Tighina Fortress

Also called Bender Fortress, Transnistrian region buffer zone The Ottomans built the fortress after Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent conquered the area in 1538. Also called the Tighina Fortress, it was one of medieval and Renaissance Moldova’s most important landmarks. Sweden’s King Charles XII took refuge in the area after the Russians defeated his forces in the Battle of Poltova in 1709. Ottoman soldiers, trying to drive Charles from the area, fought several skirmishes with him. One of the fortress’s legends is that Charles’ crown is hidden in a dungeon there. Another legend is that the golden carriage of Ukrainian General Ivan Mazepa, who stopped at the complex, is hidden in the fortress. For those interested in old-time warfare, the fort contains a torture chamber and museum.