Rural architecture

Section dedicated to "Rural architecture" comprises architectural edifices constructed in rural localities of the Republic of Moldova. From the typological point of view it includes objects, which represent artistic and ethnographic value, among which it is worth to mention the following: living houses, household annexes (cellars, storehouses, wine cellars courts, gates, barns, granaries, fountains) and other types of objects typical of rural environment. Since the most important centers of rural architecture of the Republic of Moldova are often the most important centers of craftsmanship and handicraft, they were also included within this category.

Rural architecture of the Republic of Moldova has developed along centuries, approaching to the most valuable traditions in the construction and exploitation of natural resources of a quite varied typology.

The outward appearance of Basarabian villages established along the centuries offers the most picturesque and multifarious view. Having been usually situated on the valley summits, slopes, or river vales, rural localities leave an impression of a chaotic order from the first view, which can hardly be explained and defined from the logic perspective. Nevertheless, the situation is different: each village found its optimal location, the native inhabitants taking into consideration either specific relief of the soil or roads network, which should have provided communication with other neighboring or remote localities.

A peasant's court may be considered as an integral ensemble of popular architecture. A wooden gate, composed of two or three ropes, fixed among two or three columns or pillars, is covered by perforated or chopped geometrical ornaments, which emphasize constructive elements and quite often represent an apotropaic archaic value. A narrow roof is towered above the pillars, aimed at protecting the gate. The following images may be cited among the symbols decorating the gate: sun, life tree, flowers, rhomboidal elements and other motives, which were frequently used as motives in popular carpets and fabrics.

The house is located inside the court. Having been traditionally composed of three buildings - veranda (entrance), bedroom, frequently common with the kitchen and "casa mare" (drawing room suite), the traditional peasant's dwelling represents an integral ensemble, reduced to the minimal needs, but being extremely functional. Inside, a peasant's house is decorated by carpets, wall rugs, and carpet strips. Outside houses are decorated by the painted and sculptured ornaments, where the principal decor falls on roof gables and principal facades of the edifices.

One of the most important elements of a peasant's house facade is veranda: a quite low outlined socle, which serves as a support for four, six or eight pillars or columns, which in their turn support the roof. In summer, thanks to the veranda, the house entrance is protected from the sun burning rays and in winter - from the chilly frost and abundant snow.

Veranda columns or pillars are richly adorned, having been crowned by the stylized chapiters, which have certain affinities with simplified variants of Ionic order.

Roofs of the older houses are usually built in two waters and have decorated ridges. Gable fields are richly adorned. Usually, a decor underlines constructive elements of the architecture, marking a symmetric, harmonious and balanced rhythmics. The greatest part of the decorative elements is covered by bright and rich colors.

The most original workshops of stone processing are located in the following villages: Butuceni, Trebujeni, Ivancea, Branesti, Furceni, Cosauti, Sanatauca and Gordinesti.

The most important centers of traditional pottery are located in the villages of Hoginesti, Iurceni, Tiganesti, Ciniseuti, Cioresti.

Due to the Raciula monastery, an important center of popular craftsmanship was developed in this locality and in particular, in the area of traditional carpets weaving and embroideries.

A specific typology have cellars and other household annexes in the major centers of Moldovan wine-making and storing such as the ones from Milestii Mici, Cricova, Corjeuti etc.

The construction of the great agricultural and industrial complex in the Republic of Moldova in the 70-80's of the XXth century deeply affected the aspect of rural architecture. Edilitary problems started to be settled according to standard methods, more specific to urban environment than to the rural one, which led to the deterioration of the harmonious view of Basarabian villages. In spite of the fact that living houses, assembled from concrete-made blocs by means of a rapid industrial method, settled the issue of housing resources, they did not integrate organically into the specific Moldovan rural environment.

Industrial architecture

Section of "Industrial architecture" comprises architectural edifices meant to serve for material production in urban and rural environment of the Republic of Moldova. While selecting the edifices, the emphasis is placed upon local architectural peculiarities and artistic value of monuments, current economic importance being auxiliary for the presentation of architectural monuments. Since one of the sources of industrial architecture is the architecture of popular technical installations, they were also included in the framework of the nominated category. From the typological point of view the following edifices are included in the "industrial architecture and popular technical installations" category: plants, factories, manufactures, historic and architectural quarters with industrial destination, ateliers, watermills and windmills, storehouses and sheds, village oil presses, industrial architecture annexes, etc.

An eloquent sample of streets systemization within the framework of a historic and architectural quarter with industrial destination and infrastructure represents the railway city in Ocnita, built in the last decade of the XIXth century (years 1892-1893). Another sample of rural industrial architecture from 80's of the XXth century is the Wine factory in the village of Romanesti for the designing of which the architects were granted in 1977 the USSR Council of Ministers' Award.

Water and windmills are the most characteristic and original samples of popular technical installations. The watermills of the villages Chiurt, Hrustovaia, Naslavcea, Branzeni, Berliti, Balasinesti, Bobulesti, Tetcani, Stroienet are presented on the web site, as well as the windmill of the village Cernoleuca and Red Mill in Chisinau.

The architectonic typology of oil presses from rural environment may be followed after artesian installations in the villages of Hrustovaia and Sofrancani. The architecture of traditional wine objectives is presented by the technological complex of preparing and storing of wine located in the city of Camenca and complex of vine terraces situated on the former estate of the Prince Witgenstein in the same Judets.

Typical of architecture of warehouses and sheds from the first half of the XIXth century are the old warehouse of the city of Soroca and old cellars of the city of Camenca.

An interesting example of popular architecture with technical destination from the XVIIIth century represents a vaulted bridge, installed across the river Vilia on the road Tetcani-Lipcani (Judets of Edinet). Another vaulted bridge of huge proportions (approximately 14 m in height) was designed in 1822-1828 by the engineers from Saint Petersburg for the city of Otaci (a direction facing towards the village of Calaraseuca, Judets of Edinet).

A sample of engineering art and a sample of civil architecture at the same time represents the Castle (Tower or as it is frequently called Water Belfry) in Chisinau, which was constructed at the end of the XIXth century according to the project of the foremost architect Bernardazzi and is located at the crossing of the current streets: A. Mateevici and Bishop G. Banulescu-Bodoni. Another water castle was erected at the beginning of the XXth century on the territory of the psychiatric hospital located on the former estate Costiujeni. Along with the Costiujeni electric plant , the aforementioned water castle was built of reinforced concrete in 1905 , which was something unprecedented at that time in constructions not only for Basarabia, but also for the entire southeastern territory of the Tsarist Empire. Territory of the Republic of Moldova was a part of it. Among creations of industrial architecture of the XXth century in the Republic of Moldova, it is worth to mention the cotton factory in Tiraspol (engineer B. Golitin, architect Iu. Protisin), edifices of plants "Sciotmas" and "Mikroprovod" in Chisinau, elevators in Tighina and Causeni, carpet factory "Floare" in Chisinau (engineer A. Cerneak, architect A. Kudla), metallurgic plant in Rabnita (engineers: V. Marfenko, B. Patlis, architect A. Smakov etc.), edifice of combined fodder factory in Marculesti, agricultural and industrial complex in Rascani and other industrial objectives. Large utilization of local construction materials is an important characteristic for the contemporary industrial architecture of the Republic of Moldova.