Triumphal arch, Chișinău

The Triumphal arch is a monument situated in Central Chişinău next to the Nativity Cathedral on Piața Marii Adunǎri Naționale nr. 2

History
The Triumphal arch was built in 1840 by the architect I. Zauschevic and thanks to the governor's of Bessarabia initiative to commemorate the victory of the Russian Empire over the Ottoman Empire during the Russo-Turkish War (1828–29). From its construction to 2011 the monument sheltered at its second level a huge bell of nearly 6400 kg (400 Puduri). It was smelted with the copper of the canon captured by the Russian forces from the Ottoman Empire. The bell "clopote–velican" was initially made for the cathedral's belfry but happend to be too big for it. Finally it was installed in this arc, which was designed in purpose. The monument and the mechanism of its clock were fully restored in 1973.