Don't go to this Abandoned Soviet School in a Conflict Zone

Transnistria is a breakaway republic that is officially considered to be part of the Republic of Moldova. It has declared itself an independent state, with Tiraspol as its capital. However, this self-declared statehood is not recognized by any other country in the world. In 1992 a bloody civil war briefly flared up. Russian peacekeeping troops have been guarding the border between the two opposing sides ever since.
To this day, Transnistria retains a very "Soviet" character, which is an element that makes it interesting to dark tourists. Many traces of the 1992 war can be seen. To travel to this no-mans land has very adventurous elements to it.
The country officially calls itself the "PMR" ('Pridnestrovskaya Moldavskaya Respublika), although the shorted name Transnistria (or Trans-dniestria) is more used more often. Tiraspol is the "capital" of the PMR, and the town of Bender is an important location on the border with Moldova. The status of this country remains very contested. The PMR is not recognized as an independent state by any other country in the world (Except by the break-away regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which have both been trying to split away from the country of Georgia for many years. In the summer of 2008, after its conflict with Georgia, Russia has recognized these Caucasian provinces as independent States. It remains to be seen what Russia's ultimate solution to the Moldova-PMR question will be.
The PMR is not recognized by the country of Moldova. This remains at the heart of the conflict. A proper solution does not seem to be coming any time soon. To this day, the border between the PMR and Moldova is secured by Russian soldiers. You can see them on the streets of Transnistria.
The PMR declared independence in September 1990. Transnistria used to be part of the MSSR (Moldovan Soviet Socialist Republic) during the Soviet era.
In 1940, the previously Ukrainian region of today's Transnistria was joined with the Bessarabia province of Romania. This was part of the pact between Hitler's Germany and Stalin's USSR. This was called the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. It was incorporated into the Soviet Union and this formed the new MSSR.
In 1941, Romania was part of the Axis with the Nazis during World War II. They reclaimed Bessarabia and also took over the territory that was east of the Dniester River. This is why it was named Transnistria, since it was located on the other side of the Dniester River.
Incidentally, this territory was used for the deportation of Roma (aka Gypsies). It was also used for the deportation of Sinti and Romanian Jews. This was a less known part of the Holocaust.
The MSSR was reinstituted when the war ended. Once again it included the former Bessarabia, (which is now the country of Moldova), as well as the land located east of the Dniester River called Transnistria. (Portions of Transnistria that were under Romanian rule ended up being part of Ukraine once again).

In 1990 - 1991 the MSSR broke away from the USSR and the Moldovans declared those artificial actions during WWII to be "null and void". The Transnistrians argued that the inclusion of their territory into Moldova should not be valid either. Moldova disagreed with this but Transnistria insisted. They also feared the possible reunification of Moldova back into Romania.
In 1992 the conflict became violent, and war broke out in the Transnistrian town of Bender.
Eventually Russian forces intervened to stop the military conflict. To this day Russian peacekeeping forces are still stationed in this volatile region.

The conflict is partially ethnic and cultural. Transnistria considers itself to be part of the larger cultural area of Russia. PMR propaganda emphasizes that the are of Transnistria was never historically part of the Ottoman empire or Romania. The country of Moldova leans more towards the West. Moldova ultimately wants to join the European Union (EU).

The conflict here remains unresolved and its status is merely that of a ceasefire that has lasted albeit for the last 25 years.
If you do decide to go, the exoticness of the Transnistria is very rewarding for adventurous travelers.

The excitement of entering Transnistria is that it still looks so much like the old days of the Soviet USSR. Visiting Transnistria feels like you are time traveling.
Tiraspol, the capital of Transnistria has giant statues of the head of Lenin, war memorials, socialist murals and slogans written all over the place.
Tourists who visit can experience going "back to the USSR".
Parts of the city center of Tiraspol feel like an open-air museum.
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