Chisinau, Moldova: Ten Attractions for Visitors

Tucked between Romania and Ukraine is the nation of Moldova, which grew directly out of the former Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic after the fall of the USSR in 1991. As a country still trying to define its political and cultural orientations, Moldova makes for an interesting tourist spot with plenty of accessible attractions. Though it is poorer than its neighbors and engaged in a frozen standoff with a secessionist state known as Transnistria, Moldova merits attention because of the rich, though often conflicted, interplay between Romanian and Russian influences. Romania and Moldova are inextricably related by language and culture, but the Russian/Soviet domination of Moldova’s people has also left an indelible mark on the nation, as did years of Ottoman influence prior.

Chisinau, Moldova’s capital, is the perfect place for visitors to begin sorting through national history as told through its tourist attractions. Known for its many white buildings and its almost lush greenery, Chisinau is reasonably attractive and somewhat modernized despite extensive damage during World War II and relative stasis during Soviet domination. Because Chisinau is still developing its identity as a European capital, now is the time to visit and experience the tensions between old and new.

The following tourist attractions provide a basic introduction for Chisinau visitors.

Triumphal Arch. Located in the heart of Chisinau’s city centre, this clock-bearing structure is a combination of Corinthian columns and other styles reflecting Greek and Roman traditions. A giant copper bell is suspended from the arch’s dome, but chimes (and not the bells) actually sound the hours. The large bells and several smaller bells were cast in 1839 using metal war booty that the Russians had collected in their recent defeat of the Turks. The bells of the arch thus signal a change in the Moldovan land control from the Turks to the Russians. Now that Moldova is truly independent, the arch and its bells are a mixed-feeling reminder to residents and visitors of the Russian takeover.