Travel guide Chisinau, Republic of Moldova

1. National Museum of History and Archaeology of Moldova

Address: str. 31 August 1989, nr. 121A

Open: Saturday - Thursday from 10 am - 6 pm in summer and 10 am - 5 pm in winter

Rate: 10 MDL

National Museum of History and Archaeology of Moldova is located on a street parallel to the main artery of the city, bd. Stefan cel Mare si Sfant. I was impressed visiting this remarkable museum, which holds over 300,000 pieces of heritage. It presents life on the Moldavian territory from prehistory to today, clearly marking the great historical stages through which this land has passed. The Iasi - Chisinau operation, the "Treasure" room and the Soviet gulag period are spectacular. The museum has 12 rooms on the ground floor, first floor and basement.

You can't fail to notice the superb architecture of the neighboring building, also on 31 August 1989 street, the nonsense of the one-way street. It is National Art Museum of Moldova.

Opposite the two, on the other sidewalk of this busy street, is National Library of the Republic of Moldova and the statue of Vasile Alecsandri.

2. "Stephen the Great and Holy" Public Garden

Address: bd. Stefan cel Mare si Sfant

If we go down Museum Street in the opposite direction to the one-way street, at the first intersection we are on the corner Public Gardensa park with mulberry and acacia trees, some of them more than a century old. In the park, the central perpendicular alley, which connects the streets mentioned above, is called the Classics Alley. On it are busts of Romanian writers, including A. Paunescu and Gr. Vieru. In the center of the park, near a fountain, is the Monument of A. Puskin, at the end of the boulevard is the bust of Al. Donici, and in one of the corners of the park from the boulevard is the imposing Monument to Stephen the Great.

3. Triumphal Arch and the Orthodox Cathedral

Address: P-ta Marii Adunari Nationale

If we cross bd. Stefan cel Mare on the diagonal we come across another park. It is Cathedral Park.

The high street watches Arch of Triumph in Chisinau, right in front of the Great National Assembly. It is part of the Nativity Cathedral Ensemble. With its neoclassical architecture, it was built in 1840 - 1841 to commemorate the Russian victory in the Russo-Turkish war. In the arch is a huge bell weighing over 6 tons cast from the metal of cannons captured in the war.

Orthodox Metropolitan Orthodox Cathedral of the Nativity of Our Lord is open daily from 8am - 4pm and is spectacular, being "wider than it is long", if I can put it that way. Its shape is actually square. It is built in the late neoclassical style. The bell tower is placed 40 meters away from the church.

4. Alexandr Pushkin House - Museum

Address: 19 Anton Pann str.

Open: Tuesday - Sunday between 10 am - 4 pm

1 km away, led by Google Maps in front of the Academy of Economic Studies of Moldova, where there is a suggestive monument with "1 ban", we arrive near Puskin House-Museum. The house is considered an architectural monument. The famous Russian poet A. Puskin lived here for 2 months.

5. National Art Museum of Moldova, Herța House

Address: bd. Stefan cel Mare si Sfant, nr. 115

Program: Tuesday - Sunday from 10 am - 6 pm, but I found it closed

Another 1 km or so after Google Maps I tropait through Chisinau, behind the Academy of Economic Studies, exiting again in Bd. Stefan cel Mare si Sfant and passing through the Parliament of the Republic and the Presidency of the Republic, and I came to a gorgeous house, which I'm afraid is not included in any restoration plan. It's the (former) Art Museum - Herta House or urban villa of Vladimir Herta. In 1905 the nobleman V. Herta erected this superb building in an eclectic architectural style on the site of another 19th century house.

6. National Museum of Ethnography and Natural History

Address: 82, M. Kogalniceanu str.

Open: Tuesday - Sunday from 10 am - 5 pm in winter, until 6 pm in summer

Price: 10 MDL

In the boulevard, after Villa Herta, we turn left, up the hill, on Lazo street, until it gets deeper and then we turn left on Kogalniceanu street until we reach another exceptional building.

Gorgeous! Inside and out. It's National Museum of Ethnography and Natural History. It seems from the Arab world, from stories. It's worth a visit. It is the oldest museum in the Republic of Moldova and presents about 135,000 exhibits about natural history - fauna and flora - and traditional culture on Moldovan territories emphasizing the relationship between man - nature. The permanent exhibition is called "Nature. Man. Culture." and covers 2,000 square meters. There is also a Botanical Garden and a Vivarium.

7. Valea Morilor Park and Lake

Address: str. Grigore Alexandrescu

From the museum we go perpendicular on Sfatul Tarii street and then left on A. Mateevici street. We pass several embassies, the Mihai Eminescu Literature Museum and the Water Castle. About Water Castle is another great place where you can find interesting information about the history of water supply in Chisinau.

We are on the edge Valea Morilor Park. Free access. The park has 4 entrances 2 from Gr. Alexandrescu and 2 from A. Mateevici str.

At my favorite entrance, the one near the Water Castle, you can find Ion and Doina Aldea-Teodorovici Monument and a superb vantage point overlooking the park and the lake down a long flight of stairs (218) - The Cascade Staircase.

Valea Morilor Park is a 114 hectare green space recommended for walking and recreation, with a Green or Summer Theater with 6,700 seats - the largest in Europe (!), playgrounds, an Adventure Park, a forest (growing octopus, chestnut, acacia, mulberry, willow, willow, lime), paths around the park, a playground, a forest (growing octopus, chestnut, acacia, mulberry, willow, lime), paths around the park, a Lake Valea MorilorYou can take a walk around the lake (2,5 km)!, and even a beach. Very nice! The lake alone covers 34 hectares.

8. Railway station

The address is 1 Piața Gării Street.

Chisinau railway station is the main railway station in the capital of the Republic of Moldova, Chisinau. The station was built in 1870 according to a design by architect Ghenrih Lonski. The first train arrived in Chisinau station in August 1871. The Moldovan Railroad is the institution that manages the station. Some distances by rail: to Bucharest 529 km, to Iasi 97 km, to Moscow 1144 km, to Bender (Tighina) 53 km.

9. Village Museum

Address: str. Aeroportului

Open: Tuesday - Sunday from 10 am - 5 pm

At a bus stop, you have to go up the sidewalk on an unpaved road, which enters a forest, be careful! there is no signpost, and leads you after a few hundred meters to the entrance of Village Museumnext to a beautiful church - Wooden church in Hiriseni. From here there is a nice view to the Lake of the Village Museum, there is an alley that leads to the Zoological Garden, and across the wide boulevard is the Botanical Garden.