republic of Moldova.
2. On 4 January 1817, describing the city of Chisinau, the English traveller William Mac-Michael wrote: “Among the strange crowd you could distinguish here (…) many Armenians, so numerous that they occupied a whole street. In the midst of the crowd (…) the carriage of an elegant and beautiful child, the daughter of the Armenian vicar, drove slowly along the narrow and sinful street (…) Such was the state of things … in the lower quarter of the bazaar (…)”.
3. The lack of official street names in the old part of the city was due to the fact that most of them were inhabited by ethnic groups, being named after their inhabitants, and looked more like ethnic neighbourhoods. Ștefan Ciobanu’s claim that Armenians in the early 20th century were “ethnic groups” is not true. The Armenians lived on their street in the early 19th century – leads us to conclude that this could only be the street “covered in dust in summer, mud in spring and autumn, and darkness at night”, on which the Armenian Church “St. Mother of God” was built, which was also called the Old Church.
4. The name ‘Old’ was later extended both to the church and to the street, which made the difference between the Armenian street in the old and the new part of the town, one longitudinal and the other transversal.
5. The beginning of the second Armenian street is linked to the transfer to Chisinau, after 1812, of the Armenian Archdiocese, established in 1809, by an ucaz of Tsar Alexander I, on the territory of the Principalities of Moldavia and Muntenia.
6. In 1813, for the Armenian Episcopal House in Chișinău, but also for the construction of parish houses, the governor of Basarabia assigned to the Armenian Archdiocese a territory with an area of about 25 thousand desetine of land (about 27 ha – n.n.), later included between the current streets bd. Stephen the Great and Holy, 31 August 1989, Tighina and Armenian Streets. The area of land made available constituted the “neighbourhood” occupied by the Armenian Archbishop Grigor Zakarian (1809-1828) in Chisinau. It was also called the Armenian Metropolitanate, and the archbishop had the status of metropolitan. According to the location project, the area of land given to the Archbishopric was called “Armenian courtyard” and was enclosed by a fence as the Russian denominations – Aрмянское подворье and Aрмянская ограда – tell us. The territory of the Archdiocese belonged to the monastery of Echmiadzin, the location of the Supreme Patriarch and All Armenian Catholic. The Bishop’s house inside the courtyard was located somewhere in the middle, now Bulgarian Street.
7. In 1813, the first project of the city began to be drawn up, entrusted by the civil governor of Basarabia, Scarlat Sturza, to the governmental architect Mihail Ozmidov. The works for the formation of Chișinău as the capital of the province of Basarabia lasted until August 9, 1834, when the final plan of the city, with an orthogonal street layout, different from the local tradition, was approved by Nicholas I. The streets were named in 1818, when A. N. Bahmetiev, the military governor of Podolia, made a sketch of the city with the location of the streets up to the present M. Kogalniceanu Street. The name was given to the Armenian street in the “upper part” of the town, which was named after the immediate location of the Armenian Archdiocese. Near it, in 1825, the New Square (today Central) was opened, with movable and quite beautiful commercial spaces for that period. It was here that all merchants in Chisinau were obliged to sell their goods, and they were forbidden to trade near their houses in the old part of the city. Attached to the position of their own shops, 2000 Armenian, Bulgarian, Greek and Jewish owners expressed their dissatisfaction in a letter of 18 July 1826 to the civil governor of Bessarabia, V. F. Tishkovsky. However, things did not change, and the old market gradually lost its significance, as did the “lower part” of the town.
8. In 1902, portions of the new and old Armenian Street were paved with granite brought from Podolia between 1888 and 1889. After the construction of the aqueduct by the engineer Haris on 15 December 1892, the Armenian street in the “upper part” of the town was supplied with water from the springs of the Great Fountain and the Artesian. Residents of the street who used the water had to pay for it. For example, those who drank up to 300 buckets of water a day were charged 25 kopecks, and those who drank more than 1,000 buckets a day only 12 kopecks. If the water was used for watering animals, only 1 kopeck per day was charged.
9. A report of 29 December 1921 stated that the ‘foul-smelling’ dirt ‘reaches below all limits’. Stefan Ciobanu himself, by stating that “the most beautiful part of the city starts from Armenească Street”, seems to draw a line in this direction, showing us the existence of two worlds.
