Telecommunications mosaic – Chișinău – Moldova

Posted on 05/05/2026 by Michael

Telecommunications

More on Moldova – on the Post-Socialist Countries – Eastern Europe and Asia page

VI Lenin and Palace of Culture Mosaic – Ribniţa – Pridnestrovie

Telecommunications mosaic – Chișinău – Moldova

This is a relatively small mosaic which is on the side wall of the building that is now the HQ of Moldtelecom but which, during Soviet times, was the home of the Ministry of Communications for the Moldovan Soviet Socialist Republic and the Central Post Office.

The theme of the image is unity and connectivity – not just local but international. In the background you have the globe superimposed upon which is a jet liner and a couple of dial telephones.

Behind the telephones is a hand and this suggests the idea of hands around the world, a term which would have been more in use when the mosaic was created than it is, perhaps now, in the 21st century. This unity/connectivity also has reference to the international aspect of Soviet Socialism. And that ‘movement’ of connectivity is displayed by the horizontal lines which indicate a spinning, dynamic world.

The top, left hand corner is dominated by an image of a communications satellite, which would have represented cutting edge technology at the time.

There’s no reference to postal services with, for example, an image of an envelope, which is slightly surprising as the building was also the Central Post Office when the mosaic was created. This would seem to indicate that the remit was to represent ‘modern’ technology – which in 1967 would have meant telecommunications, with the new satellites but primarily via cable.

One thing this mosaic – which doesn’t effect in the same way most of the other mosaics in the country – demonstrates is the ‘sell by date’ of technology. Many of the younger (and perhaps the not so younger) people who pass by this mosaic wouldn’t have a clue what the little boxy items with a circle with dots are in the image – unless they had happened to have noticed them during a visit to a museum.

Although on a busy road this mosaic is one that is easy to miss. During the working day the hustle and bustle of the market would distract as some of the more informal, ‘goods laid out on a tarmac on the ground’ type of market stalls are immediately in front and below of the image.

Artists;

Mikhail Burya and Nikolai Kotsofan

Created;

1967

Location;

On Strada Tighina, close to the junction with Stefan cel Mare si Sfant Boulevard, in the Central Market area.

GPS;

47.01760 N

28.84441 E

How to get there;

The mosaic is on the right hand side as you go down Strada Tighina towards the central bus station.

Telecommunications mosaic - Chișinău - Moldova

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Ploughman of the Cosmos mosaic – Chișinău – Moldova

Posted on 03/05/2026 by Michael

Plowman of the Cosmos

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Ploughman of the Cosmos mosaic – Chișinău – Moldova

‘Chișinău mosaics as a mirror of the era

The most dramatic example of the threat of destruction is the fate of the famous panel ‘Space Ploughman’ [or ‘Ploughman of the Universe/Ploughman of the Cosmos – translations vary], created by Aurel David on the wall of the former Youth Center Yuri Gagarin [in 1972]. Much of the building fell into ruin after privatisation but the mosaic has survived.

The author of the panel, Aure David, was a teacher of the artist Alexei Kolybnyak, who notes the innovative approach of his mentor. Since there was no classical Florentine mosaic (smacking) in Moldova, David came up with his own technique, which he called the Arcles using broken coloured glass. The ‘Space Ploughman’ is made in this technique. However, this new technique also brought a great danger: the lack of modern adhesive compositions has led to the fact that most of the works of Aurela David today self-destruct. Kolybnyak admits: ‘I have no idea how this mosaic can be preserved today. It can be restored, but what’s the point if the building itself is not? Transfer to another place? You can, but it will be something completely different’.

The problem is aggravated by legal status: ‘Space Ploughman’ is not included in the register of protected monuments. Unlike the panel of Mikhail Burya, transferred from the demolished Palace of Trade Unions to the wall of the Opera House, the current owner of the land, LLC ‘Eurodepozit’, has the right to do whatever it wants with David’s work’.

Above text from; Mosaics Chisinau as a Mirror of the Era – original in Russian and machine translated.

Ploughman of the Cosmos – in happier times.

