Museums
Today there is a great variety of edifices with social and cultural destination on the territory of the Republic of Moldova. From the architectural point of view the most interesting ones were designed for museums, theatres, cinemas, libraries and trade unions.
First museums appeared in Basarabia in the XIXth century: the museum of Natalia Sicard in Vadul-lui-Voda (1876), Church Archeological Museum, Scythian Point Museum, founded in 1880 by I. Suruceanu, etc. First public Basarabian Museum was the Zemstva Museum inaugurated in Chisinau only in 1889. Initially this museum included only two sections - sections of agriculture and natural sciences. The building of this museum was constructed in pseudo-Mauritanian style, according to the project of N. Tiganco within the period of 1903-1905.
Zemstvas of Basarabia founded museums in other localities as well. Second public museum was founded in 1914 in Tighina under the name of "Museum of Agriculture and Natural Sciences". There were several endeavors undertaken in the same period in order to found a museum with a historic-archeological destination in Basarabia. Mr. P.Gore suggested using the building of the pneumonic hospital "Vasile Kalmutki" in Chisinau for the aforementioned museum, but this initiative proved to be a failure. At the end of the XIXth - beginning of the XXth century there was undertaken another endeavor to found a museum of history of Basarabia as a means of affirmation of a national idea of local population, but this initiative was unsuccessful as well due to the pressure of tsarist authorities. The Church Historic and Archeological Society of Basarabia developed its activity by inaugurating the Eparchial Museum in 1906, which comprised three sections - numismatics, old book and canonicals. Until 1912 the Eparchial Museum is situated at the parterre of Confessional Consistory in Chisinau. The year 1912 meant the onset of a new era in museum activity, as the aforementioned museum was hosted in three rooms of the new eparchial house in Chisinau (unfortunately, it was demolished during the World War II).
The beginning of the XIXth century is remarkable in the history of the city of Soroca by the foundation of Dniestrean Researchers' Society Museum. The aforementioned museum was opened in 1908 and was situated in the premises of Zemstva Judets. The patrimony of this museum, which comprised three sections at that time (archeology, geography and ethnography), was dismembered and partially lost within the period of World War I and Russian Revolution (1917-1918).
On the eve of the Great Union of Basarabia with Romanian Kingdom in 1918, there were only two museums in Chisinau - the Zemstva and the Eparchial ones, in Tighina - Agricultural Museum and Natural Sciences Museum, whereas in Soroca - The Dniestrean Researchers' Society Museum.
After 1918, the greatest museum of Basarabia continues to be the Zemstva Museum, named by the new authorities as National Museum of Natural History and since 1937 as Regional Museum of Basarabia. Within the Interwar period, the Tighina museum transformed into an ambulant museum, the underlying objective of which was to propagate agricultural knowledge in rural environment.
After 1918, cultural policy of the Romanian Government put emphasis upon the development of ethnographic museography. Professor P.Stefanuca propagated the idea of creation of village museums and considered that the ethnographic section should have had been established on the basis of the already existent National Museum of Natural History in Chisinau. Along with the foundation of the Social Romanian Institute of Basarabia in 1934 in Chisinau, another small ethnographic museum is established within the framework of the aforementioned institute.
Village museums with ethnographic character were founded in several Basarabian villages, where institute collaborators were performing researches. During the same period appear first school museums, founded within the premises of high schools, secondary schools and certain primary schools by the school personnel.
An extremely important role in the Basarabian museographic activity within the interwar period played church museums. Apart from the church museum under the Chisinau Eparchial Museum, which existed since Tsarist times, the following museums are founded in the 3rd and 4th decades of the XXth century: (1924) the Eparchial Museum in Ismail and Hotin Eparchial Museum (1927) in Balti. Still, these eparchial museums were not granted any particular edifices. Thus, the Ismail Museum was established and consisted of 2 rooms within the framework of the White Ismail Fortress, whereas the Balti museum was hosted in one chamber under the roof of Hotin Eparchy.
