Chișinău is the capital and largest city of Moldova and it's Moldova's main industrial and commercial center and is located in the middle of the country, on the river Bîc. Moldova has a history of winemaking dating back to at least 3,000 BCE, and as the capital city, Chișinău hosts the yearly national wine festival every October. Founded in 1436 as a monastery village, the city was part of the Principality of Moldavia which, starting with the 16th century became a vassal state of the Ottoman Empire, while still retaining its autonomy.

Though the city's buildings were badly damaged during the Second World War and earthquakes, there remains a rich architectural heritage, especially in the form of Socialist realism and Brutalist architecture. The city's central railway station boasts a Russian-Imperial architectural style and maintains direct rail links to Romania. The Swiss-Italian-Russian architect Alexander Bernardazzi designed many of the city's most impressive buildings, including the Chișinău City Hall, the Church of Saint Theodore, and the Church of Saint Panteleimon.