A large number of summer theatres used to exist in every big park in the Soviet Union. Chisinau, being one of the greenest capitals in Europe, was a great example of it. Summer theatres were the independent, public stages were the local community could see different theatre performances, folk dances, song contests and so on. Everybody was absolutely free to show his talent or his passion to the community.

Perhaps the biggest theater of this kind used to be the famous Green Theatre. It is situated in the most visited Chisinau park called Valea Morilor and it is very big. It could easily fit more than 3,000 people.

Nowadays, this place is almost unknown even by locals and that is why it’s one of my favorite spots. Because of the lack of money and all the bureaucracy, Chisinau municipality has used this theatre just a handful of times in the last 10 years and that is very sad. Such a complex has tremendous potential!

A big open-air theatre with a huge iron tower above it, with a nice-looking stage and hundreds of long benches — it represents a perfect example of the Soviet architecture of the 1960s.

Even if the gates of the theatre are often locked, don’t hesitate to walk around; the spirit of the flourishing Moldovan culture of yesteryear is still flittering above the Green Theatre.