Tiraspol, Transnistria: The capital that doesn't exist

Tiraspol, Transnistria: The capital city that doesn't exist

If you’ve never heard of Transnistria, you shouldn’t feel bad. You have a great excuse. On paper, it doesn't exist. This narrow region between Ukraine and Moldova was created after Moldova declared independence from the USSR back in 1990, but the ethnic Russians in the area weren't ready to break ties with the USSR. They declared independence with the goal of rejoining the Soviet Union, and even fought a two year war over the disputed territory with Moldova that eventually ended in ceasefire. Meanwhile, the Soviet Union had already crumbled, and the conflict between Transnistria and Moldova never fully resolved. The territory was granted autonomy, but nothing more. It isn't recognized as a nation by a single country. The result? A surreal, quiet, Soviet place. Strolling the clean, empty, and frankly boring streets almost feels as though crossing the loose border was actually traveling back in time to 1990. Lenin statues, rubles, hammers and sickles, Soviet architecture, the works. Contemporary Russia provides Transnistria with free gas, funds, and soldiers (though it still won't recognize it as a country). I went on a trip to photograph Tiraspol, the not-country's not-capital. Here’s a glimpse of the streets of the capital city that doesn’t exist.

Pronounced Dom Sovyetov, the Russian translates to "House of Advice," but this governmental building is more like a ministry of affairs. In front is one of Tiraspol's two Lenin statues.

A street vendor who wanted me to take his picture back to America and make him famous. Nearly every person I spoke to in Tiraspol (which were many, they pegged me as an outsider immediately and were curious) was amazed to be meeting an American. So much so that they often times didn't believe me at first. With my accent and less-than- perfect Russian, they assumed Poland or a Baltic state. They don't get many American Tourists.

Archways leading to a monastery in a residential part of Tiraspol.

Soldiers wave at the camera as they march down a side street in Tiraspol near the police station. Either supplied or trained by Russia, the soldiers are the city's law enforcement. I expected them to be angry at having their photo taken, but they were as gleeful as everyone else I met that day.