The history of the 2nd male gymnasium in Chisinau and the house church built with it at the end of the 19th – 20th centuries (for the 120th anniversary of the construction of the church)

Abstract

Th e educational institution was opened in Chisinau in 1871. It was transformed into the 2nd Chisinau gymnasium in 1884. Th ere are various documents on the construction of the building of this 2nd male gymnasium during 1892-1893 in the National Archives of the Republic of Moldova. Plans and projects for this construction of the building were drawn up by the diocesan architect Demosfen Mazirov. Th e educational institution had the right to own a chapel and thanks to the honorary trustee of the gymnasium Constantin Namestnic, a temple was built in the Byzantine-Russian style according to the project of the diocesan architect Mikhail Serotsinsky. On May 19, 1902 it was consecrated. In April 1962, a planetarium was opened in the church building as a center of astronomy. Later it was returned to the Orthodox Church. Today it is the Transfi guration of the Savior Church (Biserica Schimbarea la Față a Mântuitorului), which is an architectural monument of national importance representing a part of the rich cultural heritage of the Republic of Moldova.