Chisinau is the capital of the Republic of Moldova. According to historical documents, the community was mentioned for the first time in 1466, in a charter of Stefan cel Mare, who sold a small property to Vlaicu Parcalab for 100 Tatar golden coins. Vlaicu Parclab descendants sold it to a boyar called Dragos, for 500 golden coins. Up to 1641 Chisinau was owned by several boyars and starting 1641 – by Iasi monasteries. Located on the commercial way Iasi-Tighina-Crimea, Chisinau became under the reigning of Vasile Lupu a trade and manufacture centre that connected the East with the Vest.
The community experienced several wars, and has been repeatedly destroyed: in 1683 by Kazakhs, in 1690 and 1739 by Turks and Tatars, but the most important destructions were recorded in the 1940s. A part of old Chisinau disappeared under the ravening bulldozers of the modern time.
In 1818, six years after annexing Bessarabia under the Russian-Turkish treaty, this province became a so-called government, and Chisinau received the status of its capital city. In 1834 the General Development Plan of the town was established. Gradually Chisinau expanded, and several constructions, parks, new streets appeared. The Railway station was built in 1870, and the first train passed in 1871. One of the few survived heritages from those times is the Museum House “A. S. Pushkin”.
Most buildings dating from 19th-20th century became the visit card of the old Chisinau. We refer to the Municipality building, Organ Hall and the former Swedish hotel, which years later became a public library. The former image of Chisinau can be seen in the few remained buildings: Triumph Arch in the Great National Assembly Square, the first museum in Bessarabia (today – the Ethnography and National History Museum) and of course the National Museum of Arts.
During the Second World War a great part of historic Chisinau was destroyed, and in 1977 several real estates vanished with the earthquake. Just a small part of the old buildings was reconstructed, keeping the former old image. The Center of Chisinau partially remained as in the 19th century. Undoubtedly, in the 20th century new buildings emerged, the city develops further, but its soul stays the same. If you walk on Stefan cel Mare, Armeneasca, Bernardazzi, Kogalniceanu, Tighina streets, you will find again the image of the one hundred years old capital, where there are still some survived houses of our ancestors.
As other capitals, Chisinau is situated on 7 hills and presents itself as a green city, with many recreation places and parks, like Botanical Garden, Dendrological Garden, Valea Morilor Park and Stefan cel Mare Central Park. On an area of only 120 square kilometers, Chisinau manages to host many saint places, museums, architectural monuments and other urban structures (starting with the 19th century). One of the oldest sanctuaries is the Mazarache Church of the Blessed Virgin, built in 1752 next to the springs, which generated the old name of the city. The Saint Constantin and Elena Church was built on a bank of Bac River in 1777, by the great sword bearer Constantin Rascanu. Its cemetery was considered the place of burial of Bessarabian nobility. One of the most original buildings in Chisinau is the Municipality building (constructed in 1898-1901 by the architect M. Elladi). The neighboring Organ Hall was built in 1913, initially host of the City Bank. In the water tower (built in 1896) is located the Chisinaucity museum.
The building of the National Museum of Arts is one of the most significant ones, some time ago being the home to the city mayor Vladimir Herta. The building of the Moldovan Museum of Arts was conceived in the spirit of Italian renaissance by the architect A. Bernardazzi, in 1901. Another symbol of Chisinau is the monument of Stefan cel Mare si Sfant (raised by the sculptor Alexandru Plamadeala in 1928) in the Public Garden, situated in the center of the capital. The Classic’s Avenue in the same Public Garden is a true sanctuary, having exposed the busts of the main literary coryphaei: M. Eminescu, I. Creanga, V. Alecsandri, D. Cantemir, A. Donici, N. Iorga, M. Sadoveanu, A. Mateevici, L. Blaga etc.
Chisinau has been always a cultural and spiritual center, being visited by numerous personalities of national and international significance. Mihai Eminescu, Alexandr Pushkin, George Enescu, Bogdan Petriceicu-Hasdeu, Lev Tolstoy and many other writers, scientists, painters, kings, who openly expressed their love for this southern city, in which life pulses and which makes you feel wonderful. Many artists dedicated their works to Chisinau, while the richest visitors made here several investments.