It is hardly possible to determine the exact dating of the first stone churches in Basarabia. Still, judging according to the cultural development of old medieval cities of Moldova it may be assumed that since the very old times stone churches t used to be within White Fortress, Soroca, Tighina and Orhei. Thus, the "Greek" within the White Fortress(currently the territory of Ukraine)is one of the earliest dwellings currently preserved in Basarabia. There used to be some chapels within the Soroca Fortress and White Fortress, which were organically integrated in the defensive architecture of medieval fortifications. A summer church with the Assumption of the Virgin temple under the Capriana monastery dates back to the period of ruling of Petru Rares.
One of the most significant monuments located in current Orhei is the Vasile Lupu foundation - a church with the Saint Dumitru Temple, constructed in 1636. The narthex and nave of this church preserve even today a traditional vaulting system, the apse vault having a semicircle shape. However, the joined steeple and bulb tambour from the rooftop are more recently dated.
In the neighborhood of the city of Tighina there is a city of Causeni, which used to be in the XVII-XVIIIth centuries the old Bugeac Tartar capital. Causeni people are famous for their mural paintings, which are housed in the Assumption of the Virgin church. Dating of the aforementioned church is uncertain, because of the variety of hypotheses related to the initial stage of the dwelling erection. What is certain is the fact that on the site of the current semihollowed in the ground church there used to be an older wooden church, mentioned on the rotive of the church narthex. Doubtless is also the fact that these mural paintings were executed by the painters Stanciu, Raru and Voicu in a Byzantine fresco technique within the period of 1763-1767. Founders of this church were the Bishop of Proilavia, Daniel, and the Ruler of Moldova, Grigore Callimachi. From the typological point of view, the old Causeni church follows the plans of quadrilateral churches, which have a singular nave and an apse of basilica type, covered by a vault "in cradle".
From the architectonical - town-planning perspective, the old center of the current Moldovan capital - Chisinau is dominated by three important edifices: The Holy Virgin Confinement Church, named also as Mazarache Church, according to the founder's name), The Saint Emperors Constantin and Elena Church and The Annunciation Church, all of which are situated on low hills at both banks of the river Bac.
The Rascov Catholic Church from Transdniestria dates back to 1749, a foundation belonging to the Prince Liubomirschi, which was restored in the 80's of the XXth century. The matter in question is the Saint Caetan Cathedral (a Roman-Catholic Church) - a unique architectural monument in the panorama of cult edifices of the Republic of Moldova, most of which are orthodox.
One of the earliest monuments of religious architecture, founded in the city of Balti is the Saint Nicholas Church, which was constructed within 1791-1795 according to the project of the Austrian architect - Mr. Weisman. According to certain hypotheses the founder of the church is the Boyar Gheorghe Panait. From the typological point of view this church follows the basilica plan, more specific to Roman-Catholic edifices.
In 1815 the basement of the Transfiguration Cathedral from Tighina is finalized, whereas in 1819 the altar of the church is sanctified. On the outside this church is executed in Russian classicist style. The Saint Gheorghe Church in Chisinau was erected within the same period (1819), but its vaulting system better preserved the principles of an old medieval Moldovan architecture (the system of arches ranged in tiers).
Granting to Chisinau of the statute of a principal town of province in the XIXth century at the time of Tsarist Empire and transfer of metropolitan residence to Chisinau imposed the necessity of construction of cult edifices with the cathedral statute. The idea of construction of a cathedral takes its roots in 1812, when it was promoted for a period of time by the foremost Bishop G.Banulescu-Bodoni. After five years, in 1917 there was presented the first project of the edifice, which, though wasn't approved at Saint Petersburg. In 1826 the general-governor of Basarabia, Mihail Vorontov, again manages the project of the cathedral and belfry, designed by Avraam Melnikov, Professor of Art Studies with the Arts Academy at Saint Petersburg. Within one year Mr. Melnikov accomplishes the plans of the edifice, which was erected in Neoclassicist style and had four outlined Dorian porticos. Construction of the Chisinau Cathedral lasted for six years - since 1830 until 1836.