10. On 29 February 1924, all the streets of Chisinau were renamed. The “upper” Armenian street was named the White Fortress, later in honour of Marshal Pietro Badoglio, and the “lower” one – Gh. Asachi. However, by inertia, both the population and the Romanian administration referred to them as Armenească and Veche Armenească. After June 28, 1940, the Soviet authorities restored the names of the streets existing until 1924. On 12 April 1941, when the city of Chisinau was divided into three urban districts: Stalinski, Krasnoarmeiski and Leninski, Armenian Street was part of the last one. That was also when the plan to rebuild Chisinau in Soviet style began to be implemented. As far as Armenian Street is concerned, after the decision of 7 December 1949, taken by the Soviet authorities regarding the nationalisation of building No. 47, i.e. the Armenian Diocesan House, there was nothing in this perimeter that reminded of the Armenian element once perpetuated in this territory. Today, with a length of 1.8 km, the Armenian street in Chisinau is one of the symbols that ‘tell’ not only the relationship between time and history, but also the history of the development of a socio-identity space in which the Armenian community was inscribed.
(From the work of Lidia PRISAC, PhD in history and
Ion Valer XENOFONTOV, PhD in History)
In 1998, Pushkin Boulevard was renamed Jerusalem Street on the 3000th anniversary of the first recorded Jerusalem. Previously, before b-l [..]
Jerusalem Street
In 1998, Pushkin Boulevard was renamed Jerusalem Street on the 3000th anniversary of the first recorded Jerusalem. Previously, before b-l was named A.S. Pushkin, this street had no name.
Between Grigore Vieru Boulevard and Pushkin Street, a monument to the victims of the Jewish ghetto in Chisinau was erected on Jerusalem Street. Nearby is the main entrance to the former ghetto, which was established in the lower part of the city in July 1941 after German and Romanian units took control of Chisinau. Within weeks, more than 11,000 Jews – men, women and children – were imprisoned in the ghetto. An information board in front of the monument shows the ghetto’s boundaries.
The exact number of Jews remaining in the city at the time is unknown. Some were deported by the Soviets shortly before the war, while others were evacuated or conscripted into the Red Army. However, thousands of Jews were unable or unwilling to leave the city. Only six people emerged alive from the ghetto in 1944…
Chabad Lubavitch Central Synagogue (Synagogue of the glassmakers)
This Synagogue was built in 1896-1898 by the architect Tsalel Gershevich Ginger. For a long time there was an unspoken [..]
Chabad Lubavitch Central Synagogue (Synagogue of the glassmakers)
This Synagogue was built in 1896-1898 by the architect Tsalel Gershevich Ginger. For a long time there was an unspoken rule in Chisinau: for every 500 Jews in the city there must be one synagogue.
In 1964 the city authorities ordered the closure of all synagogues except the Glaziers’ Synagogue, which remained the only legally operating synagogue for more than 40 years. It is now run by the Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic movement. The original mural paintings have been preserved inside. The synagogue complex includes the building and the mikveh.
Architectural monument of national significance, included in the Register of monuments of history and culture of the municipality of Chisinau, [..]
Jewish Hospital
Architectural monument of national significance, included in the Register of monuments of history and culture of the municipality of Chisinau, compiled by the Academy of Sciences.
The Jewish Hospital was founded before 1812 and received official status in 1843. Since the 70s of the 19th century, projects for the buildings of the curative establishment were elaborated. The hospital is made up of several buildings, freely arranged, pavilion-like, on a vast territory. The buildings were built in stages from the 1880s to the early 20th century.
The administration, pharmacy and laboratory buildings were built between 1889 and 1890, and the surgery pavilion between 1887 and 1901. It also had a maternity ward. At the beginning of the 20th century it became the largest hospital in Bessarabia.
It played a decisive role in the rehabilitation of the victims of the Pogrom of April 1903. It could receive 500 patients at a time, who were always treated free of charge.
CENTRAL SYNAGOGUE OF CHISINAU its founded in 1886. “Sennaya” synagogue, located in the historical part of Chisinau, is one of [..]
Central Synagogue of Chisinau
CENTRAL SYNAGOGUE OF CHISINAU its founded in 1886.
“Sennaya” synagogue, located in the historical part of Chisinau, is one of the oldest functioning synagogues in the capital and the Republic of Moldova as a whole. Its role in the formation of the Jewish community in the region is exceptional.
In recent years an abandoned synagogue building in Chisinau has been restored and transformed into an active Community Center open to all comers. Most of the activities are subsidized and carried out by volunteers who work out of a sense of ideology and a mission to feel a sense of belonging and pride in the Jewish community of Moldova.
