Stefan the Great Monument, Chisinau (must see)

The bronze monument of Stefan the Great (or Stefan cel Mare as it's known locally) outside the main entrance to the park bearing the same name in downtown Chisinau commemorates Moldova's national hero – the ancient ruler, who, in the 15th century, successfully defended the country from Turkish invasion. The statue was cast in Bucharest in the early 20th century and was intended to replace the monument to the Russian Emperor Alexander II which had previously stood in this place and was demolished by Romanian authorities after Moldova had joined the Romanian Kingdom in 1918.

The sculpture was created by Alexandru Plamadeala who had traveled far and wide, prior to starting the job, in order to find a portrait of Stefan cel Mare. They say, the sculptor made three different copies of the monument, one of which stands today. Over the years, the sculpture has been moved several times from place to place. Shortly before the Soviet invasion of Bessarabia in 1940, it was taken to Vaslui in the eastern part of Romania, and then returned to Chisinau in 1942. Then, in 1944, it was once again dispatched to Romania. Finally, after a very long while, in 1989, the monument was restored in its original place in Chisinau. Today, the sculpture represents one of the top tourist sights in Moldovan capital and is a popular meeting point with locals, often visited by foreign guests, wedding couples and others.