Visiting Transnistria Quiz | Geography

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. It turns out that Transnistria does not have its own airport so you will have to fly into Chisinau and go from there. What neighboring country would that be in?

Answer: Moldova

Transnistria is an unrecognized breakaway state that was considered part of Moldova which calls it the "Administrative-Territorial Units of the Left Bank of the Dniester". Transnistria has a capital but no city with an international passenger airport. To visit, you could fly to Chisinau (airport code KIV).

2. As you cross the border into Transnistria, you try talking to the taxi driver. Even though English is your native tongue, you have studied up on their primary language. What is it?

Answer: Russian

Russian is the primary language of Transnistria and it's the first of three official recognized ones. Moldova still has a presence in Transnistria, even after the declared independence, so Romanian is the second of the languages. The third is Ukrainian, which originates from early medieval times.

3. Your drive takes you along the shores of the Dniester River which is the longest one in Transnistria. It separates this breakaway state from the mainland and you learn it is key for transporting a certain product. What is this item, of which Paul Bunyan would approve?

Answer: Logs

The Dniester River begins in the Carpathian Mountains and flows southeast for almost 840 miles to the Black Sea. It is the main water artery of Moldova and the longest river in Transnistria. It is navigable, even though it has shallow areas and sandbars. It is used heavily for carrying logs from the mountain areas and rafting them downstream.

4. You head across the river to Bender, Moldova, as you have been told to be sure to visit this landmark. It was built in the 16th century and served multiple roles. In what role is it best known?

Answer: Fortress

In the 1200s the site was a small trading fortress build by traders and sailors from Genoa, Italy. Centuries later, the Ottoman Empire expanded and rebuilt the fortress to include eight towers and a moat. The Fortress of Bender witnessed three Turkish-Russian wars, all of which Turkey won and maintained the site.

It was not until 1812 that, during a peace treaty, the fort was transferred to Russia. The Russian Army used it for military storage and a hospital. Restoration began in 2007, and now this is a tourist attraction where people can walk the site, visit a museum, or have a picnic.

5. You decide to spend some time in the capital of Transnistria and head to the eastern side of the Dniester River. What is the name of this city?

Answer: Tiraspol

Tiraspol is the second largest city in Transnistria and was founded by the Russians in 1795. In 1990, the site was the center of a Russian separatist movement and was named the capital of the new territory. In 2015, there was a population of around 133,000 people. It is situated in an agricultural area, but also has a thriving industry of furniture, textiles, and electrical goods.

6. A large percentage of the people in Transnistria practice the religion of Eastern Orthodox Christianity. You decide to go visit one of the key sites in the area, which is a beautiful church in Tiraspol. What is the name of this cathedral which is also called The Nativity Church?

Answer: Christmas Cathedral

The Christmas Cathedral is the largest church in Tiraspol. Its completion in 1999 was marked with huge celebrations and its image put on postage stamps. The exterior is painted in Byzantine style and its interior is filled with dazzling religious artworks. The church is located in the center of the city proper.

7. You drive across the country toward the east. It is not long before you are at the border of its neighboring country. What is this, whose capital is Kyiv?

Answer: Ukraine

Transnistria is landlocked and only shares borders with Moldova to the west and Ukraine to the east. Ukraine claims to serve as Transnistria's "window to the outside world" even though it does not officially recognize Transnistria's independence.

8. You stop in front of the Parliament building in Tiraspol and study the statue out front. It is one of many of the Soviet leader found throughout the country. Who was this revolutionary, who was the first and founding head of Soviet Russia from 1917 to 1924?

Answer: Lenin

Transnistria, throughout its history, has had close ties to Russia. The granite statue of Lenin in front of the Transnistria Parliament is modeled on a monument that used to be in East Berlin. There are multiple statues of Lenin in the country and they are made of different materials with different colors. Several tours of the area feature 'Lenin Statue Counting'.

9. On a more sobering note, you head to Tiraspol and visit the Memorial of Glory. Here are monuments dedicated to people who lost their lives in wars and uprisings. The centerpiece of the memorial is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier protected by a tank. What is also next to the tomb? It is similar to the one you would see at John F Kennedy's grave in Arlington Cemetery in Washington, DC.

Answer: Eternal Flame

The Memorial of Glory was built in the 1920s and served as a burial site for officers in the Russian Civil War. In the 1970s it was overhauled and various statues were added. In the early 2000s a Wall of Memory was built to honor Transnistrian defenders.

The centerpiece of the area is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier which features an eternal flame. It is dedicated to the memory of all war dead.

10. Before you end your vacation in Transnistria you visit the KVINT distillery and have a glass of their famous beverage. What is this brandy made from white wine?

Answer: Cognac

The KVINT distillery has been in business for over 100 years and owes much of its success to the climate of Transnistria. The river valley allows for a fertile grape production. The distillery then creates its cognac by distilling the white wine twice using state of the art equipment following strict adherence to French production techniques.

It has won numerous awards over the years. They call their product divin, since they are not in Cognac, France, but the locals, and much of the world, refer to the beverage as cognac.

Source: Author stephgm67

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor agony before going online.
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Visiting Transnistria Trivia Quiz

You decide to go on a vacation. You pick up a dart and throw it at a world map.....and....it appears you are going to Transnistria! Come take the quiz and see some of the places you may visit while there.

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