Monument "Liberation from Fascism"

The Liberation Monument was unveiled on 23 August 1969 to mark the 25th anniversary of the Iași–Chișinău Offensive and Moldova's liberation from Nazi occupation. The project was led by portrait sculptor Lazar Isaakovich Dubinovsky and monumental sculptor Naum Moiseevich Eppelbaum, with architects Vladimir Naumov and Naum Epelbaum also involved. The monument consists of a 20-metre white stone pylon on whose pedestal stands a bronze sculptural group: a female figure with arms outstretched over the city, symbolising victory over fascism, alongside a Soviet soldier. The pedestal bears an inscription in Moldovan and Russian: "The monument was erected in honor of the liberation of Moldova from the German-fascist invaders." The monument stands at a major intersection where three transport arteries converge, overlooked by the facades of the Academy of Sciences and the Chișinău Hotel. The surrounding square was originally named Liberation Square; it was renamed Freedom Square in 1992 and later United Nations Square. The monument has been renovated three times: in 1975, 2014, and 2019, the last restoration coinciding with the 75th anniversary of liberation.