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Kishinev-
the
capital of theRepublic of Moldova
Annual
City celebration:
14th
of October.
The
Night Kishinev
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Stephan the Great Park
The city park of Stephan the Great (named after Pushkin
before), the place of rest, walks, meetings, is a green massive in the
centre of our capital, the subject of the fair pride of the inhabitants
of our city.
The Monument to A.S. Pushkin.
head of the same size and model, like that of Pushkin's statue
in Moscow".
In 1881 the poet's bust made by A.M. Opekushin was delivered to Kishinev
by railway. Later, under the sculptor's supervision, the granite column
with the pedestal was hewed out. The special commission was occupied with
the monument erection since 1881 till 1885. On 26 May 1885, in the poet's
birthday, in the presence of the vast confluence of people and the city
visitors, the monument was opened in one of the side alleys of the park.
Initially, it was surrounded by chains as is seen on the photographs and
engravings of that time.
In the middle 50s the monument was transported to the centre of the
park and put on the axis of the Alley of Classics symbolizing the internationalism
of poetry as the spiritual value of mankind of all the times and peoples.
Pushkin was the idol of Moldovan poets and writers as well as his contemporaries,
with whom he very much liked to stroll through this park.
This was one of the first monuments to the great Russian poet; this
monument is an exact copy of the upper part of the statue, put in the centre
of Moscow.
The city park of Stephen the Great is the favourite place of rest, walks,
rendezvous of Kishinev inhabitants of all the ages. This is the green massive
in the centre of our capital, that is fairly been proud of by the city
dwellers. This park has been existing in Kishinev more than a century and
a half. Like a man, a park has its own destiny, its biography, marked with
plenty of events. During last century, dozens of versions of this park
appearance were published. Its creation was ascribed to Governor-general
Bakhmetev (more exactly, to his wife - a big garden-lover), and to Emperor
Alexander I, and Vice-governor Vigel, and many others high-ranking men.
But all the versions turn out to be baseless if we consult the memoirs
of A.S. Pushkin contemporaries. All of them reported that the disgraced
poet liked this garden (in other words, it existed during Pushkin's living
in Kishinev 1821-1823), that he used to meet his friends here and liked
admiring festivals in the park.
Then who is the initiator of our marvelous park laying out? Apparently,
its first project was created by unknown Russian military engineers, who
laid the basis of the modern planning of the upper part of old Kishinev
as long ago as in the XIX century. However, specialists' participation
was necessary to plan and improve the spot, grow the ornamental plants.
The name of the enthusiast, who influenced the park improvement immensely,
was Bogdan Eitner. Under his direction and with his participation, the
present alleys were made, hundreds of acacias, limes, platans, the first
flower beds were laid out. Exactly at that time, in 1818 for "preventing
cows, goats and other local dwellers' animals from coming into the city
park" the park was paled. We could hardly imagine how the park was looking
in those times, enclosed with the wicker fence. But exactly this fence
was erected around the park and the territory of the local eparchy. Many
woes of the park were connected with the unreliable fence and it was settled
to enclose the park with the continuous stone wall, but A. Bernardazzi
suggested founding a cast-iron fence, that would only be a little bit more
expensive, but serve longer and look more graceful. This suggestion was
approved. The fence, manufactured in the mechanical plant in Odessa, consisted
of 460 chains and weighed 5 400 kilograms. It was delivered to Kishinev
in 1863, but the work on the fence mounting was being conducted till the
late 60s. After hurricanes of 1865 and 1885 some its chains were substituted,
but, generally, the fence has preserved well and is the firm and beautiful
park frame. Further, merry-go-rounds and swings were constructed in the
park, different stalls and pavilions for selling kvass, wine, fruit and
sweets appeared. Here also was alloted a place for producing cool Seltzer
water. The wooden tower of the first photo atelier was erected in the park
on the small hill.
The first theatre was built in the place of the present cinema "Patria".
Archives keep the names of many gardeners to have been contributed their
mite to the park decoration. The most important role apparently pertained
to the well-known local florist - Kun. In 1885, for the money, gathered
by the Kishinev inhabitants on subscription (1 000 golden roubles) the
monument to A.S. Pushkin (sculptor A. Opekushin) was mounted. Kishinev
became the second city in the Russian Empire after Moscow to place the
monument to the great poet. In 1928 the monument of Stephen
the Great on the project of sculptor A. Plamadeala was erected near the
main entrance of the park. In the years of World War II, the communal grave
to the Soviet soldiers appeared in the park. After the war, in the place
of the monument to A.S. Pushkin (it had been standing
on one of the side alleys) appeared the wooden two-hall "Rodina"
cinema. In different parts of the park were a gymnasium and hothouses.
In March 1958 the Alley of Classics of Moldovan literature was opened
in the park. In late decades of the Soviet power, the Alley of Friendship
was laid in the park, where the prominent guests of Kishinev planted trees;
among were them Yury Gagarin, the first cosmonaut of the planet, M. Gorbachev,
the president of the USSR and M. Kontaria, who raised a standard of Victory
over Reichstag in 1945. Four fountains adorn the park. The main one is
located in the centre - all the alleys and paths come together to it, and
in burning summer dayshundreds of its streams splash mist spray, sating
air with moisture. The fountain under the old trees, realized as a shell
and decorated with schools of fish, flying over water, is full of artistic
expressiveness. The water from the fountain, forethought in the form of
the mountain with an eagle, sitting on its top is streaming quietly and
proudly. The fourth fountain was built on 165 anniversary of the park,
it looks like a flower, came out in the shadow of the powerful trees. One
of the park sights is the dormant marble lions, guarding the entrance to
the Alley of classics. We do not know how they appeared here, who is the
author of these sculptures. This is one of the undiscovered mysteries of
the park, but every dweller of Kishinev knows them. The main entrance to
the park is beautiful: the present-day small architectural forms harmonize
with century-old trees and flower compositions. Several very old trees
remained in the park up to this day. They are mulberries and acacias that
are about 130-160 years. They attract the special attention of the visitors
and are protected by the state. For the time being, the dendrology assortment
of the park includes 50 kinds and 6 forms of trees, bushes and lianas.
Cedar, bushes of wistaria and Virginian juniper are very rare sorts in
Moldova that can be met in the park.
A long time ago, the ancient park stepped over its initial confines,
and merged into the city landscape. The old park is constantly renewed,
it is conducted the laborious creative work on the improvement and enrichment
of it. The city park of Stephen the Great is the result of work of many
generations of enthusiasts.The park also looks beautiful in wintertime
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