The Chisinau Eparchial Museum was closed in the second half of 1940 by Soviet authorities, which occupied Basarabia. It was reopened for a short period on the 1st of November 1942 within the framework of an exhibition dedicated to "Liberation" along with the revival of Romanian authorities to Chisinau during the war period. Unfortunately, there are no any information about the reopening of eparchial museums in Ismail and Balti. The interwar period is extremely important for Basarabia in terms of opening of new types of museums. Thus, in the 30's the necessity of opening of new economic museums is posed for discussion. In 1939 following the Xth Arts Salon organized in Chisinau there was established a municipal Picture Gallery on the basis of approximately 100 of works donated by salon participants, as well as nine pictures and three bronze sculptures, belonging to the collection of the Romanian State. It was inaugurated at the parterre of Mayor's Office of Chisinau, which was designed at the beginning of the XXth century by A. Bernardazzi and I.Elladi. In 1940 all works from the aforementioned Picture Gallery served as a basis for the formation of Fine Arts Museum of MSSR, whereas in 1941 the patrimony of this newly formed museum was loaded in two carriages and shipped to Harcov. The subsequent destiny of this patrimony is a mystery even today.
During the same interwar period an antiquity museum was established at the White Fortress (today this is Belgorod - Dnestrovsk, Ukraine). The collection of materials for this museum started already in 1919, although the official inauguration took place only in 1936 within spacious premises.
Still, the foundation of a historic-archeological museum in Chisinau proved to be a failure within the interwar period in the way it was longed for by local intellectuals. The onsets of memorial museums in Basarabia refer to the interwar period. Thus, the idea of first museum of such type - the memorial museum of an outstanding Romanian and Basarabian writer and scholar B. P. Hasdeu in the village of Cristinesti, commune Doljoc, Judets of Hotin, was made a reality on 15th of March 1940, several months before the occupation of Basarabia and Northern Bucovina by Soviet troops.
Starting with the autumn of 1944, when the Soviet troops came back on the territory of Basarabia, museum activity becomes a component of the cultural policy and ideological propaganda of the Soviet State. The powerfully centralized system affects even the museography of the recently created MSSR.
During the postwar period the process of organization of memorial museums dedicated to Revolution, Soviet power, military commanders, civil war heroes, Russian or Ukrainian artists, who visited Basarabia, took huge proportions. Such was the destiny of the following museums: "G.Kotovski" in Chisinau (1946-1948) (subsequently, the "G.Kotovski and S.Lazo museum") with the branches in the city of Kotovsk - currently named as Hancesti and in the village of Lazo (currently, Piatra), Museum - house "A.S.Puskin" in Chisinau (1948), Museum - house of the architect A.V.Sciusev (1950), the Leninist journal "Iskra" Illegal Publishing House Museum (1960), the Scientific Atheism Museum (1978), the Museum of History of the Communist Party of Moldova (1970), the Peoples' Friendship Museum (1979) etc. Some of these museums, which were deemed to have organized exhibitions with certain ideological causes, were closed after 1991 - a year of dissolving of USSR and year of the proclamation of independence for the Republic of Moldova. Such was the destiny of the following museums: "G.Kotovski and S.Lazo", "History of the Communist Party of Moldova" and "Peoples' Friendship".
Other museums founded within the Soviet period continue their activity until today. Thus, the Republican Literature Museum "Dimitrie Cantemir", which was founded in 1965 under the Union of Writers of the Republic of Moldova changed its name and now works under the name of the Literature Museum "M.Kogalniceanu". The ethnographic museum of popular trade in the village of Ivancea (Judets of Orhei), founded in 1984, carries on its activity as a branch of the National Museum of Ethnography and Natural History (former Zemstva Museum of Chisinau). The National Museum of Fine Arts was reestablished after 1944 and nowadays comprises over 20 thousand of art works, its funds having been hosted in three edifices of an incontestable architectural importance - Herta and Cligman houses and premises of the former finishing school, founded by the Princess Dadiani. The "Assumption of the Virgin" church in Causeni is also a branch of the Chisinau National Museum of Fine Arts.
The Museum of Archeology and Ethnography of the Institute of Archeology and Ethnography under the Academy of Science of Moldova, founded in 1979 on the site of the former Museum of Archeology of the Institute of History under the Academy of Science of Moldova, continues its activity in the historic building, which was designed at the end of the XIXth century by A.Bernardazzi and is renowned under the name of Ianusevici House or Casso-Donici House, according to the names of the former proprietors.