The Jewish Community of the Republic of Moldova was officially registered in 1997, being the successor of the Republican Society of Jewish Culture (created in 1989) and the Jewish Community of Bessarabia.
CERM is a non-governmental, non-political, non-profit, public organization, which unites all Jewish communities and organizations of the Republic of Moldova, including the regional communities of Balti, Orhei, Soroca, Bender, Tiraspol, Grigoriopol, Dubasari, Ribnitsa.
In Chisinau, in the square of the State University of Moldova, you can find a sculptural composition, a bit strange, [..]
Stone of Peace
In Chisinau, in the square of the State University of Moldova, you can find a sculptural composition, a bit strange, which for an uninformed person remains unimportant. But this is the famous “Stone of Peace“, erected to commemorate the victims of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The sculpture was erected in 2018 to mark the 25th anniversary of the establishment of Moldovan-Japanese relations.
Interestingly, the “Stone” is a monolith with an engraved pectoral relief, depicting a woman , with the face of the goddess Kanon, praying, wishing herself and everyone eternal peace, as well as the inscription “From Hirosima”. The stone itself was brought from Japan and is part of the pavement of the railway line damaged by the atomic bombing of the Japanese city of Hiroshima on 6 August 1945 at 8.15am.
Such sculptural compositions can be found in over 100 countries. The city of Chisinau became 37th on the list of such sculptures. They are displayed in museums, parks and other public areas, built at the initiative of the “Stone of Peace” Association in Japan.
The monument to Taras Shevchenko in Chisinau was erected in 2006 by a Moldovan sculptor with Ukrainian roots Peotr Gherman [..]
The monument to Taras Shevchenko
The monument to Taras Shevchenko in Chisinau was erected in 2006 by a Moldovan sculptor with Ukrainian roots Peotr Gherman and installed in the Riscani sector of Miron Costin Street in the square of the Taras Shevchenko Gymnasium. Taras Shevchenko Gymnasium.
In different years in Moldova monuments to the Great Kobzar were also installed in the cities of Balti, Briceni, Tiraspol, Bender, Camenca.
This honor of the Ukrainian poet was established due to the consolidation of the Ukrainian nation and society around the highest values of establishing a sovereign, independent and democratic Ukraine.
Every year on March 9, on the birthday of the great Ukrainian poet, the Shevchenko Days are held – it is a holiday that consolidates the entire Ukrainian people, both in Ukraine and abroad. This tradition is also alive in Moldova, because in our country Ukrainians are the second largest nation. Taras Shevchenko, undoubtedly, belongs not only to the Ukrainian people, although his creativity and his whole life are inseparably connected with it; – but part of the world heritage. Taras Shevchenko (1814 – 1861) chose a difficult, full of trials fate. All creativity is permeated with ardent love for his native land. His thoughts and fiery word reflected the aspirations of the working people for a better life. He is called a harbinger of a new life, a people’s prophet, a titan of the spirit, who is rooting for the fate of his people. He left a spiritual testament to his descendants, passed on from generation to generation.
Great Kobzar became a great personality not only of Ukrainian, but also of world literature, receiving the right to immortality.
Shevchenko’s songs and thoughts are close to the folk Ukrainian poetry. They are as melodic, simple and heartfelt, as deep in thought as the songs composed by the people. They are vivid pictures, where life itself is seen, given without embellishments and additions …
The Taras Shevchenko Gymnasium in Chisinau is an educational institution located in the Riscaniovca neighborhood and is an important educational institution for the local Ukrainian community. The school actively supports cultural and linguistic diversity, offering education in both Ukrainian and Romanian languages.
The school hosts a variety of cultural events aimed at preserving and promoting Ukrainian culture among students. In recent years, the gymnasium has become an important center for Ukrainian refugee children who have arrived in Moldova. In response to the increasing number of children needing instruction in their native language, the gymnasium has opened additional classes with instruction in Ukrainian and Romanian. This allows children not only to preserve their national identity, but also to integrate more easily into the Moldovan educational system.
A vestige of the Soviet past. It was erected in 1953. The statue of the communist Grigore Kotovski, participant in [..]
The statue of Grigore Kotovski
A vestige of the Soviet past. It was erected in 1953. The statue of the communist Grigore Kotovski, participant in the Russian Civil War, was erected by a group of sculptors and painters – L. Dubinovschi, K. Kitaika, I. Perșudcev and A. Poseado, after the schematics of the architect F. Naumov. A controversial monument, after many disputes, it remains in its old place, in front of the hotel “Cosmos” on Negruzzi Boulevard.
