Sovereign Cities of Europe Quiz

100 questions · by Qwiz Rush

Sovereign Cities of Europe Quiz is a free 100-question multiple choice, letters and numbers quiz on Qwiz Rush, made by Qwiz Rush, split into 10 rounds. Test your knowledge on the rich history, geography, and culture of Europe's most iconic capital cities.

Host it live for friends, family, a class or a quiz night: everyone joins with a game code on their own device, no app needed. Or play it solo with Free Play and see how many you get right.

Every question runs on a 10-second countdown and the fastest correct answers score the most. All the questions and their choices are listed below so you can see what the quiz covers; the answers are revealed in the game. Want to change something? Make your own copy and edit it in your library.

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The 100 questions

Which major European river flows through four sovereign capital cities—Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest, and Belgrade—before emptying into the Black Sea?
- Rhine
- Danube
- Elbe
- Vistula
Rome, the historic capital of Italy, is situated along the banks of which river?
- Po
- Arno
- Tiber
- Adige
Which river flows through the center of Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, and is spanned by the famous Charles Bridge?
- Vltava
- Oder
- Elbe
- Danube
The capital city of Lisbon, Portugal, sits at the mouth of which river, the longest on the Iberian Peninsula?
- Douro
- Guadiana
- Ebro
- Tagus
Which iconic river flows through the heart of Paris, dividing the city into the Left and Right Banks?
- Loire
- Seine
- Rhône
- Garonne
The capital city of Ukraine, Kyiv, is divided by which major European river?
- Dnieper
- Dniester
- Don
- Volga
How many sovereign capital cities does the Danube River flow through directly?

Answer with a number.
In what year was the Thames Barrier in London officially opened to protect the sovereign capital from North Sea storm surges?

Answer with a number.
Name the longest river entirely within France, which flows through cities like Orléans and Tours before emptying into the Atlantic Ocean.

Answer with a letter.
Name the river that flows through the center of Berlin, Germany, feeding into the Havel River and forming part of the city's historic identity.

Answer with a letter.
Which European capital city is home to the Palacio Real, the largest functioning royal palace in Europe by floor area?
- Lisbon
- Madrid
- Rome
- Brussels
Amalienborg, the winter residence of the royal family consisting of four identical classicist palaces around an octagonal courtyard, is located in which sovereign capital?
- Copenhagen
- Oslo
- Stockholm
- Amsterdam
Built originally in 1191 as a Genoese fortress, the Prince's Palace is the official residence of the sovereign ruler of which European microstate?
- Liechtenstein
- San Marino
- Monaco
- Andorra
The Hofburg Palace, which serves as the official workplace of the President of Austria, was the principal winter residence of which historic ruling dynasty?
- Habsburg
- Romanov
- Bourbon
- Hohenzollern
While the Royal Palace in the city center is used for official state business, the Belgian royal family actually resides in the Royal Palace of which northern Brussels suburb?
- Anderlecht
- Laeken
- Schaerbeek
- Ixelles
In 1837, Buckingham Palace became the official London residence of the British monarch upon the accession of which sovereign?
- Queen Victoria
- King George III
- King William IV
- Queen Anne
In what year did the French royal court officially move its seat of power from the Louvre in Paris to the Palace of Versailles under Louis XIV?

Answer with a number.
In what year did the catastrophic Fire of Whitehall destroy most of the Palace of Whitehall in London, which had been the main residence of the English monarchs?

Answer with a number.
Name the historic capital city where the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland, is located.

Answer with a letter.
Name the celebrated Rococo summer palace built by Frederick the Great, King of Prussia, located in Potsdam.