The current National Museum of History of Moldova was founded in 1983 on the basis of a part of funds, belonging to the National Museum of Ethnography and Natural History (at that time Museum of Native Country Studying) and funds of the Military Glory Museum. After 1991 funds, belonging to "G.Kotovski and S. Lazo" museum pass to the National Museum of History, Peoples' Friendship Museum, Museum of the Communist Party of Moldova, Scientific Atheism Museum, etc. Current premises of the National Museum of History represent an edifice remarkable by its history. It was constructed by the merchant Bogaciov in the 30's of the XIXth century. Since 1842, a regional Male Gymnasia nr.1 was situated there, which was reconstructed by the architect H.Lonschi in 1888 upon insistence of the Director, V.Soloviov. After the seism in 1977, this deteriorated building was renovated on the new foundation according to the restoration project of the specialized Restoration Center in Chisinau and was redesigned in order to host collections of the National Museum of History of Moldova.
The Museum of History in Chisinau is situated in the framework of the Water Tower in Chisinau, designed by A.Bernardazzi.
Apart from museum activities that took place in the capital of the Republic of Moldova, there was founded a series of museums in villages and Judets centers of the Republic of Moldova in the 60-80's of the XXth century. Thus, there were founded two Picture Galleries in Tighina and Balti, Country Museum in Hincesti within the Hunting Castle of Manuc-Bei, Country Museum in the village of Tvardita (Cahul) (1964), Ethnography Museum of Gagausian population in the village of Besalma (Gagausian territorial and administrative unit), Cahul Municipal Museum of History of (within the premises of the former Judets Cahul Court of Justice, where B.P. Hasdeu used to work), Memorial Houses "Alexei Mateevici" in the villages of Cainari (Judets of Tighina) and Zaim (Judets of Tighina), House-museum of the pianist Rubinstein in the village of Ofatinti, Olimpii Panov House-museum in the village of Taraclia (Judets of Cahul), "Vasile Coroban" House-museum in the village of Camenca, "Petre Stefanuca" salon-museum in Ialoveni, "Petru Zadnipru" house in the village of Sauca (Judets of Edinet), "Igor Vieru" House in the village of Cernoleuca (Judets of Edinet), "Constantin Stamati" House in the village of Ocnita (Judets of Edinet). The following institutions continue to act as museums: Soroca Tower, "A.S. Puskin" House-museum with a branch in the village of Dolna (Nisporeni), "E.Sarbu" House in the village of Rudi (Donduseni), "A. Donici" House - museum in the village of Donici (Orhei), Museum of Country Studying in the city of Ungheni and village of Horodiste (Calarasi), I. Secrieru museums-commemorative houses in the village of Abaclia (Barasabeasca) and N. Gribov House in the village of Gribova (Drochia). In Transdniestria the Picture Gallery and House-Museum of the scientist N. Zelinschi continue their activity, as well as Soldiers' Glory Museum and Labor Glory Museum under the "S.Kirov" Machine Plant Museum of Major State Cavalry Brigade "G.I Kotovschi "- all of which are situated in Tiraspol.
According to the data provided by E. Plosnita in her book "Basarabian Museum in History Flux" (Chisinau), there are currently activating 73 museum units in the Republic of Moldova, among which 25 museums of country studying, 22 museums of history and ethnography, 3 museums of ethnography and 5 fine arts museums.
Theaters and cinemas
Since the very old times the population living in the basins of the rivers Dniester and Pruth witnessed the appearance of archaic theatrical forms.
They were influenced by the antic Greek theater and art of conducting of Roman holidays. Feudal epoch was remarkable by the existence of popular games with idols and masks, which were originating from the ancient beliefs of the local population. There wasn't any clear delimitation between the popular theater and the professional one in that epoch. The dramatic and carnival elements that made part of the agricultural rituals, such as "Midsummer Day", "Clay Figure", "Rainmaker", "Small Plough", "Romanian Men's Folk Dance" were taken over by the folk theater, theatricalized dances, mask games, such as "Tipcat", "Leap Frog", "Hart", etc., described by Dimitrie Cantemir at the beginning of the XVIIIth century or "Cuckoos", described by the man of letters, Dosoftei, in the XVIIth century.
A special role in the development of the folk theater in Moldova had certain forms of the oriental theater, which permeated in Basarabia via the Turkish and Greek - Phanariot channels.
Entertainment shows, which took place in the courts of rulers of Moldova, appeared quite late, having been presented by "buffoons", "jugglers", "bananas", "acrobats" and other ambulant histrions for a relatively confined audience. There wasn't any clearly defined distinction between theatrical and carnival forms of folk art and ludic element of circus representation at that stage. It is obvious that there were not any particular edifices meant to host theatrical representations.
