Chisinau is a surprisingly green city on the banks of the Bac (Byk)
River, flanked by parks and lakes. Despite being the transport hub of the
country, its pretty tree-lined streets resemble a provincial town in Romania
rather than a capital city. It still has
a wealth of stately old buildings and onion-domed cathedrals, but mixed in with
these are the stark, Gulag-grey boxy buildings from the Stalinist era, offset by
a number of funky bars and cafes sprouting up around the city and trying hard to
swim against the prevailing economic current. Once in the surrounding rural
areas, however, the extent of the poverty becomes obvious.
The city is located on seven hills and stretches over 120 km2. The
population of Chisinau is over 752 thousand. Chisinau is crossed by
two rivers – the Bic and Isnovat. The climate is moderate continental.
Chisinau is a significant administrative, political, economic, scientific,
cultural and tourist centre of the Republic of Moldova. The first historic
record of the name Chisinau goes back to July 17 1436. The name derives from a
word meaning “spring, pump, pipe”.Chisinau is the largest
population centre in Moldova and accounts for most of the country's industrial
output. Manufactures include processed food, wine, clothing, and tobacco
products.
With the exception of the statues of the famous writers Alexander Pushkin and Mihai Eminescu, nearly every other
piece of upright masonry in the city is a war monument of some sort. Inside the
Stefan cel Mare Park, which dominates the western flank of Blvd Stefan cel Mare,
is the statue of Stefan cel Mare. Needless to say, the medieval warrior-prince
is still something of a hero in Moldova.
There are a number of art and history museums scattered around Moldova, but
there's a truly mind-boggling exhibition in the National History Museum. It's a
life-size rendering of the Soviet invasion of Chisinau in 1945. As if the
original wasn't enough! As an antidote to all these slate grey men on slate grey
horses, head off to the Exhibition Hall, where contemporary art is exhibited.
The Galeria Brancusi, inside the hall, has pieces for sale for those interested
in collecting international objects d'art.
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