Ungheni

Ungheni
Municipality
Piața Independenței (Independence Square)
Piața Independenței (Independence Square)
Flag of Ungheni
Flag
Coat of arms of Ungheni
Coat of arms
Ungheni is located in Moldova
Ungheni
Ungheni
Location within Moldova
Coordinates: 47°13′N 27°49′E / 47.217°N 27.817°E / 47.217; 27.817
CountryMoldova
CountyUngheni District
First mentioned1462
Area
 • Total
16.4 km2 (6.3 sq mi)
Population
 (2014)[1]
 • Total
30,804
 • Density1,880/km2 (4,860/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+2 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+3 (EEST)
WebsiteOfficial website

Ungheni (Romanian pronunciation: [uŋˈɡenʲ] ⓘ) is a city, municipality[2] and the seat of Ungheni District in the Republic of Moldova.

There is a bridge across the Prut River and a border checkpoint to Romania. The town of Ungheni in the Republic of Moldova lays across the Prut from the village of Ungheni in Romania, the two being historically part of the same town.[3]

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
Eiffel Bridge

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.[4]

Transport

Ungheni has a well-developed network of roads of both national and local importance, and serves as a key railway hub and customs border crossing that connects the domestic network with international routes.

Rail

Ungheni Railway station

Ungheni railway station is an international crossing point, handling both freight and passenger transport. It is the largest railway junction in central Moldova, with limited services to Chișinău and international services to Kyiv.

Road

The construction of the Ungheni–Iași–Târgu Mureș motorway is planned, linking it to the Transylvania Motorway.

River Port

The municipality also has a river port on the Prut, managed by the State Enterprise “Ungheni River Port”. Ungheni River Port is one of the four river ports currently operating in the Republic of Moldova. In recent years, development works on the River Prut have continued. Recently, maintenance of the Ungheni technical sector has included dredging and straightening works along a 385–405 km stretch of the riverbed.

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.[5][6]

Ethnic composition of Ungheni (2024)
  1. Moldovans[a] (87.3%)
  2. Romanians (7.80%)
  3. Ukrainians (2.80%)
  4. Russians (1.50%)
  5. Others (0.50%)
Linguistic composition of Ungheni (2024)
  1. Moldovan[b] (47.8%)
  2. Romanian (43.9%)
  3. Russian (6.70%)
  4. Ukrainian (1.40%)
  5. Other (0.20%)
Historical population
YearPop.±%
1959 11,129—    
1970 17,228+54.8%
1979 25,792+49.7%
1989 37,788+46.5%
2004 32,530−13.9%
2014 30,804−5.3%
2024 26,457−14.1%
  1. ^ There is an ongoing controversy regarding the ethnic identification of Moldovans and Romanians.
  2. ^ In March 2023, the Parliament of Moldova passed a law updating all legislative texts and the constitution to refer to the national language as Romanian, effectively rendering the term "Moldovan" obsolete.[7][8]

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

Twin towns – Sister cities

Ungheni is twinned with:

Consulates

  • The first historical mention of Ungheni dates to 20 August 1462
    The first historical mention of Ungheni dates to 20 August 1462
  • Museum
    Museum
  • Socialist mosaics
    Socialist mosaics
  • Palace of Culture
    Palace of Culture
  • Saint Alexander church
    Saint Alexander church
  • Town Hall
    Town Hall

References

  1. ^ Results of Population and Housing Census in the Republic of Moldova in 2014: "Characteristics - Population (population by communes, religion, citizenship)" (XLS). National Bureau of Statistics of the Republic of Moldova. 2017. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
  2. ^ 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 Archived 19 February 2019 at the Wayback Machine (in Romanian)
  3. ^ Sever Boțan; Alexandru Berzovan (2022). "Contribuții la monografia istorică a comunei Ungheni (jud. Iași)]" [Contributions to the historical monograph of Ungheni commune (Iași county)]. Buletin informativ al Simpozionului Național Rolul Mănăstirii Secu în viața religioasă a Țării Moldovei (in Romanian). VIII. Piatra Neamț: Editura Cetatea Doamnei: 25–46. ISSN 2392-6988. Retrieved 11 April 2026 – via researchgate.net.
  4. ^ "EIB study set out first steps for standard-gauge links to Ukraine and Moldova". 7 August 2023.
  5. ^ "Rezultatele finale ale Recensământului Populației și Locuințelor 2024: Caracteristici etnoculturale ale populației". National Bureau of Statistics of the Republic of Moldova. (in Romanian)
  6. ^ "2014 Moldova Census of Population and Housing". National Bureau of Statistics of the Republic of Moldova. (in Romanian, Russian, and English)
  7. ^ "Chisinau Recognizes Romanian As Official Language". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 5 December 2013. Archived from the original on 23 September 2016. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
  8. ^ "Moldovan parliament approves law on Romanian language". Reuters. 16 March 2023. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
  9. ^ Sister Cities Winston-Salem Archived 23 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine. City of Winston-Salem.
  10. ^ Winston-Salem, NC Archived 23 March 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Interactive City Directory. Sister Cities International, Inc.
  • Brezianu, Andrei and Spânu, Vlad (eds.) (2007) "Ungheni" Historical Dictionary of Moldova (2nd ed.) Scarecrow Press, Lanham, Maryland, USA, p. 371, ISBN 978-0-8108-5607-3
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