Eugen Doga Cultural Center: Chisinau's stalled restoration
The building on Veronica Micle Street in the capital, intended to become the "Eugen Doga" Cultural Center, remains in a state of disrepair.
The walls and roof are damaged, the windows are old and lacking panes, and the walls are crumbling from the foundation. No one has intervened during this period to preserve the structure. Three years after the project's initiation, restoration work has stagnated. The municipality attributes the problem to bureaucratic processes. However, architecture and heritage experts believe that the Cultural Center could be functional within the next two years if the restoration processes are accelerated.
This building could have served as a meeting place for music and art enthusiasts or a suitable space for art students from universities or colleges. It was intended to be a cultural center named after the maestro Eugen Doga, mourned by all. Today, however, the structure, listed in the Register of State-Protected Monuments, is abandoned.
Some capital residents, interviewed nearby, believe the edifice should be rehabilitated as soon as possible, as it is located right in the city center, and its appearance detracts from the area's image.
"Given its central location, where tourists and children pass by, and with many schools nearby, it would certainly be beneficial if it were dedicated to Mr. Eugen Doga. Considering his legacy and all that he contributed to the Republic of Moldova, the renown he brought abroad, it would be an extraordinary idea," said a resident.
"I'm sorry it has reached such a state. The state is neglecting it. They should at least give the building to public associations for management, rather than letting it be destroyed like this," added someone else.
"Such buildings, you see, are almost completely destroyed. It must be completely demolished and rebuilt from the ground up," affirmed another citizen.
The architect designated to be responsible for the rehabilitation of the structure told us that before starting restoration work, the city hall must obtain the building permit, identify a contractor, and organize the tender.
"The building is in an advanced state of degradation, and intervention works, at least for conservation, must be carried out. As it is an architectural monument, it can constantly deteriorate if conservation measures are not taken," mentioned architect Vitalie Cataraga.
The building could be rehabilitated in the next two years if the processes are accelerated.
"Everything depends on funding. I envision, as a plan, a maximum of one year for the elaboration of the execution project, its coordination, and its approval—which is a lengthy process within the Ministry of Culture—and then up to one year for the execution of works. So, a maximum of two years," declared heritage management expert Ion Ștefăniță.
Recently, Mayor Ion Ceban stated during a televised broadcast that the rehabilitation project is being delayed by bureaucracy. The mayor also mentioned that the late maestro Eugen Doga had wanted to see this center functional and had personally chosen the suitable space for its creation. The property was transferred by the Ministry of Culture to the City Hall's management at the beginning of December 2023. In October 2022, the Chișinău Municipal Council approved the creation of a cultural center named after the renowned composer Eugen Doga. In July 2023, a major fire gutted the interior of the building.
Composer and academician Eugen Doga passed away on June 3, at the age of 88. The Republic of Moldova bid farewell on June 5 to Eugen Doga, the composer who marked generations and took Moldovan music to the world's stages. The day of the funeral was declared a national day of mourning, in homage to one of the most respected figures of our culture.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