By the end of the XVIIIth century - beginning of the XIXth century certain elements of professional European culture permeate within the princely mansions and boyars' courts, the buffoon - theater remaining to be the area of public entertainment within fairs and markets. The popular puppet game, taken over from the professional Oriental art, but inspired more often from the European "marionette" or "shadow" theaters, is extremely popular at the end of the XVIIIth - beginning of the XIXth century, so that even special plays are written for this particular dramatic form (C.Conachi). Many promoters of national culture, among which it is worth to mention Matei Millo, Vasile Alecsandri and Ion Creanga, highly valued the puppet game.
First European theatrical performances were played at the general quarter of Knyaz Potiomkin, which was situated in Iasi within the 80-90's in the XVIIIth century.
At the verge of the XVIII-XIXth centuries German troupes of professional actors used to come to Moldova.
In 1806 - 1812, during the period of Russian - Turkish War, a troupe of Russian dramatic actors is activating in Iasi along the period of three years, conducted by S.Kvasnevski and the entrepreneur G.Magi, who built one of the first theatrical halls in the former capital of Moldova. This is the period when certain dramatic works of West-European writers, such as Voltaire, P.Metastazio, Moliere, Alfieri, Florian etc. are translated into Romanian language.
The initiative of foundation of the national theater belongs to Gheorghe Asachi, who translated and staged the pastoral "Mirtil and Hloe" by Gesner and Florian. This performance took place on 27th of December 1816 in Iasi in the house of hetman Costache Ghica. This period was followed by the translations of other dramatic plays, amidst which was Voltaire's "Alzira".
In 1834 a heroic drama "Dragos, the First Sovereign Ruler of Moldova" by Gheorghe Asachi was staged, whereas in 1835 the play "Lime stone" was presented, where Matei Milo had a remarkable performance. He [Matei Milo] even undertook several endeavors to stage plays according to his own dramatic texts (vaudeville "Military Feast" (1834), satirical comedies "Romantic Poet" (1835) and "Seneschal Sandu" (1835)
In November 1836, Gh.Asachi, St.Catargi and V.Alecsandri-father founded a "Philharmonic-Dramatic Conservatory" in Iasi, which became a nucleus of the future permanent premises of the National Theater.
First permanent Romanian theater was inaugurated on 19th of November 1840 in Iasi with the performance "Wizard of Harlau" by Vasile Alecsandri.
In Basarabia, which was occupied by the Tsarist Russia in 1812, permanent Romanian theater appeared only after the XXth century. From time to time there used to perform theatrical troupes from Poland, Russia, Germany, Italy and France. In the XIXth century in Chisinau, Balti, Soroca, Orhei, Bender (Tighina), Ismail and other localities certain professional troupes from Moldova across the Pruth performed on tours under the direction of M.Millo, T.Teodorini, M.Vasilescu, N.Luchian, P.Alexandrescu.
Unfortunately, at the beginning of the XIXth century in Chisinau and in other fairs of the newly created province there were not any edifices meant for theatrical performances. In the 2nd and 3rd decades of the XIXth century theatrical performances took place in Chisinau in the great hall of the Vice-Governor of Basarabia, Mr. Crupenschi. Here, in 1818, Basarabian aristocracy gave a festive ball, occasioned by the signing of the "statute of formation of region of Basarabia and declaration of Chisinau as capital of province" by Alexander the Ist, Tsar of Russia. It is a well-known fact that in 1820 in the theatrical hall of the Crupenschi House a renowned Moliere's play "Women's school" was staged, a performance, which was, probably, viewed by the Russian outstanding poet A.S.Puskin, who was in Chisinau at that time. The Kotzebu troupe from Germany and Iosif Henzel's troupe from Poland used to perform there. In the 30's of the XIXth century Crupenschi's theater, which initially provided only for 100 of seats, was expanded. A gallery was constructed, a parterre was expanded and the number of seats was increased up to 150 of seats. In the 40's of the XIXth century another theatrical dwelling in Chisinau used to be the "English Club", which was inaugurated in 1838. Nevertheless, it was meant only for Basarabian gentry, being inaccessible for the rest of the population.
In April 1846 the Prince Gagarin's dramatic troupe arrives from Odessa to Chisinau, which undertook an endeavor to found a permanent Russian speaking theater in Chisinau. This theater was located in the above-mentioned Crupenschi House, which was reconstructed and expanded.
Second theater, which was inaugurated in 1852, was the Sokolov Theater. The auditorium of this theater seated 130 of stalls and 45 boxes, which were disposed in two tiers.
