User:DDima/Sandbox/Bender Fortress

The Bender Fortress (see for other variants) is an medieval fortress located in the city of Bender, internationally recognized as part of the Republic of Moldova. The city is currently under the control of Transnistria, an unrecognized breakaway republic from Moldova. It was constructed on the right bank of the Nistru River.

Name
The fortress can be known by many different names. In Romanian, the city is known as Bender, although in the past it was known as Tighina, which is why the fortress can be known as either the Bender Fortress (Cetatea Bendér) or the Tighina Fortress (Cetatea Tighína). In both Russian and Ukrainian, the city is known as Bendery, which is why the fortress is referred to as the Bendery Fortress (Бендерская крепость; Бендерська фортеця).

History
The area at the river banks of Dniester was used as customs control in the second half of the 14th century. The first origin is dated from 1408. At this time castle and city was recognized as Tighina. The first castle was reconstructed and expanded under Stephen III of Moldavia (Ștefan cel Mare or Stefan the Great) at the beginning of the 16th century. By Ottoman occupation of the area in 1538 the castle was enlarged again to a military fortress by order of Suleiman the Magnificent and realized from 1538 to 1541 under the architect Mimar Sinan. Recapturing by moldovian troops failed in 1574, 1595 and 1600. 1705 to 1707 the fortress has been stronger fortified by the military leader and voivode Dimitrie Cantemir. In result of the second Russo-Turkish War the country was as extended as Besserabia and since 1812 part of the Russian Empire. The Fortress was widely used as casern and lost his importance at the end of the 19th century. Taken under control of Transnistria in 1991 the fortress was restored between 2008 and 2012 and is now open for public.