Answer with a letter.
According to legend, which Christian stonemason founded San Marino in 301 AD to escape the religious persecution of Emperor Diocletian?
- Saint Marinus
- Saint Blaise
- Saint Leo
- Saint Rufus
The ancient Greek name for Monaco, Monoikos, is associated with which mythological hero who supposedly constructed its famous coastal road?
- Theseus
- Perseus
- Hercules
- Achilles
Which legendary Emperor of the Romans is traditionally credited with granting a charter to the Andorran people in return for their help fighting the Moors?
- Charlemagne
- Julius Caesar
- Justinian I
- Otto the Great
According to Roman mythology, which of the twin brothers raised by a she-wolf became the sole founder of Rome after killing his sibling?
- Remus
- Romulus
- Aeneas
- Numitor
The capital of Malta, Valletta, was founded in 1566 by a Grand Master of which military order following the Great Siege of Malta?
- Knights Templar
- Teutonic Knights
- Order of Saint John
- Order of Santiago
The historic castle of Vaduz, the primary residence of the Prince of Liechtenstein, was originally constructed by which medieval noble family before being acquired by the House of Liechtenstein?
- The Counts of Werdenberg
- The Habsburgs
- The House of Savoy
- The Babenbergs
In which year AD is the sovereign microstate of San Marino traditionally said to have been founded, making it the world's oldest surviving republic?

Answer with a number.
In what year AD did the Roman Emperor Caligula transport the red granite obelisk from Egypt to Rome, which today stands in the center of Saint Peter's Square in Vatican City?

Answer with a number.
Which ancient seafaring civilization from the Levant first colonized the Maltese islands around 700 BC, establishing them as a key Mediterranean trading outpost?

Answer with a letter.
What is the name of the prominent three-peaked mountain upon which the historical towers of San Marino are built?

Answer with a letter.
Which Renaissance master designed the massive double-columned colonnade that frames St. Peter's Square in Vatican City?
- Gian Lorenzo Bernini
- Michelangelo
- Donato Bramante
- Francesco Borromini
Designed by Charles Garnier, the architect of the Paris Opera, which iconic Belle Époque building is a central landmark of Monaco's Monte Carlo district?
- Monte Carlo Casino
- Prince's Palace of Monaco
- Oceanographic Museum
- Cathedral of Our Lady Immaculate
What is the name of the oldest and most famous of the three iconic fortress towers located on the peaks of Monte Titano in San Marino?
- Guaita
- Cesta
- Montale
- Fratta
Which 16th-century high-baroque co-cathedral in Valletta, Malta, is famous for housing Caravaggio's masterpiece 'The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist'?
- St. John's Co-Cathedral
- St. Paul's Cathedral
- Basilica of Our Lady of Mount Carmel
- St. Publius Parish Church
What is the name of the historic subterranean fortress system in Luxembourg City, often referred to as the 'Gibraltar of the North'?
- Bock Casemates
- Gëlle Fra
- Grand Ducal Palace
- Fort Thüngen
Perched on a hillside overlooking the capital of Liechtenstein, what medieval fortress is the official primary residence of the country's princely family?
- Vaduz Castle
- Gutenberg Castle
- Schloss Ambras
- Vaduz Cathedral
How many historic defensive towers are depicted on both the national flag and the coat of arms of San Marino?

Answer with a number.
In what year was the current St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City officially consecrated, marking its completion after over a century of construction?

Answer with a number.
What is the name of the giant oval amphitheater in the center of Rome, commissioned by Emperor Vespasian in 72 AD?

Answer with a letter.
Standing atop the Acropolis of Athens, what is the name of the former temple dedicated to the goddess Athena that is considered the zenith of the Classical Greek architectural style?

Answer with a letter.
Which European microstate is completely surrounded by the Italian regions of Emilia-Romagna and Marche?
- Vatican City
- San Marino
- Monaco
- Liechtenstein
What is the highest point within the sovereign borders of Monaco, located on the slopes of Mont Agel?
- Chemin des Révoires
- La Turbie
- Monte Carlo Hill
- Le Rocher
Which European microstate is governed by a unique diarchy consisting of the Bishop of Urgell and the President of France?
- Liechtenstein
- Monaco
- Andorra
- San Marino
Which sovereign European capital city is geographically the northernmost national capital in the world?
- Oslo
- Helsinki
- Reykjavik
- Tallinn
Which sovereign state is the smallest internationally recognized independent country in the world by both area and population?
- Monaco
- Nauru
- Tuvalu
- Vatican City
Located at the southernmost tip of mainland Europe, the town of Tarifa is part of which sovereign nation?
- Spain
- Portugal
- Italy
- Greece
In what year did the Lateran Treaty establish Vatican City as an independent sovereign state?

