Moldova’s capital Chisinau celebrates its day and 577 years of the first attestation on October 14. This day is a nonworking day in Chisinau and there will be staged a number of events. The first time the settlement was mentioned in 1436 and afterward was described as a rural borough with a stone hall grouped around the bishoprics of the Birth of Virgin Mary and Saint Emperors Constantine and Helen, IPN reports.
Chisinau is named the ‘white stone city’ because there are many white buildings in Chisinau as they were built of calcareous stone. The first line of the city’s anthem goes: “My city of white stone flowers”. According to the Chisinau City Hall, the city has over 589,000 inhabitants. But, given that Chisinau concentrates most of the education institutions and companies with the largest number of employees, it is also home to many persons who came from other settlements to learn or work. The municipality of Chisinau includes satellite-settlements so that the population of the capital city totals about 800,000.
Today Chisinau will play host to 32 official delegations from 13 countries. The holiday will be opened with the Holy Liturgy at the “God’s Birth” Cathedral. Afterward, the folk music group “Joc” will give a performance in the Great National Assembly Square. Baritone Andrei Jelihovschi and soprano Mariana Bulicanu will sing the city’s anthem.
The Guard of Honor of the Union Museum of Romania’s Alba Iulia will re-enact a historical battle between the Dacians and Romans. There will be presented battle tactics and such personalities as Mihai the Courageous, Iancu de Hunedoara and Queen Maria of Romania. In the evening, the orchestra of the Advahov Brothers will give a recital together with national singers. The special invitee is Romanian singer Andra. As usual, the holiday will close with a fireworks display in the evening.
Chisinau was home to such famous writers Grigore Vieru, Alexandru Hjdeu, Alexei Mateevici, Bogdan Petriceicu Hasdeu, Constantin Negruzzi, Lev Tolstoi and Aleksandr Pushkin, to fable writer Alecu Donici and theologian and translator of the Bible into Romanian Gala Galaction, to singer and composer Ion Aldea Teodorovici. Leonid Brejnev lived in Chisinau for a period. Afterward, he became secretary general of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. Queen of Serbia Natalia Obrenovic, who was born Keshcu, also lived in Chisinau.
Late poet Dumitru Matcovschi compared Chisinau with a corner of heaven, while composer Eugen Doga said that many countries would like to have such a nice capital as Chisinau and he has reasons to believe that the city will have a bright future. Soprano Valentina Nafornita said that every season has a certain color in Chisinau; it is colorful and attracts her always.
