Archeologists of the State Teacher Training University “Ion Creangă” during several months have carried out research on two sites in Chisinau – “Constantine and Helen” Church, around the Visterniceni cemetery, and the Old Market of the Chisinau Fair, where Maternity Hospital No. 2 is currently located. The excavations are conducted with the assistance of the municipal authorities and next year will continue on another three sites – traces of “Saints Archangel Mikhail and Gabriel” Church, the area close to the Water Tower where the Museum of Chisinau is situated and the medieval Tatar Settling not far from Visterniceni area.
In a news conference hosted by IPN, coordinator of the archeological excavations Sergiu Musteață, doctor habilitate, of “Ion Creangă” University, said the works on the archeological site “Saints Constantine and Helen” Church were carried out in August-September. “The goal of research in this area was to identify traces of the bastion fort of Chisinau that existed in the second half of the 18th century and about which not many people know. We hope the first discoveries will prompt new research so as to detect those traces and somehow bring them back to the urban landscape, while the inhabitants and visitors of Chisinau will be able to learn about this reality. Another task in this area was to examine the yard of the church, including the foundations of the church that also dates from the second half of the 18th century, so as to better realize the stratigraphy, the state of the foundations and many other elements of the internal yard. We also made impressive discoveries – traces of untouched tombs with human skeletons,” said the archeologist.
According to him, the Visterniceni cemetery was another investigation component. It is presumed that human bones from that cemetery were transferred to Saint Lazarus Cemetery in the 1970s as part of the project to lay out the Park “Hulbochika”. The performed excavations showed the tombs were intact. There are about 20 graves there and most of them date form the second half of the 20th century. This confirms that the cemetery was mostly untouched and only burial stones, crosses and monuments were taken away then. These elements are found now during digging works.
“We practically fulfilled out tasks and the expectations were met. The discoveries are promising and we would like this area to be further examined and laid out. Furthermore, the General Division of Architectural, Urbanism and Land Relations of the Chisinau Municipal Council is considering a draft project to create the first archeological park in Visterniceni area. I think our results only facilitate or provide additional arguments for that project to be implemented in the near future,” stated Sergiu Musteață.
Ion Tentiuc, a member of the research team, said the team was impressed by the discoveries made in the Old Market, the current site of the Maternity Hospital No. 2. There was no information about the existence of the Old Market that was even paved and it wasn’t known that a cemetery existed in central Chisinau, right under the paving of the Old Market. “Archeology deserves to be supported. By our efforts, we try to cast more light on the past of Chisinau and these efforts deserve to be supported by the authorities,” stated Ion Tentiuc.
The head of the Architecture Division Svetlana Dogotaru said that it is for the first time that such research has been conducted with budget funds. “We admit that the five sites that are under examination are not much, but this is what with started from. I hope that next year we will have funds to continue the projects and will be able to access other additional projects so as to continue the research and to implement high-quality territorial development plans that valorize our heritage and ensure comfortable development,” she stated.
Note: IPN News Agency gives the right of reply to persons who consider they were touched by the news items produced based on statements of the organizers of the given news conference, including by facilitating the organization of another news conference in similar conditions.
