Eternity Memorial Complex, Chișinău

Eternity Memorial Complex
Eternity Memorial Complex
	The monument at night
Location	Chișinău, Moldova
Coordinates	40°11′46″N 44°31′18″E / 40.19611°N 44.52167°E
Created	May 9, 1975
Status	All year

Eternity Memorial Complex (Romanian: Complexul Memorial Eternitate) is a memorial located in Chișinău, the capital of Moldova. The memorial is located along P. Halippa Street (formerly Marshal Malinovsky Street). It is dedicated to Soviet soldiers who died in the battles against the German-Romanian troops of the Second World War.

History[]

In Soviet times the complex was known as the Victory Memorial.^[1] The monument was made on May 9, 1975 in honour of the Soviet soldiers who died in the Great Patriotic War.^[2] The monument was restored on August 24, 2006, marking the 62nd anniversary of the Second Jassy–Kishinev Offensive.^[3]

Description[]

The central part of the memorial is a pyramid of five 25-meter tall stone rifles. A 5-pointed star with an eternal flame in the center of the monument. The monument is guarded by an honor guard from the Moldovan Army that changes guard hourly.^[4] Wreath-laying ceremonies are regularly held at the center of the memorial on national holidays. On August 1, 2016, the Central Bank of Russia issued a five-ruble coin from the series "Cities — capitals of states liberated by the Soviet troops from Nazi invaders", dedicated to Chisinau, the reverse of which depicts the memorial in honor of the Second Jassy–Kishinev Offensive. The number of copies is two million.^[5]^[6]