The Church of Saint Haralambie is a place of worship and an architectural monument of national significance, entered in the [..]
The Church of Saint Haralambie (1836)
The Church of Saint Haralambie is a place of worship and an architectural monument of national significance, entered in the Register of monuments of history and culture of the municipality of Chisinau. It was built in 1836. A lapidary inscription inside it with the year 1812 testifies to a possible earlier stage in the history of the church. It was the reading room of the merchant Haralambie, whose name the street in front of the church bore for a long time.
The architecture was designed in the neoclassical style, in accordance with the “Ucazuri concerning the design of stone churches”. It has a cruciform plan, made up of rectangular elements of the plan, with an elongated longitudinal axis, the central part highlighted by a dome raised on a wide drum with arched windows. On the western arm, elongated by means of a space specific to Russian architecture – the trapeza – and widened like the eastern arm by side rooms, the bell chamber – a prismatic bay with wide openings – was built. The side walls are decorated with porticoes, crowned with triangular gables, under which are the side entrances. The church is plastered on the outside, with the background of the walls showing the details – pilasters, brackets, bays, lintels, covered in a lighter shade than the rest of the building.
It is a contemporary church. Through the mercy of the Good Lord and with the blessing of His Eminence Vladimir, [..]
Saint Mucenic Valeriu
It is a contemporary church. Through the mercy of the Good Lord and with the blessing of His Eminence Vladimir, Metropolitan of Chisinau and the whole of Moldova, as a servant of the Holy Church and the desire of many people of good faith, but also through the efforts of the Protopriest Valeriu Bazatin, who undertook the commitment to build the holy place Church dedicated to “Saint Mucenic Valeriu” in the Riscani sector of Chisinau.
This work began with the decision of the Chisinau City Hall of 26.12.2000, which accepted the sale of the land with the surface of 0.256 ha to the Bazat company, which assumed the responsibility of further managing the exploitation of the territory.
Thus, during 5 years, several teams of builders worked with dedication, and on 25 May 2005 for the first time the parishioners were invited to the holy mass.
At the 30th anniversary of its activity the “Hristo Botev” branch of the BM “B.P.Hasdeu” has become a focal point of the Bulgarian culture in Chisinau. This statement is proved by the fabulous activity of the given institution. It offers the possibility to ordinary readers and researchers to have access to rare books in Bulgarian language, which can be found only in the collections of this library in our country. Lately the reading room of the library has become a “Collection”, which gathers Bulgarian scholars presenting the results of their researches on the history and culture of the Bulgarian Bessarabians.
Library of Ukrainian Literature and Culture “Lesea Ukrainka” – branch of the Municipal Library “B.P.Hașdeu” was opened on February 16, [..]
Lesea Ukrainka Library
Library of Ukrainian Literature and Culture “Lesea Ukrainka” – branch of the Municipal Library “B.P.Hașdeu” was opened on February 16, 1991, as a result of the project to create a center of Ukrainian language, culture and traditions. The specificity of the library consists in the following fact: it is the only library, which meets the demand of the population for literature in Russian, Romanian and Ukrainian languages.
We are happy to welcome all those, regardless of age, address and nationality.
Informative note:
From the very first days of its activity the library became the place, where:
the children’s Sunday school lessons were held, which through books introduced little Ukrainians to their mother tongue;
meetings of Ukrainian intercultural societies were organized;
religious services;
the first Ukrainian language and literature olympiads were held.
In time the library began to be the place of inspiration and knowledge for the whole family. The need arose to open a children’s section, and in 1998 this was possible.
The capital repair, made in 2003 from the municipal budget, cardinally changed library. The traditional look of Soviet times has been transformed into a 2-story room with free access to the bookshelves. The modern design of the interior, the rational and comfortable design of the reading areas, equipped in accordance with modern trends in the organization of library space, provide users with the ideal space for working both independently and in groups.
Today our library is a true palace of books, where everyone breathes in comfort and with high aesthetic taste.
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Lesya Ukrainka, real name Larisa Petrovna Kosach-Kvitka (Ukr. Larisa Petrivna Kosach-Kvitka; February 13, 1871 – July 19 (August 1), 1913 – Ukrainian poetess, writer, translator. A vivid representative of Ukrainian revolutionary romanticism and critical realism.
