STATUE OF MIHAI EMINESCU

This monument created by the Romanian sculptors Gheorghe and Gabriel Adoc is dedicated to the Romanian romantic poet Mihai Eminescu (1850-1889). He is the author of many famous poems such as "Luceafărul" ("Hyperion") or "The Lake". He participated in many literary and cultural circles, worked with a theatre company and was also a journalist at Timpul. From 1869 to 1872 he studied philosophy and law in Vienna. Eminescu was interested in Romanian folklore and played an important role in the development of Romanian language and literature. He also wrote translations of the works of Confucius and Immanuel Kant. His life was marked by his love for the poet Veronica Micle. The statue was inaugurated on 6 August 1996 in the park Ștefan cel Mare on the occasion of the celebration of the 560th anniversary of Chișinău. It was then installed in front of the building of the Writers' Union of Moldova in 1997. Behind the statue is the bookshop Luceafărul, named after the poem of the same name written by Eminescu. The statue depicts Mihai Eminescu in a very classical style and dressed in a 19th century cut. The poet walks with his right hand resting on his heart and the left holding a text. His face is quite recognizable, with his characteristic features and hair. He is considered one of the greatest figures of Romanian poetry and language, so much so that Romanian is sometimes referred to by the periphrase of "Eminescu's language".