Holly Gates

The Holly Gates are historical and architectural monument in Chisinau. They represent an element of city centre architectural complex. The Gates were built in 1846 upon the project by I. Zaushkevich. They were intended for fixing a huge bell which was cast from Turkish cannons. The bell weighs 6.4 tons. The construction is square and it leans on 4 pylons from cut white stone. Pylons and 16 side-columns of Corinthian order are topped by borderline cornice, frieze of which is ornamented by slip white glaze. Above the cornice along 4 foresides there are stone arches which form attic level, bridged by stone coffering. Here's big bell and clock mechanism. Above this level there's the second stone cornice which tops the whole construction. There are marble commemorative tablets fixed on the Holly Gates, on which there's carved an order by Supreme Commander-in-Chief of military forces of ex-USSR about liberation of Chisinau from German-Romanian invaders on 29 August 1944.