A modestly scaled Triumphal Arch — locals call it the Holy Gates — anchors the south side of the cathedral park, looking out across Stefan cel Mare Boulevard. Built in 1840 to mark the Russian victory over the Ottomans in the war that ended with the Treaty of Adrianople, it has been a meeting point and rallying spot in Chisinau for nearly two centuries.
The arch is a single-bay Tuscan-Doric structure of local limestone, two storeys tall, with a clock from a German foundry installed in the upper section. It is the city's most photographed landmark — the angle that puts cathedral, arch, and government house in a single shot is the standard postcard view of Chisinau. Free; lit at night.