MONUMENT STEFAN CEL MARE

Like Chișinău, Bălți has a main street and a statue dedicated to the sovereign Ștefan cel Mare (1433-1504). This one is erected near the town hall and north of the municipal park. This monument was inaugurated on 22 May 2004 and is the work of the famous sculptor Gheorghe Postovanu and the architect Vasile Eremciuc. The statue is made of bronze and its pedestal was built with stone from Cosăuți. It shows the Moldavian sovereign extending his right hand and holding a globe surmounted by a cross in his left hand. In 2008, the statue was placed on the register of state protected monuments. At the foot of the statue, people can often be seen laying bouquets of flowers and newly married couples coming to be photographed. This tradition can be found elsewhere, especially in the capital.

This monument can serve as a useful landmark and starting point for exploring the downtown area. Behind the monument is the town hall, whose neoclassical architecture is typical of the Soviet period, particularly Stalinist. Its vast façade features rows of columns with Corinthian capitals. On the other side of the street Ștefan cel Mare, you can see a pretty tower which is a bell tower and indicates where the church of St. Nicholas is located. Nearby, you will find many shops, banks, bars, restaurants... Not far from there are other buildings such as the National Theatre Vasile Alecsandri (150 m west) or the stadium and the monument of the Liberation (350 m east).