Moldova is known for a couple of reasons: wine, beautiful land/women and poverty. One of the things it’s famous for in limited circles is its cemetery – biggest in Europe. It was very interesting to read foreign media about our cemetery because first of all not all of us knew it’s the biggest and second of all because the ones that knew, didn’t really care. A couple of days ago I had the pleasure to revisit our oldest cemetery which is nothing compared to that little town of the dead, when it comes to size, BUT it is a lot more interesting when it comes to gravestones that can be considered monuments, a part of our history.
This is one of the tombstones that guards the afterlife of one of the late priests
Not far from the tombstone is this piece of art. Its writing is even more interesting, considering that only very old gravestones have this language on them, and very few too.
I found a couple of these laying around in different places around the cemetery, one older than another, it must have been a gravestone fashion of that time
The only old gravestone with a picture on it, very well preserved, which is kind of shocking, some of it is destroyed but still very clear when it comes to the identity of the deceased
A Russian gravestone
Another “book” that was not pitied by time
This must be one of the oldest ones…very rare, sitting there like Pisa Tower. It’s really something because in 1800′ Chișinău was still growing as a town, in that period we get to see the first attempts to make this city worthy of its time and name.
The last ray of the sun laying on one of the gravestones that seem forgotten by both time and caretakers
Biggest tombstone in my opinion. The person that is resting here must have been very important.
This one made me sad, in contrast to the one above (they are laying near one another) it seems that it was long forgotten
This one had no name on it, but it seems to be old enough. At least they are taking care of it
Very interesting design, specific to that period, late 1890′. I found more of these, different but still the same. This was the only was with an anchor…a sails-man maybe?
This one is even more sad, the area where the person is buried is now a path walked by many. Only very old gravestones have this “honor”
The way into the cemetery if you’re going towards the church (it’s considered the exit)
This is an actual monument donated to the Church in honor of Carol von Ditrix. Unfortunately I didn’t found any information on him but it is said here that he was the builder of Chișinău’s cathedral
This is the actual monument
And last but not least, a deteriorated gravestone that is going to be replaced by a new one. I’m afraid it’s a thing nowadays…the church allows old gravestones to be deteriorated in order to sell the place for a new person. It’s done because there is no land for new gravestones on its territory.
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