In 1866-1868 Nikifor Ivanovici Novicov ran his business in Chisinau and built in 1868 a timber Summer Theater within the Public Municipal Garden, which comprised boxes, a circle etc. Nevertheless, the aforementioned theater couldn't be seen as a stationary theater, as it was inaccessible during cold seasons.
Starting with 1871 actors of the Novikov theater rented premises of the Sura Circus located on "Police Market" in Chisinau for their performances, but the troupe was forced to leave the capital of Basarabia in July 1872 because of financial straits.
According to the aforementioned assertions it is obvious that in the 70-90's of the XIXth century the construction of permanent theatrical premises wasn't accomplished. In the second half of the XIXth century principal theatrical settlements used to be the private theater of V.Grossman, which was a tiny and incapacious building, whereas in the 70's of the same century - V.Sura's Circus and in the 80's - Fiurer's circus. In 1874, a city theater was opened in the premises of the former Sura Circus, reconstructed by the architect A.I. Bernardazzi, where Novikov's troupe used to perform. Still, on 24th of December 1875 this theater burnt to the ground as a consequence of a devastating conflagration. Fiurer's Theater was either closed or demolished, because of the emergency situation in May 1890.
At the beginning of the 90's of the XIXth century performances took place only within the premises of the Grossman's Theater, reconstructed in 1890-1891 and within the Nobility Reunion Edifice in Chisinau. At the beginning of the 90's of the XIXth century a festive hall under the Chisinau "Alexandrovsk" Trade School was rearranged for theatrical performances.
In 1896 the Chisinau City Duma created a special commission for the elaboration of the construction plan for a permanent municipal theater, which would have been opened for all categories of citizens.
On 25th of May 1899 the ceremony of the first stone laying took place in the construction of a theater-auditorium, situated at the crossing of current Puskin and A.Mateevici streets (Sadovaia at that time). In December 1900 the theater was opened and was named the "Puskin Theater" in the memory of the foremost Russian poet. During the theatrical season in 1900-1901 this theater was rented by the entrepreneur V.L.Forcati, who arrived to Chisinau with a troupe of actors from Taganrog. Approximately in the same period a new Oradovschi's private theater launched its activity in January 1901 with the performance "Tempest", staged according to Ostrovski's play. Nevertheless, due to the recession and economic crisis in 1906, either private Oradovski's theater or "Puskin" theater-auditorium were closed because of financial straits. The only edifice with theatrical destination, which continued to function, was the theater under the Nobility Reunion in Chisinau, where in spring 1907 the theatrical season of Harkov troupe, headed by Smirnov, was opened. It is only in 1909 that within the premises of the former Oradovski's theater the private Fukelmann's theater started its activity after the reconstruction, which was remarkable by the reduced ticket price, as well as by the low quality of the staged performances.
In 1911-1912 the theater-auditorium A.S.Puskin was reanimated for a short period of time, where an imperialist troupe from the city of Helsingforgst (current Helsinki) used to perform, headed by the entrepreneur V.S.Ghenbacev - Dolin, who staged performances by M.Gorki's and L.Andreev's literary works.
In spite of the visits of the renowned family of actors and ballet dancers Petitpas from Saint Petersburg to Chisinau in 1910-1913, theatrical life in Chisinau remained unchanged and, by excellence, quite inactive. During the World War I, the principal performances for soldiers and wounded ones took place in the theater under the Nobility Reunion, where a troupe of actors of Russian drama used to perform, conducted by the Chief Director of Odessa theater N.I.Sobolscicov-Samarin, arrived to Chisinau for a short period of time. After the revolution of February 1917, this N.I.Sobolscicov-Samarin theater temporarily interrupted its performances in order to continue them in April, same year. During this period of instability, characteristic to 1917-1918, when troupes of professional artists were missing in the city, various private theaters, which performed farces, vaudevilles, entertainment performances, etc. used to appear only for a period or completely disappeared. It was the period, when dramatic performances were eclipsed or subordinated to movies presentation, such as the case of the Fukelmann's theater. After the Union of Basarabia with Romania in 1918, the first permanent Romanian theater is created in Chisinau in 1920, which was initially named as the Popular Theater, but was reorganized within one year in the Chisinau National Theater. This Romanian Theater activated together with the Russian-speaking theaters, already constructed in Chisinau. Premises of the former Nobility Reunion (located on the site of the current "Patria" Cinema) were chosen as the premises for the aforementioned Romanian theater, which seated 800 persons and comprised rooms for rehearsals, as well as ateliers, make-up cabins etc. Still, it should be noted that the furniture was used and the building wasn't renovated for many years.
