Bulgarian Memorial Chapel, Chisinau

The Bulgarian Memorial Chapel in Chisinau is a significant historical and architectural landmark. Located in the Şipca memorial park, the church is dedicated to "All Saints glorified in the lands of Moldova" and serves as a place of prayer and grace. The chapel was built in 1882 to commemorate the victory of the Russian Empire in the war with the Ottoman Empire in 1877-1878 and to honor the Bulgarian volunteer detachments that participated in the war.

The church has an octagonal shape in plan, with an impressive luminous spire. The architectural forms were inspired by Russian architecture, treated eclectically, and combined with neoclassical details. The chapel is located in the middle of the park, making it a beautiful sight to behold and a spiritual destination for all those who visit.

The Bulgarian Memorial Chapel was initially consecrated in honor of "St. Alexandru Nevski" and built on the spot where the declaration of war against the Ottoman Empire was read in 1877 in the presence of Tsar Alexander II. It was also the location for the parade of the Russian troops and the three detachments of Bulgarian volunteers, who were formed in Chisinau and later transformed into the base for the formation of the Bulgarian army.

During the Soviet period, the chapel served various purposes, including being the place where the employees of the first Chisinau Airport received their salary. In 1969, the chapel was turned into a Museum-Memorial of the Bulgarian Volunteers, and a park named "Şipca" was designed around it. An obelisk made of red granite was also erected nearby, which was inscribed with a dedication to the detachments of Bulgarian volunteers formed in Chisinau in 1876-1877.

With the national and spiritual revival in the 1990s, the museum was closed, and the chapel regained its original purpose. It was consecrated by His Holiness Vladimir, the Metropolitan of Chisinau and all of Moldova, and has been active as a parish church ever since. In 1998, a belfry was erected at the entrance in the architectural style characteristic of the building, further enhancing its beauty and significance.