Ungheni

History

The first historical mention of Ungheni dates to 20 August 1462. A railway between Ungheni and Chișinău was built in 1875 by Russia in preparation for the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878. In the interwar period, the town formed part of Romania. During World War II, it was occupied by the Soviet Union from 1940, then recaptured by Romania in 1941, and then re-occupied by the Soviet Union in 1944, within which it formed part of the Moldavian SSR. After the war, the rail route through Ungheni became the main connection between the USSR and Romania.

Features and attractions

Gustave Eiffel bridge

Main article: Eiffel Bridge, Ungheni

In 1876, after the spring flooding of the river Prut, the railway bridge that linked Moldova and Romania was almost destroyed. The Railways Department invited Gustave Eiffel to Bessarabia (Moldova) to redesign and rebuild the bridge. Today, it remains a strategic structure under the supervision of border guards.

Th EU proposed in 2023 to lay a new rail 1435mm standard gauge line from Ungheni to Chisinau, alongside the existing 1520mm track, to avoid disruption to existing services.

Demographics

According to the 2024 census, 26,457 inhabitants lived in Ungheni (making it the sixth largest city in Moldova), a decrease compared to the previous census in 2014, when 30,804 inhabitants were registered.

|1959 | 11129 |1970 | 17228 |1979 | 25792 |1989 | 37788 |2004 | 32530 |2014 | 30804 |2024 | 26457

Media

• Unghiul
• Expresul de Ungheni
• Euronova TV
• UNGHENI.TV
• Radio Chişinău 93.8 FM
• Vocea Basarabiei 100.1 FM

Natives

• Anatolie Arhire
• Constantin Bejenaru
• Alexandr Braico
• Eugen Carpov
• I. A. L. Diamond
• Natalia Munteanu
• Vanotek - Moldovan-Romanian record producer and disc jockey
• Shmuel Cohen - Jewish poet, wrote the Music of Hatikvah, the national anthem of Israel

International relations

Main article: List of twin towns and sister cities in Moldova

Twin towns – Sister cities

Ungheni is twinned with:

• Latvia Auce, Latvia
• Russia Dmitrovsk, Russia
• Poland Konin, Poland
• Romania Reghin, Romania
• Ukraine Vasylkiv, Ukraine
• USA Winston-Salem, United States
• USA Mankato, United States
• Portugal Cascais, Portugal

Consulates

• – Consulate

Gallery

File:Stamp of Moldova md020st.jpg|The first historical mention of Ungheni dates to 20 August 1462 MD.UN.UN - intrarea în muzeul de istorie și etnografie și etnografie - aug 2024 - 02.jpg|Museum Mozaicul sovietic, str. Nationala 20, Ungheni, Republica Moldova Soviet Mosaic, 20 Nationala St, Ungheni, Republic of Moldova (50630096032).jpg|Socialist mosaics MD.UN.UN - palatul de cultură - aug 2024.jpg|Palace of Culture Biserica „Sf. Alexandru Nevski”, Ungheni, oct 2021 (2).jpg|Saint Alexander church MD.UN.UN - primăria - aug 2024.jpg|Town Hall

References

• Brezianu, Andrei and Spânu, Vlad (eds.) (2007) "Ungheni" Historical Dictionary of Moldova (2nd ed.) Scarecrow Press, Lanham, Maryland, USA, p. 371,

References

1. (2017). "Characteristics - Population (population by communes, religion, citizenship)". [[National Bureau of Statistics of the Republic of Moldova]].
2. [http://lex.justice.md/md/368393/ LEGE Nr. 248 din 03.11.2016 pentru modificarea și completarea Legii nr. 764-XV din 27 decembrie 2001 privind organizarea administrativ-teritorială a Republicii Moldova] {{Webarchive. link. (19 February 2019 {{in lang). ro
3. (7 August 2023). "EIB study set out first steps for standard-gauge links to Ukraine and Moldova".
4. "Rezultatele finale ale Recensământului Populației și Locuințelor 2024: Caracteristici etnoculturale ale populației". National Bureau of Statistics of the Republic of Moldova }} {{in lang.
5. "2014 Moldova Census of Population and Housing". National Bureau of Statistics of the Republic of Moldova }} {{in lang.
6. (5 December 2013). "Chisinau Recognizes Romanian As Official Language". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
7. (2023-03-16). "Moldovan parliament approves law on Romanian language". Reuters.
8. [http://www.cityofws.org/Home/DiscoverWinston-Salem/SisterCities/Articles/SisterCities Sister Cities Winston-Salem] {{Webarchive. link. (23 September 2015 . City of Winston-Salem.)
9. [http://www.sister-cities.org/interactive-map/Winston-Salem,%20NC Winston-Salem, NC] {{Webarchive. link. (23 March 2017 . ''Interactive City Directory''. Sister Cities International, Inc.)