Answer with a number.
How many sovereign municipalities (communes) make up the entire territory of the Principality of Liechtenstein?

Answer with a number.
What is the capital city of the Alpine microstate of Liechtenstein?

Answer with a letter.
What is the name of the sovereign island nation in the Mediterranean Sea whose capital city is Valletta?

Answer with a letter.
Before adopting its current name in 1925, what was the capital city of Norway, Oslo, historically known as?
- Christiania
- Nidaros
- Bjørgvin
- Trondheim
What was the ancient Greek name for the coastal settlement that eventually became the sovereign microstate of Monaco?
- Monoikos
- Portus Hercules
- Athenopolis
- Massalia
What was the historical German name of the capital of Slovakia, Bratislava, under Austro-Hungarian rule?
- Pressburg
- Danzig
- Stettin
- Laibach
Which sovereign European capital was known as Lutetia during the Roman Empire?
- London
- Paris
- Vienna
- Geneva
The sovereign city-state of Vatican City is located on the Vatican Hill. What was the ancient Roman name for this flat area west of the Tiber River?
- Ager Vaticanus
- Campus Martius
- Mons Palatinus
- Forum Romanum
Which Baltic capital city was historically known as Reval before officially adopting its current name in 1918?
- Riga
- Vilnius
- Tallinn
- Helsinki
In what year did the capital of Russia officially move back to Moscow from Petrograd (St. Petersburg), restoring its status as the primary seat of power?

Answer with a number.
In what year was the Free City of Danzig established as a semi-autonomous sovereign city-state under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles?

Answer with a number.
Name the historic Adriatic city-state, known today as Dubrovnik, which existed for centuries as a sovereign maritime republic until its annexation by Napoleon.

Answer with a letter.
Name the ancient Roman military camp and settlement that eventually grew to become the sovereign capital city of Austria.

Answer with a letter.
What traditional Monégasque dish is a small savory pastry filled with Swiss chard, spinach, ricotta, and pine nuts, traditionally eaten on National Day?
- Barbagiuan
- Socca
- Pissaladière
- Fougasse
Which traditional San Marinese dessert is a multi-layered cake featuring wafer layers cemented with chocolate and hazelnut cream, designed to represent the sovereign state's peaks?
- Torta Tre Monti
- Bustrengo
- Cacciatello
- Ciambella
In Vatican City, which elite military unit, famous for its colorful Renaissance-style uniforms, celebrates its new recruits' swearing-in ceremony every May 6th?
- Swiss Guard
- Palatine Guard
- Noble Guard
- Gendarmerie Gendarme
What is the national dish of Andorra, a hearty mountain stew made with cabbage, potatoes, white beans, and various meats like pork and sausage?
- Escudella
- Trinxat
- Fideuà
- Cassoulet
What is the popular Maltese savory street food consisting of flaky pastry filled with either ricotta cheese or mushy peas?
- Pastizz
- Ftira
- Imqaret
- Qassatat
What is the national dish of Liechtenstein, consisting of tiny, tender dumplings covered in melted local cheese and topped with sweet caramelized onions?
- Käsknöpfle
- Rösti
- Spätzle
- Raclette
In what year did Vatican City become an independent sovereign state through the signing of the Lateran Treaty?

Answer with a number.
San Marino is home to how many historic fortress towers situated on the peaks of Monte Titano, which are also depicted on the national flag?

Answer with a number.
What is the name of Malta's fortified capital city, founded by the Knights Hospitaller in the 16th century and famous for its Baroque architecture?

Answer with a letter.
Which sovereign European microstate, surrounded entirely by Italy, claims to be the oldest surviving sovereign state and constitutional republic in the world?

