Tiraspol is the largest city in Transnistria and the second largest in Moldova. It is less leafy than Bendery but still a pleasant place to spend a couple of days. There are plenty of of Soviet era apartment blocks and buildings around, some more attractive than others.
The Transnistrian Parliament is possibly the largest building, with a sizeable Lenin statue out front. For context to this and background please read my previous post on Transnistria and Bendery.
Across the road are a series of war memorials commemorating WW2, the Soviet war in Afghanistan, and the unresolved fight for independence since 1992. They are marked with statues, an Eternal Flame, the Saint George Chapel, and the Tank Monument of a Soviet T-34.
Nearby the Monument to Suvorov celebrates the founder of Tiraspol.
The first night we were in Tiraspol a famous Russian singer was holding a free concert in the centre of the city. It apparently attracted 40,000 people, which I can believe judging by now busy the city centre was.
The House of Soviets, now the City Hall, was one of the most attractive buildings in Tiraspol, home to the last Lenin statue I found.
As well as Lenin there are busts of other notable Russian figures, including Yuri Gagarin, Pushkin, and Catherine the Great.
I was expecting the unexpected in Transnistra but I wasn’t expecting a beach… across from Wollant Park in the centre of the city is what I assume is a man made stretch of sand.
Christmas Cathedral is the national cathedral, fetching from the outside and even more attractive inside when I had the place to myself.
Across a nice lake from the cathedral is the smart green and white Diocese of Tiraspol and Dubasari.
I went for four runs in Tiraspol, which were surprisingly enjoyable with clean, wide pavements, few dogs and a number of things a little way out of town to visit. The MiG-19 Monument to Aviators was one of them. It was installed in 1975 to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Great Patriotic War (aka WW2).
The lovely Presentation of the Child Jesus Church was another.
These wood carvings were an unexpected find.
Pobeda Park was recommended for running by a local though wasn’t that interesting other than this Ferris wheel.
The final morning I ran out to the Church of the Protection of the Mother of God and the main Train Station.
To finish with a short trip south out of Tiraspol, ten minutes by local bus to Noul Neamt Monastery. There are a number of sizeable and varied churches in the complex to explore. If visited as part of a tour the top of the tower is accessible but unfortunately not for independent travellers it seemed. There were some ingeniously stacked piles of wood around.
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