PARC VALEA MORILOR (PARCUL VALEA MORILOR)

The inhabitants of Chișinău are fans of their parks. Notably that of Valea Morilor, west of the city centre, next to the university. Originally called the Central Park of Culture and Rest of the Leninist Komsomols, it was built in 1950 on the initiative of Leonid Brezhnev and under the direction of architect Robert Kurz. The large lake in the park can be reached by stairs, the descent is the opportunity for a beautiful walk with a breathtaking view of the surroundings. These Odessa-inspired staircases have 218 steps and follow a waterfall fountain. Renovations were carried out in 2015 and 2018, including with the support of the municipality of Bucharest, Romania. It is the greenest area of the city with many trees (Canadian poplars, white willows, wild chestnuts, acacias, maples, ashes, black pines, linden trees and Japanese sophoras) and covers 114 ha. In the summer, an open-air theatre can accommodate 5,000 people and many concerts are held there. The amusement park Aventura Parc is open every day for the joy of young and old, and on the lake (34 ha) boats are available for hire. The inhabitants of the capital like to come and walk there at weekends and during the summer months. The Moldexpo exhibition centre is located next to this site (at the entrance you can see the statue of Lenin which, until 1992, stood in the square of the Grand National Assembly).