The readiness of his country to contribute to the restoration of two landmark buildings in Chisinau was announced by the President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron, who was on a visit to Moldova on the occasion of Independence Day
A memorandum of understanding on the restoration of the two monuments was signed on August 24 by Moldovan Culture Minister Sergiu Prodan and French Ambassador to Chisinau Dominique Waag.
The document envisages strengthening bilateral cooperation in the field of cultural heritage by mobilizing French experience, as well as national, European and international resources for the restoration of the Vladimir Hertz and Moisei Kligman mansions.
The Memorandum envisages the elaboration of a pre-feasibility study by French and Moldovan experts, which will include recommendations on the purpose of the complex, possible sources of funding and project management mechanisms. A bilateral committee will be established to coordinate the restoration process.
In the first phase, it is planned to restore the Hertz Municipal Villa, a public property, with a partial opening to the public in 2027, followed by the restoration of the Kligman Municipal Villa.
“This project represents an important step in our cultural cooperation with France and demonstrates a shared commitment to protecting and valorizing Chisinau’s architectural heritage. The restoration of the Hertz and Kligman complex will return two historic buildings to society and will contribute to the integration of this heritage into the European cultural space,” said Sergiu Prodan.
The parties agreed that a full feasibility study should be completed by the end of 2026.
It is worth recalling that attempts to restore the Hertz Villa were made in Chisinau back in the early 2000s. But the work was not completed and, according to experts, did more harm than good to the building. French experts started assessing the condition of the two buildings as early as March 2025 and stated that their restoration would require specialized knowledge and significant financial resources.