She wrote in a variety of genres: poetry, lyrics, drama, prose, journalism; worked in the field of folklore (220 folk tunes recorded from her voice); actively participated in the Ukrainian national movement.
She is known for her collections of poems “On the Wings of Songs” (1893), “Thoughts and Dreams” (1899), “Reviews” (1902), poems “Old Fairy Tale” (1893), “One Word” (1903), dramas “Boyarynya” (1913), “Cassandra” (1903-1907), “In the Catacombs” (1905), “Forest Song” (1911) and others.
She participated in the socialist movement, was a co-founder of the group “Ukrainian Social Democracy”; she was engaged in the translation into Ukrainian of the “Manifesto of the Communist Party” by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, but there is no reliable evidence that the resulting text belongs to her.
According to the results of surveys of Ukrainians, Lesya Ukrainka is now among the three most outstanding compatriots, along with Taras Shevchenko and Bohdan Khmelnitsky.
She is the only woman whose portrait appears on Ukrainian banknotes. Literary scholars recognize her as one of the brightest European modernists and one of the best representatives of Ukrainian literature. Already at the age of 16 she translated passages from Mickiewicz, and a few years later, just like the classicist asked in her poem the question “Shall I call it friendship? Or call it love?”.
She was born in 1871 in Novograd-Volynsky and at birth was named Larisa Petrovna Kosach-Kvitka. Lesya’s family was prosperous, her parents had a good education (her mother, Olga Petrovna Dragomanova-Kosach, was a writer and literary critic, and her father was a lawyer). However, the poetess’s childhood was not only under the banner of comprehensive creative and intellectual development, but also under the weight of a terrible disease – tuberculosis, which attacked the bones, lungs and kidneys. Because of it, Lesya was often sent abroad for treatment: to Egypt, Georgia, Greece and Italy. Perhaps these travels influenced the girl’s interest in languages and other cultures: Lesya knew Latin, Greek, French, Italian, German and English, perfectly oriented in classical and modern European literature.
“This circumstance strongly influenced the work of the writer, who made the greatest (after Ivan Franko) contribution to the modernization of Ukrainian literature, its development and escape from narrow regionalism” — so wrote about the importance of Lesya Ukrainka’s linguistic skills the writer and translator Tadeusz Chruszelewski, who called the poetess ‘both Ukrainian and European’….
Plaque in memory of the illegally condemned to the Soviet GULAG
On June 29, 2024, a plaque was inaugurated in memory of the mayors, priests, intellectuals, and farmers from Bessarabia, who [..]
Plaque in memory of the illegally condemned to the Soviet GULAG
On June 29, 2024, a plaque was inaugurated in memory of the mayors, priests, intellectuals, and farmers from Bessarabia, who were illegally condemned to the Soviet GULAG in 1941. It was placed on a commemorative stone in the square of the railway station, near the monument dedicated to the victims of Stalinist deportations. Those were hard times for our ancestors, when the most educated, learned, and hardworking people were deported. The entire intellectual elite of our people was taken away. This imprint will remain forever in our hearts.
The old „Mezon” plant was established in 1969 as a specialized high-tech microelectronic enterprise for the production of integrated circuits [..]
Mezon
The old „Mezon” plant was established in 1969 as a specialized high-tech microelectronic enterprise for the production of integrated circuits and consumer goods based on them. “Mezon” was subordinated to the Ministry of Electronic Industry of the USSR and was a part of NPO “Scientific Center”, Zelenograd. PO “Mezon” was one of the five largest microelectronic enterprises of the former USSR with an output of more than 130 million integrated circuits per year and was the leading microelectronic enterprise in the South-West of the former USSR and in the Balkans.
The main classes of integrated circuits produced were: logic bipolar ICs of 133, 133, 533, 1533 series; logic CMOS ICs of 561, 1561 series, analog bipolar ICs of 1092 series, RAM of 565 series, microcontrollers of 585, 1802, 1596 series, ASICs of 1828, 1854 series, EEPROM with 1.5μ technology.
This enterprise made an invaluable contribution to the exploration of space and the depths of the sea, worked for the defense industry, producing for it ultra-precise and ultra-reliable devices.
Mezon’s capacities allowed to build a complete production chain from product development to the final product, which makes it possible to independently produce a whole range of high-tech products aimed at the mass market.
Next to the plant, first a public garden and then a park gradually appeared, which the townspeople call by the same name, which has become a noun among the people.
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