Stephen the great monument

The Stephen the Great Monument is a significant landmark in Chisinau, the Republic of Moldova's capital. This monument, which is situated in Central Chisinau, was created by architect Alexandru Plamadeala and placed outside the main entrance of Stephen the Great Park in 1923.

The bronze statue honors Stefan cel Mare ("the Great"), Moldova's ancient ruler who successfully defended the country from the Turkish invasion in the 15th century. The monument was built in 1927 and opened in April 1928 to replace the monument to Alexander II of Russia, which was demolished by Romanian authorities in 1918. In addition, it was used to commemorate the 470th birthday of Stephen the Great, Prince of the Principality of Moldavia from 1457 to 1504, and the most renowned representative of the House of Mușat.

Before beginning construction on the monument, Alexandru Plamadeala searched far and wide for a portrait of Stefan cel Mare. The architect is claimed to have created three copies of the monument, one of which still exists today. The monument has been transferred from one location to other multiple times over the years. It had moved to Vaslui in eastern Romania a few days before the Soviet conquest of Bessarabia in 1940, and then back to Chisinau in 1942. After that, the monument was returned to Romania in 1944. After a long period of restoration, it was finally returned to its former place in Chisinau in 1989. The monument's inscriptions have also been repaired.

Location: Stephen the Great Park, Chisinau