Another cathedral, which was constructed almost in the same period and had certain affinities with the above-nominated Chisinau Cathedral in terms of stylistic patterns, is the one located in the city of Bolgrad, south of Basarabia (currently, the territory belongs to Ukraine). The strong flavor of classicism, neoclassicism and Russian "empire" styles may be felt in the constructions of stone churches within the Basarabian monasteries. Therefore, the Harjauca Monastery God's Ascension Church has a lot in common with the Chisinau Cathedral in terms of planimetry and profile of architectural details, although it doesn't have Dorian porticos.
On the verge of the XIXth and XXth centuries the architecture of Basarabia is profoundly marked by the personality of an outstanding architect, Alexandru Bernardazzi, the main architect of Chisinau and the author or co-author of over 30 edifices situated on the territory of the current Republic of Moldova and many other constructions in Odessa, Caucasus, etc. The epoch of Bernardazzi's activity was an epoch of flourishing of the "eclectic style" in the architecture. Thus, many elements were taken over from Italian, Byzantine or Old Russian architecture. Among churches erected in Chisinau according to designs of Alexandru Bernardazzi it is worth to mention The Saint Pantelemon Church (1891) (which was called, according to the nationality of its founders, Victor and Ion Sinadino, as "Greek Church" and was constructed in Neobyzantine style), Finishing School Chapel, executed in pseudo-Russian style, which currently bears the name of the Saint Theodora from Sihla Temple (1895).
In 1905 a Chapel is erected in Ungheni, according to the project of the same architect, devoted to the memory of the knyaz Alexander Nevski. This a typical eclectic edifice with the elements borrowed from the old Russian architecture of pseudo-Gothic style and "Neo-Byzantine style". The circular-shaped chapel is nothing else but a volumetric amplification of the orthodox church tambour cylinders on the level of the entire edifice.
Another renowned architect, who used to work in Basarabia, was the native of Chisinau, Alexei Sciusev, who designed the plan of the Cuhurestii de Sus Saint Holy Trinity church and plan of its adjacent constructions. The Cuhuresti ensemble was executed in Neobyzantine style with the use of relievo decor by means of the alternation of stone and brick tiers.
The Saint Theodore Stratilat Church in Soroca was also erected in 1914 in the eclectic style, using many turrets and towers for outer decoration. The Saint Dumitru Church in Cahul (1898) was also constructed in the eclectic style.
In the Interwar period, the most important dwelling constructions are being built in Balti. Thus, in 1934 The Saint Emperors Constantin and Elena Cathedral is finalized, whereas in 1933 the Saint and Pious Parascheva Church is erected at the insistence of the Bishop of Hotin, Visarion Puiu, which imitates the Curtea de Arges Episcopal Church by the presence of oblique windows within small turrets tambours, where the aforementioned Bishop used to live.
The cult edifices built by Gregorian Armenians in Basarabia are also striking by their originality. Armenian churches used to be located at Orhei, White Fortress, Balti, Hancesti and Chisinau, dating back to the XIXth century or even before this.
At the beginning of the XXth century The Saint Grigore Illuminator Church in Balti is constructed, whereas in 1916 the founder A.Hacikiant founds the Saviour Resurrection Church in Chisinau not far from the Armenian cemetery located in Rose Vale (Valea Trandafirilor). The architect A.E.Ambartumian reconstructed and restored the old Armenian Holy Virgin Church in Chisinau in the 70's of the XXth century, which was originally constructed in 1803.
The period that followed the year 1945 wasn't propitious for the construction of stone dwellings on the territory of the Republic of Moldova. It is only after 1989 that along with the liberalization and Gorbaciov restructuring the construction of new stone churches became possible. The last decade of the XXth century was characterized by the revival of authentic Christian spiritual values, which were so common to the greatest part of the Republic population. This revival entailed natural reanimation of the greatest part of Basarabian and Transdniestrian dwellings, which were closed or meant to serve other goals thus far.
