Imagine Stephen the Great arriving in Bucharest centuries after his death. This statue immortalizes a leader. It is not him.
The statue of Stephen the Great stands here. It embodies Moldovan strength and resilience.
Stephen III commonly known as Stephen the Great ruled Moldavia from 1457 to 1504. Modern Romanians regard him as one of their greatest national heroes.
This Stephen the Great statue is a copy of a famous statue in Chisinau Moldova. That statue has an interesting story too. Sculptor Alexandru Plamadeala traveled far to find a portrait of Stephen.
The monument was cast in Bucharest in 1927. The bronze came from Romanian cannons that had been captured from the Turks during the Russian Turkish war of 1877 to 1878. It commemorates Stephen the Great. He defended the country from Turkish invasion in the 15th century.
In 1940 a Romanian general transported the monument to Vaslui Romania. He placed it near Saint Johns Church. Stephen the Great built that church. The pedestal in Chisinau was blown up.
Returned to Chisinau in 1942 the monument was sent to Bucharest in 1944. Sculptor K.S. Kobizeva found the abandoned statue in 1945. She reported this to Colonel Voroshilov. Soon the monument was returned to Chisinau. It was one of the first monuments restored in the post-war capital.
This Stephen the Great statue has seen much history. The statue commemorates a ruler of Moldova between 1457 and 1504. During his 47-year rule he waged 36 battles. 34 of these battles he won. He fought neighboring states and the Ottoman Empire. He safeguarded the frontiers of his state. He founded numerous churches and monasteries. The Romanian Orthodox Church recognized his importance and canonized him.
The Stephen the Great statue stands tall. He wears sovereign garments and a crown. He holds a long sword in his right hand. He holds the Holy Cross in his left hand. His left hand is raised to show that the ruler put the cross before the sword. The statue is 5.20 meters high. It is made of bronze from six cannons. These cannons were captured from the Ottomans during the Romanian War of Independence 1877 to 1878.
The pedestal is made of Cosauti stone. It features a rope-molded girdle. The coat of arms of Moldova from Stephen the Greats time is at the front.
Today the Stephen the Great statue is a place for public gatherings. People celebrate and commemorate here. It is a main tourist attraction in Bucharest. The statue represents one of the greatest rulers of Moldavia.