Using 知る out of TE form

[thesuker]

Would it be correct to answer the phrase
奈良は京都のそばです。
with
それを知りませんでした。
?
Or would it sound strange? I say this because I've read that 知る is normally used in て form (haven't learnt about it yet), so not sure if its posible/correct to use it in, for example, past negative.

 

[Toritoribe]

Probably you read an explanation that 知る can't be used to express the current state "to know" and 知っている is used for the case instead. As for negative, both 知りません and 知りませんでした can be used.

 

[thesuker]

わかります、どうもありがとう