hidden gem - ilivetotravel's travel log

Having added Moldova to my Romania trip itinerary , Chisinau (pronounced KISH-now), its capital, had to be central to the visit as it is the main town in this country of approximately 3.6 million people (Chisinau itself has around 750,000 inhabitants).

Chisinau road sign, Moldova — Welcome to Chisinau

Street scene near central Chisinau, Moldova — Street scene near central Chisinau (and darkening skies!)

Street scene in Chisinau, Moldova — Bus stop scene in Chisinau

The city, which was founded in the 1430s, has a complex history since it was at the crossroads of various empires. It is said that it had the largest proportion of Jewish population in Europe in 1900 at 43% of the city’s population. The city was nearly destroyed in 1940 when the Soviets took over and the city was hit by an earthquake, and, later by Nazi attacks and occupation. I saw old structures but not many that pre-date this period (to my untrained eye). The Jewish population, as in other places, was wiped out to a good extent during the Nazi occupation.

Booth in Chisinau, Moldova — Perhaps one of the older structures around??!!

Some of the older architecture in Chisinau, Moldova — Example of older architecture in Chisinau, Moldova

City Hall, finished in 1901 but re-built after WW II due to the damage it sustained, is one of the best architectural pieces in town, built in Italian Gothic style.

City Hall of Moldova's capital city, Chisinau — Chisinau City Hall

Of course, a lot of buildings I saw are post-WW II. Many of the big style government buildings, apartment bloc buildings, and hotels were built in that post-war period, with the implications to architecture that that entails…

Apartment blocs in Chisinau. Moldova — Apartment blocs, many in different states of repair

Parliament Building was damaged during demonstrations in 2009 and is under repair. It used to house the Central Committee of the Communist Party during Soviet times.

Parliament Building in Chisinau, Moldova — Parliament Building

The now-abandoned National Hotel in Chisinau, Moldova — The now-abandoned National Hotel

Hotel Chisinau (open) in Moldova — Hotel Chisinau (open)

Telecom company building in Chisinau, Moldova — Office building

Presidential Palace in Chisinau, Moldova — Presidential Palace

Underground tunnel in Chisinau, Moldova — Underground tunnel for pedestrians – great artwork

Ministry of Agriculture in Chisinau, Moldova — Ministry of Agriculture

I enjoy looking at the architecture in a city to get a mental image of the place and how it evolved. Clearly, history has been wiped out a good bit by war, earthquakes, and the Soviet regime. But I also like to see what people do. Unfortunately, a countryside-heavy itinerary kept me mostly out of Chisinau. Also, I didn’t find any cafés in the central part of the city as I walked around so it was harder to sit back and watch life go by (well, I could have sat on a sidewalk but not the same!). Still, I saw life go by in its own way.

Old lady crossing Stefan cel Mare Boulevard in Chisinau, Moldova — Old lady crossing Stefan cel Mare Boulevard

Man crossing street in Chisinau, Moldova — Man crossing street

I did visit the main park in the city center, named after the national hero Stefan cel Mare (Stephen the Great), which definitely seems to be popular with locals with its trees, lawn areas, fountains and the Alley of the Classics (with sculptures of literature and political greats for Moldovans).

Stefan cel Mare Central Park in Chisinau, Moldova — Stefan cel Mare Central Park

Ever-present Stefan cel Mare near the same-named park in Chisinau, Moldova — Ever-present Stefan cel Mare near the same-named park

My guide asked me asked me when we met “why Moldova?”. I answered because “it’s there and I wanted to see what it was like.” Yet, I fully realize that to really get to know a country and its people, it takes a lot more than a short visit and the sightseeing. I was fortunate to have a great guide, Dumitru, (whom I’d recommend for anyone traveling there!) for 3 days who shared a lot with me about Moldova and Moldovans, about the times before and after the fall of the USSR, about the country’s current challenges, about the business environment, and about the hidden treasures this small country has to offer for those willing to take the extra steps to get to see it.