The mosaic is a metaphor of the ‘Socialist Man’ and the pioneering spirit of the Soviet Union embodied in Yuri Gagarin’s first ever flight into space. It also plays with the importance of labour in a Socialist society and the striving for progress.

Ploughman of the Cosmos – beginning of the degradation

The fate of the mosaic is entirely dependent on the fate of the building. Like so many public buildings (not just in Moldova but other post-Socialist countries in Eastern Europe) once the the societies collapsed after 1990 any consideration of public wealth was either looted, the land stolen under ‘privatisation’ or just allowed to fall into rack and ruin. I’ve never really been able to understand why such public amenities weren’t protected and kept under public/community control. By all accounts the centre was quite a significant one during the Soviet era, being a large complex on the edge of the city centre which comprised of; a 800 seat hall for social and political events; a concert hall with 400 seats; a library with 12,000 books; rooms for creative activities; ballet and sports halls as well as a restaurant and café. The complex also contained a hotel which was used by visiting foreign guests. If the building is not demolished time and the elements will resolve any doubts about its future – and the mosaic will go the same way.

It is stated that Yuri Gagarin laid the foundation stone in 1966 – but I don’t know if anyone knows where it might be now.

Yuri Gagarin Youth Centre ruin – Chișinău

Artist;

Aurel David

Created;

1972

Location;

Strada Melestiu 1/3, Chișinău

GPS;

47.00747 N

28.85268 E

How to get there;

Bus No. 46 will take you to the end of Strada Melestiu from Boulevard Stefan cel Mare. It’s the terminus.

How to get close;

The mosaic is on one of the walls facing the road of the ruins of what used to be the Yuri Gagarin Youth Centre. Directions on digital maps will take you to a Tennis Club, which uses only a small part of the large building, most of which is totally derelict. The only I could see about getting a closer look at the mosaic would be to first work your way to the back of the building, negotiating building debris and then work through the derelict and abandoned building towards the front elevation. Be careful!

Plowman of the Cosmos Mosaic, Chișinău, Moldova

More on Moldova – on the Post-Socialist Countries – Eastern Europe and Asia page

Soviet-era mosaics in Cahul – Gagauzia

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VI Lenin and Palace of Culture Mosaic – Ribniţa – Pridnestrovie

Colonnade mosaics – Lake Valae Morilor – Chișinău – Moldova

Posted on 03/05/2026 by Michael

Colonnade mosaics, Valae Morilor

More on Moldova – on the Post-Socialist Countries – Eastern Europe and Asia page

Soviet-era mosaics in Cahul – Gagauzia

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Colonnade mosaics – Lake Valae Morilor – Chișinău – Moldova

On entering the park of Lake Valae Morilor at its western entrance, coming from the centre of Chişinău, visitors pass by low buildings on either side which are fronted by a neoclassical colonnade. However, if people are in a rush in getting to the lake and going down the Cascade Staircase (an impressive 218 granite steps) they are in danger of missing a series of 12 mosaic panels which are installed above the windows of these one storey buildings.

They depict activities that used to (and probably still do) take place in and around the lake; skating, cycling, running, canoeing, traditional folk dancing, playing a Moldavian fluier (a long, narrow, wind instrument which is/was a traditional instrument of shepherds), playing a violin/fiddle, rowers, relay running and cross country skiing.

Unfortunately, they haven’t been cared for and a few have a few chucks of the mosaic missing and the surrounding plaster work is also stating to crumble.

Some background to the lake and park

It was originally called the Central Park of Culture and Rest of the Leninist Komsomol and was established in 1950. The lake was dug by young Soviet volunteers of the Komsomol, completed in 1952 and so was named Komsomolskoye Ozero (Komsomol Lake).

[If you go to the Valae Morilor Lake don’t forget to make a visit to the Lenin, Marx and Dimitrov monument at the far side of the park from the granite steps – near the exhibition area.]

Artist;

Alexander Kuzmin

Architects;

V. Novikov and F. Nutovich

Created;

Mid-1960s

Location;

At the top of the Cascade Staircase at the eastern entrance to Valae Morilor Lake; right next to the bus stops on Alexei Mateevici Street and just across the road from the State University of Moldova.