Except for the Nobility Reunion three additional auditoriums were functioning in Chisinau during the Interwar period. The matter in question is the auditoriums "Colosseum", "Orfeum" and "Expres". Performances in Russian language continued to be staged within the "Puskin" theater-auditorium.
During the theatrical season of the National Theater in 1926-1927 the situation of the Nobility Reunion Hall became complicated. Director of the theater, Ion Livescu, was forced to pose the issue of evacuation of the casino-club, which was located within the Nobility Reunion Hall, to the Chisinau Mayor's Office. In 1928-1929 the National Theater troupe was forced to play within the Great Hall of the "Expres" Theater.
During the Postwar period the construction of edifices meant for dramatic performances and cinemas, palaces of culture and syndicates took huge proportions. In 1953-1954 the construction of the current premises of the National Theater "M.Eminescu" is finalized ("A.S.Puskin" at that time). To be precise, it is worth to mention that the construction of the initial edifice was commenced before the War, in 1933-1939.
In 1945 on the site of the "Odeon" Auditorium the "Biruinta" Cinema (currently, "Odeon") was constructed, which would be subject to three more reconstructions in 1965, 1982 and beginning of the 90's of the XXth century respectively.
In 1952 the architect Voitehovschi designs the "Patria" Cinema on the site of the Nobility Reunion, whereas in 1957 - the cinema "40 years of Komsomol" (currently, this is the "Eugen Ionesco" Theater) and in 1960-1962 - the edifice of the National Philharmonic Orchestra. In 1962 the construction of the current "Dacia" cinema in Soroca was finalized.
The architects G.Gotghelf, N.Petrov and D.Kovalenko designed the edifice of "M.Gorki" Drama and Comedy Theater in Tiraspol, which was finalized in 1963. In 1965 cinema "Moscova" was constructed in Chisinau according to the project of the architect L.Kurennoi, whereas in 1966 the premises of Russian Drama Theater "A.S.Puskin" in Chisinau were completely overhauled according to R.Bekesevici's project. In 1970 the same architect R.Bekesevici designed the cinema "Columna" (initially "Iskra"), situated in Chisinau Rose Valley Park. Premises of the current "Ginta Latina" theater were edified according to the project of the architect B.Waisbein in 1975, which were initially meant for the "Public Education House". In 1976 the construction of the "Flacara" Cinema was finalized according to the project of the architect V.Zaharov, which is currently completely overhauled. In the 70's first cinema "Tiras" with three auditoriums was constructed by the architect V.Sumisevski in Tiraspol.
The most important theatrical edifice constructed within the postwar period was the National Theater of Opera and Ballet ("National Opera"), designed by the architects A. Goskov and L. Kurennoi, which was turned over for operation in 1980. Rearrangement of the former municipal Bank edifice into the "Org Hall" took place in the same period (designed at the beginning of the century by the engineer Cekeruli-Kus). The construction of the first edifice of the Chisinau Circus in 1981 according to the project of S. Soihet and A.Kiricenco was something unprecedented for the Republic of Moldova. This building was designed to act as a stationary circus, seating 1900 persons, as opposed to the circuses from the interwar periods or ambulant circuses from the postwar period.
The postwar period is quite varied in terms of typology of edifices with social and cultural destination. First Technical Houses, Palaces of Culture and clubs appear in the villages and Rayon centers of the Republic of Moldova (for instance, Palace of Culture in the village of Chitcani, Judets of Tighina, renowned for its frescoes painted by the painters Ilie Bogdesco and Leonid Beliaiev). Various arenas, stadiums and other sports constructions appear in Chisinau (Central Stadium and "Dinamo" Stadium, Track and Field Athletics Ring, Tennis Palace, Swimming Pool).
From the typological point of view, very often it is hard to separate the architecture of cultural institutions from the one of certain official edifices, called "Palaces", such as: the National Palace, Republican Palace, Railway men Palace, Syndicates Palace.
Projecting of social and cultural edifices meant to host archives and libraries is less developed in the Republic of Moldova. By tradition, regular edifices were rearranged and partially reconstructed in order to act as archives, libraries and other cultural hearths. Nevertheless, the Central Archive of the Republic of Moldova and the National Library (architect A. Ambartumian) were designed to serve their primary purposes.
