The stops are almost non-Jewish, but necessary-significant: the Cathedral with its bell tower, the Arc de Triomphe, the government building.We reached the side wall of the Christmas Cathedral, the main temple in the city, where the main religion is Orthodox Christianity.The Cathedral was built on the initiative of Bessarabian Metropolitan Gabriel Banulescu-Bodoni in 1830-1836. The architectural design was developed by Academician Avraham Melnikov of St. Petersburg.In accordance with the general plan of development of the city, the cathedral was placed in the center.On the same axis with him is a 4-tiered column. Massive architectural volume, four 6-column porticoes, large dome on a round drum, 8 large light windows. The interior walls of the cathedral were originally decorated with frescoes.In June 1941, the building was severely damaged by bombing, but was rebuilt after the war. During the time of militant atheism, on the night of December 22-23, 1962, by order of the Chisinau administration, the bell tower was blown up (restored in 1997). Church services were discontinued in the church and it was converted into an exhibition hall, and religious murals were replaced by non-religious paintings.The building was returned to the church in 1989-1991, After reconstruction, it was consecrated and the cross of the cathedral was placed on it.If you wish, you can pause and view the interior of the cathedral or come and take a closer look at the bell tower and the Triumphal Arch behind it.The Victory Arch of Chisinau (built in 1846, restored in 1973) is virtually a "sister" of the famous Arc de Triomphe in Rome. It was the architect Luka Zaushkevich, who was commissioned by the governor-general of Bessarabia, Count Vorontsov, to build a belfry in honor of the successful conclusion of the Russian-Turkish war. Earlier, at the request of the governor, Emperor Nicholas I ordered to let for the manufacture of bells for Kishinev trophy Turkish guns, they were in Ismail fortress, and cast bells have decided on the spot. Five magnificent bells were made, one of them weighing about 6.5 tons. When the copper giant was brought to the capital of Bessarabia, it was discovered that the windows of the cathedral bell tower were too small for it! Hence the idea "to make a special annex for this bell so that both the bell and the town clock could be placed under its vault" was born. By the end of 1840 an austere square building of hewn white stone 13 meters high with two Corinthian columns was ready. Because of its proximity to the Cathedral, it became known as the "Holy Gate".Strictly on the same axis as the Cathedral, the Bell Tower and the Victory Arch, viewed behind the latter, is the Government House.The Government Building was built in 1964, designed by architect S. D. Fridlin. Semyon Davidovich Fridlin, an ethnic Jew, was a Ukrainian Soviet architect. For the project of the Government House and the Concert Hall "Oktombrie" (now National Palace) built 10 years later, he became the first winner of the title of Honored Architect of the Moldavian SSR.The Government building is a 6-storey reinforced concrete construction, lined with white stone, with a U-shape. It is executed in a modern architectural style, with a clear metrical order of vertical pylons and panoramic windows and a powerful cornice at the level of the last floor. Above the main entrance is the coat of arms of the Republic of Moldova.Go on, leaving the Cathedral on the left, and pass by Café Bonjour and Chisinau's Montmartre with paintings by local artists. We cross the road carefully and find ourselves on a pedestrian street.On the left you can take a quick look at the objects of decorative and applied art.On the right you can take a picture of the popular group of sculptor Vyacheslav Zhiglitsky "Lovers". We go between the Park Hotel on the right and the pizzeria on the left, cross the traffic street, and below the popular cafe "Creme de la creme" we reach point number 4 - between the Jewish Library and, just below, "KEDEM" - the Chisinau United Jewish Home of Moldova. First about the library.