Bender Archives ⋆ The Passenger

May 3, 2025May 6, 2025

Cetatea Tighina

The fortress of Bender, also known as Tighina fortress (or Cetatea Tighina), stands as a remarkable example of military architecture on the right bank of the river Dniester in Bender, Moldova. Its origins trace back to the 15th century, with early fortifications likely made from earth and wood, later rebuilt in stone by the Ottomans after they conquered the area in 1538 under Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent. The renowned architect Sinan redesigned and expanded the fortress, transforming it into a formidable stronghold with bastions, towers, and deep defensive ditches, making it a key military outpost for the Ottoman empire and a frequent target for Moldavian, Russian, and Swedish forces throughout history.

May 3, 2025May 5, 2025

Pridnestrovie

Pridnestrovie, also known as Transnistria or officially as the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (PMR), is a narrow strip of land located between the river Dniester and the Ukrainian border. This unrecognized breakaway state declared independence from the Moldavian SSR on September 2, 1990, following tensions that arose during the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The region has historically been a multiethnic borderland where Moldovans, Russians, and Ukrainians make up the majority of the population, and it has been ruled by various powers throughout history, including the Ottoman Empire, Russia, Ukraine, and the Soviet Union.