Sala cu Orgă

What you see

The building stands out for its monumental, largely classical forms with Romantic touches. The dome and the sculptural groups on the façade give it a festive air, and the restored façade on the main boulevard is a favourite photo subject. It stands next to the city hall, in the middle of the historic centre.

Inside is the organ, built by the firm of Rieger-Kloss from Krnov in the Czech Republic. It is a medium-sized electromechanical instrument with about 4,000 pipes ranging from 15 centimetres to 5.5 metres in length, spread over 56 stops. The programme centres on organ recitals and chamber music.

History

In 1902 the Chișinău city council held an architectural competition for a building for the City Bank. The commission went to the engineer and architect Mihail Cekerul-Cuș, who received a prize of 1,500 roubles for it. The building remained a bank until 1974: in Soviet times it housed the State Bank of the Moldavian SSR.

In the 1970s a group of intellectuals led by the conductor Timofei Gurtovoi campaigned for a concert hall with an organ. The Soviet government of the republic backed the plan, and between 1975 and 1978 the interior of the bank was converted into a concert hall. On 15 September 1978 the organist Harry Grodberg played the opening concert, together with the soprano Maria Bieșu. In 2014 the Romanian government announced a million euros in support for renovating the building. How much of a landmark it is also shows in the 1996 Moldovan postage stamp that depicts the Organ Hall.

Tips for your visit

• The hall can only be visited during concerts; check the programme in advance and buy tickets at the box office.
• An organ concert is a good evening out in bad weather.
• Photograph the façade from the other side of the boulevard, in the afternoon.
• The National Opera and the Parcul Ștefan cel Mare are a short walk away.

You will find background on the building at Visit Chișinău.