Chișinău is a small city with high tourist potential. Brimming with history, it was home to human settlers as far back as the Stone Age. In more recent times, it became an important commercial hub that kept rising from the rubble of war and annexation. Today, it's a well-organized city that dazzles with its vast parks, distinctive architecture and various festivals.
Your city break in Chisinau should start with a thorough exploration of the central area. The city's pride and joy is the statue of Stephen the Great and Holy, voivode and prince of the wider historical region of Moldova. Its unveiling commemorated Bessarabia's reunion with Romania. Today, it towers over the country's oldest park, known locally as "the lovers' park."
Also in the heart of the city, between the Government House and the Cathedral, lies the Triumphal Arch. This was built in 1840 to commemorate the Russian Empire's victory over the Ottomans. The arch houses a massive, 6.4-tonne bell made from smelting the Turkish cannons captured in the war.
History buffs will also enjoy a brief visit to the Alexander Pushkin Museum, the author's place of refuge after being exiled from Russia. Visitors also can't miss the Monument to "Heroes of the Leninist Komsomol" on Grigore Vieru Boulevard or the nearby Monument to the Victims of the Jewish Ghetto. The latter commemorates the imprisonment of 11,000 Jewish people in a ghetto established in July of 1941 in the city. Tragically, a mere six victims emerged from the Jewish Ghetto alive at the end of the war.
Other must-see historical landmarks include the City Museum and the former water tower, which displays an eclectic collection of exhibits dating from the 4th century BCE to the present day. The "Eternity" Memorial Complex, unveiled in 1975, is a tall red pyramid that burns an eternal flame atop five bayonets representing the five years of battle in WWII.
Throughout the city, architecture buffs will enjoy Soviet mosaics, street art and marvelous examples of brutalist architecture that dominate the skyline. The most famous of them are the Romanita Tower, The City Gates of Chisinau and Hotel Cosmos. Many institutions, blocks of flats and even parking lots are built in this distinctive post-WWII style.
The city is not without its cultural gems, among which are the "Satiricus" National Theater and the National Art Museum of Moldova. These showcase over 39,000 works of art from the 15th century onward. Several places of worship will catch your eye, such as Măzărache Church, the oldest surviving building in Chisinau, which dates back to 1752. Within walking distance is Ciuflea Monastery, which witnessed the Kishinev pogrom of 1903. As you stroll through the city center, you'll soon find that it's awash with Catholic, Greek, Eastern Orthodox and Orthodox churches.
When it's time to unwind, there's roaming room to spare at The Dendrarium Park. With over 200 acres, this green lung and prime selfie spot hosts over 1,820 plants and trees, such as Ginkgo biloba. Another must-see is "La Izvor" ("At the source"), a 370-acre cluster of lakes and channels with a beach, playground, "love bridge" and boat hire facilities. Rose Valley Park and Valea Morilor Park are equally inviting to cyclists, skaters and walkers, but the little ones may appreciate Valea Farmecelor Park the most, seeing as the zoo is right next to it.
