Headquarters of the Academy of Sciences/Monument to the Liberation

The current headquarters of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova (ASM) was built in the years 1951–1955 according to the project of the renowned architect Valentin Mednec/Mednic and Aleksandr Vedenkin, being a remarkable example of "Stalinist" architecture, characterized by monumentalism, sober aesthetic appearance but also exuberance of decorative elements, perfectly fitted into the urban landscape, including as a starting point for the city's main artery. The present article is a synthesis of archival data that brings to the attention of researchers in the fields of history, architecture, and art the new or less known aspects about the ASM headquarters, as well as arguments in favor of its patrimonial value. The General Assembly of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova from March 22, 2023, unanimously supported the proposal of the general scientific secretary of ASM, dr. hab. Liliana Condraticova, to include this emblematic building from the center of Chisinau into the Register of monuments of the Republic of Moldova protected by the state, approved by the Decision of the Parliament no. 1531 of 1993 (with subsequent additions). There was drawn up a study regarding the history and architectural value of the building, accompanied by unpublished archival images and plans of the building, as well as recent photos, the respective file being submitted for examination to the Ministry of Culture. With the inclusion of the ASM building in the Register of Monuments, the monument classification activities will continue and it will be possible to initiate the inclusion of the entire Ştefan cel Mare şi Sfânt boulevard from Chisinau in the Register of Monuments of the Republic of Moldova thanks to the location of several heritage buildings along the main artery of the city. On 23 August 1969, during the 25th anniversary of the Jassy–Kishinev Offensive, a Liberation Monument at the Academy of Sciences was opened. It has been renovated three times, in 1975, 2014 and 2019.[3] Architects Vladimir Naumov, Naum Epelbaum and Lazar Dubinovskiy were part of the project.[4] The Liberation Monument (Monumentul “Eliberarea Moldovei”) was unveiled on August 22, 1969, on the 25th anniversary of Moldova's liberation from Nazi occupation. After World War II, a monument to the liberators—a Soviet soldier with a raised machine gun—was erected in one of the central squares of Chisinau, where the city's main avenue began. The square was also named Liberation Square in honor of this monument and the liberating soldiers. The monument in its current form was erected to mark the 25th anniversary of the liberation of Chisinau. The authors of the monument are portrait sculptor Lazar Isaakovich Dubinovsky and monumental sculptor Naum Moiseevich Eppelbaum. Thanks to their creative talent, the square is adorned with a 20-meter white stone pylon. On the pedestal is a bronze sculpture group: a woman spreading her arms over the saved city symbolizes the victory over fascism. Next to her is a Soviet soldier who brought this victory to the people. On the pedestal of the obelisk is an inscription in Moldovan and Russian: “The monument was erected in honor of the liberation of Moldova from the German-fascist invaders.” The monument is located in the center of Chisinau, on one of the busiest squares in the city, where three transport arteries converge. The facades of the Moldovan Academy of Sciences and the Chisinau Hotel overlook the square. In 1992, Liberation Square was renamed Freedom Square, and a few years later it became known as United Nations Square. In 2014, the monument survived several attempts on its life, both from a notorious vandal and from the Moldovan Academy of Sciences. In 2019, the monument was restored. The monument was unveiled after its major renovation on the day marking the 75th anniversary of Moldova's liberation from the Nazis.