Ungheni

For other uses, see Ungheni (disambiguation).

Ungheni (Romanian pronunciation: [uŋˈɡenʲ] ^ⓘ) is a municipality^[2] in Moldova. With a population of 35,157, it is the seventh largest town in Moldova and the seat of Ungheni District.

Ungheni
Municipality
Piața Independenței (Independence Square)
Flag Coat of arms
Ungheni Location within Moldova
Coordinates: 47°13′N 27°49′E
Country	Moldova
County	Ungheni District
First mentioned	1462
Area
• Total	16.4 km2 (6.3 sq mi)
Population  (2014)[1]
• Total	30,804
• Density	1,900/km2 (4,900/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+2 (EET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+3 (EEST)
Website	http://ungheni.md/

There is a bridge across the Prut and a border checkpoint to Romania. There is another border town with the same name in Romania (Ungheni, Iași), on the other side of the Prut River.

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

See also: Iași–Chișinău pipeline

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.^[3]

Demographics

According to the 2014 census, the population of Ungheni amounted to 30,804 inhabitants (making it the sixth largest city in Moldova), a decrease compared to the previous census in 2004, when 32,530 inhabitants were registered. Of these, 14,647 were men and 16,157 were women.^[4]

Ethnic composition of Ungheni (2014)^[5]

1. Moldovans* (84.5%)
2. Romanians (5.80%)
3. Ukrainians (5.20%)
4. Russians (3.85%)
5. Others (0.68%)

:Linguistic composition of Ungheni (2014)^[6]

1. Moldovan* (58.6%)
2. Romanian (29.5%)
3. Russian (9.78%)
4. Ukrainian (1.86%)
5. Other (0.25%)

Footnotes:

* There is an ongoing controversy regarding the ethnic identification of Moldovans and Romanians.

* Moldovan language is one of the two local names for the Romanian language in Moldova. In 2013, the Constitutional Court of Moldova interpreted that Article 13 of the constitution is superseded by the Declaration of Independence,^[7] thus giving official status to the name Romanian.^[8][9]

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±%
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%

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:

• Auce, Latvia
• Dmitrovsk, Russia
• Konin, Poland
• Reghin, Romania
• Vasylkiv, Ukraine
• Winston-Salem, United States^[10][11]
• Mankato, United States
• Cascais, Portugal

Consulates

•  Romania – Consulate^{[citation needed]}

Gallery

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