Miniature of Istanbul Saint Sofia Cathedral to be erected in Chisinau

A miniature of the Istanbul-based Saint Sofia Cathedral will be constructed in Chisinau on Stefan cel Mare Blvd., not far from the rotary to Ion Creanga St. Deputy mayor in charge of this sector Nistor Grozavu denied the rumors that the plot on which the church will be built was distributed illegally, Info-Prim Neo reports. In the October 22 meeting of Chisinau City Hall officials, Nistor Grozavu said the plot was auctioned off based on a decision of the City Council and was allotted in 2009. “The land wasn’t sold for 1.2 million lei as rumored. It is the rent right that was obtained for this sum. They received an urbanism certificate to design the project. They worked it out and received approval from all the institutions. Now they got the construction authorization. Everything is in accordance with the law. We agreed that only a small number of trees will be cut and the rare species will be protected,” stated the deputy mayor. The cathedral will be constructed in Byzantine style. Mayor General of Chisinau Dorin Chirtoaca said that he does not understand why the people have a negative attitude towards this construction. “When we go to the European capitals, we like to see nice things, but do not want to do something similar in Chisinau. The construction will be incorporated in that square. The Metropolitan Cathedral was also erected in the middle of a park, but it wasn’t destroyed,” he stated. The mayor expressed his wish to see a miniature of the Istanbul Saint Sofia Cathedral in Chisinau last February, after he paid a visit to Turkey.