Brutalist Architecture Meets Old-World Charm in Chisinau

Home to some 700,000 inhabitants, Moldova's capital, Chisinau, may not be the most aesthetically pleasing of European capitals, but its unique mix of brutalist architecture, modern high-rises and plenty of green space give it a charm of its own.

The statue of the ruler Stephan the Great of the Principality of Moldova lays in the centre of the main square in Chisinau. Photo: BIRN/Madalin Necsutu

Chisinau's Old Town was built in the 1830s, after the Russian Tsarist Empire in 1812 split the then Principality of Moldavia, an Ottoman vassal, and took over part of it.

The street Eugen Doga in the old centre of Chisinau. Photo: BIRN

Today, remnants of the city's 19th-century Russian architecture still remain, including designs by one of the city's most prominent architects from that period, Aleksandar Osipovich Bernardazzi.

A small-scale Arch of Triumph lays in the main square in Chisinau. Photo: BIRN

The main institutional buildings, such as the government, parliament and presidential palace, maintain pride of place on the main boulevard, Stefan the Great, who ruled then Moldavia from 1457 to 1504.

Two young women walking in the city centre. Photo: BIRN

Celebrated as one of Eastern Europe's best wine regions, Moldova is also an attractive destination for wine lovers, for who Chisinau makes an intriguing weekend getaway spot.

The Nativity of the Lord Cathedral in Chisinau. Photo: BIRN The Presidential Palace in Chisinau newly repaired by Turkey. Photo: BIRN The Soviet-style Government building on the main boulevard in Chisinau. Photo: BIRN