The Stephen the Great Monument ( ro, Monumentul lui Ștefan cel Mare) is a prominent
monument
A monument is a type of structure that was explicitly created to commemorate a person or event, or which has become relevant to a social group as a part of their remembrance of historic times or cultural heritage, due to its artistic, his ...
in
Chișinău
Chișinău ( , , ), also known as Kishinev (russian: Кишинёв, r=Kishinjóv ), is the Capital city, capital and largest city of the Republic of Moldova. The city is Moldova's main industrial and commercial center, and is located in the ...
,
Moldova
Moldova ( , ; ), officially the Republic of Moldova ( ro, Republica Moldova), is a Landlocked country, landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Romania to the west and Ukraine to the north, east, and south. The List of states ...
.
Description
The monument to
Stephen the Great
Stephen III of Moldavia, most commonly known as Stephen the Great ( ro, Ștefan cel Mare; ; died on 2 July 1504), was Voivode (or Prince) of Moldavia from 1457 to 1504. He was the son of and co-ruler with Bogdan II, who was murdered in 1451 ...
was designed by architect
Alexandru Plămădeală
Alexandru Plamădeală (1888–1940) was a Moldovan sculptor. He was the artist responsible for the creation of the Stephen the Great Monument in Chișinău (1927).
He graduated from the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architectur ...
in 1923. It was erected near the main entrance of the
Stephen the Great Park in
Central Chișinău
Sectorul Centru is one of the five sectors in Chișinău, the capital of Moldova. The local administration is managed by a pretor appointed by the city administration. It governs over a portion of the city of Chișinău itself (central and west ...
. The monument was completed in 1927 and opened on 29 April 1928 (to replace the monument to
Alexander II of Russia
Alexander II ( rus, Алекса́ндр II Никола́евич, Aleksándr II Nikoláyevich, p=ɐlʲɪˈksandr ftɐˈroj nʲɪkɐˈlajɪvʲɪtɕ; 29 April 181813 March 1881) was Emperor of Russia, Congress Poland, King of Poland and Gra ...
, destroyed by the Romanian authorities in 1918). The total cost of the monument was 4.000.000
lei.
A few days before the 1940
Soviet occupation of Bessarabia and northern Bukovina
The Soviet occupation of Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina took place from June 28 to July 3, 1940, as a result of an ultimatum by the Soviet Union to Romania on June 26, 1940, that threatened the use of force. Bessarabia had been part of the Ki ...
, the monument was relocated to
Vaslui
Vaslui (), a city in eastern Romania, is the seat of Vaslui County, in the historical region of Western Moldavia. The city administers five villages: Bahnari, Brodoc, Moara Grecilor, Rediu, and Viișoara.
History
Archaeological surveys indicate ...
, and its pedestal was blown up. On August 25, 1942, the monument was returned to
Chișinău
Chișinău ( , , ), also known as Kishinev (russian: Кишинёв, r=Kishinjóv ), is the Capital city, capital and largest city of the Republic of Moldova. The city is Moldova's main industrial and commercial center, and is located in the ...
and taken back to
Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...
in 1944. In 1945, the Soviet authorities ordered the restoration of the monument to Chișinău.
On 31 August 1989 the monument to Stephen the Great was returned to its original location, chosen by Alexandru Plămădeală in the 1920s. The initial inscriptions were restored. Flower-laying ceremonies are regularly performed at the pedestal of this monument on each national holiday and on days of official top- and high-level visits.
External links
*
The Monument to Stephen the GreatThe Monuments of Kishinev
1927 sculptures
Monuments and memorials in Chișinău
1928 in Romania
Tourist attractions in Moldova
Bronze sculptures in Moldova
{{Sculpture-stub