Answer with a letter.
Which city served as the final capital of the Western Roman Empire from 402 AD until its fall in 476 AD?
- Rome
- Milan
- Ravenna
- Constantinople
Which city was the traditional site of coronation for the Kings of Germany (and later Holy Roman Emperors) from 936 to 1531?
- Frankfurt
- Aachen
- Munich
- Vienna
Peter the Great founded Saint Petersburg in 1703 to serve as his new imperial capital. Which city did it replace as the capital of the Russian Tsardom?
- Moscow
- Kiev
- Novgorod
- Kazan
Following the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867, which twin cities were formally merged in 1873 to co-anchor the empire's Hungarian half?
- Buda and Pest
- Vienna and Graz
- Prague and Pilsen
- Zagreb and Split
Before capturing Constantinople in 1453, which European city served as the capital of the Ottoman Empire?
- Sophia
- Belgrade
- Thessaloniki
- Adrianople
Following his first abdication in 1814, Napoleon Bonaparte was exiled to which Mediterranean island, over which he was allowed to retain sovereign rule?
- Corsica
- Elba
- Saint Helena
- Malta
In what year did the Byzantine Empire officially fall when Constantinople was captured by Sultan Mehmed II?

Answer with a number.
In what year did Francis II abdicate, formally dissolving the Holy Roman Empire after a disastrous defeat by Napoleon at the Battle of Austerlitz?

Answer with a number.
Name the ancient city on the Tiber River that served as the original seat and namesake of the Roman Empire.

Answer with a letter.
Name the imperial palace in Vienna that served as the principal summer residence of the Habsburg monarchs.

Answer with a letter.
Which Brussels-based international treaty organization, established in 1949, has its political headquarters located in the municipality of Haren?
- The European Union
- The North Atlantic Treaty Organization
- The Council of Europe
- The Western European Union
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. In which European city's Peace Palace is it located?
- Geneva
- Luxembourg City
- The Hague
- Vienna
Which capital city on the Danube hosts the headquarters of both the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)?
- Budapest
- Vienna
- Bratislava
- Belgrade
The European Parliament has two official debate venues. While committee meetings are held in Brussels, in which French city is its official seat where monthly plenary sessions are held?
- Strasbourg
- Lyon
- Nice
- Paris
Which Swiss city hosts the second-largest of the four major office sites of the United Nations, located at the historic Palais des Nations?
- Zurich
- Bern
- Geneva
- Basel
Which German financial hub is home to the headquarters of the European Central Bank (ECB), making it a crucial center for eurozone monetary policy?
- Munich
- Berlin
- Frankfurt
- Dusseldorf
In what year was the landmark Maastricht Treaty signed in the Netherlands, officially creating the European Union?

Answer with a number.
How many sovereign member states are currently represented in the Council of Europe, the continent's leading human rights organization headquartered in Strasbourg?

Answer with a number.
Name the sovereign European microstate surrounded entirely by the city of Rome that serves as the diplomatic and spiritual center of the Roman Catholic Church.

Answer with a letter.
Name the small Luxembourgish wine-making town, located near the tripoint of Luxembourg, France, and Germany, where the historic 1985 treaty to abolish border controls was signed.

Answer with a letter.
Which massive public park in Munich, Germany, is one of Europe's largest urban green spaces, even larger than New York's Central Park?
- Englischer Garten
- Tiergarten
- Prater
- Parc de la Tête d'Or
Which UNESCO World Heritage public park, located in the heart of Madrid, features the famous glass-and-iron Crystal Palace (Palacio de Cristal)?
- Casa de Campo
- El Retiro Park
- Parque del Oeste
- Sabatini Gardens
Phoenix Park, one of the largest enclosed public parks in any European capital city, is located in which sovereign city?
- London
- Edinburgh
- Dublin
- Copenhagen
Which famous Viennese public park is home to the Wiener Riesenrad, a historic giant Ferris wheel built in 1897?
- Prater
- Stadtpark
- Volksgarten
- Schönbrunn Gardens
Which large landscape garden in Rome features a prominent art gallery housing masterpieces by Gian Lorenzo Bernini and Caravaggio?
- Villa Pamphili
- Boboli Gardens
- Giardino degli Aranci
- Villa Borghese
Which famous Parisian public park, commissioned by Marie de' Medici in 1612, is known for its octagonal grand basin and for hosting the French Senate?
- Jardin du Luxembourg
- Tuileries Garden
- Parc des Buttes-Chaumont
- Bois de Boulogne
How many official Royal Parks are located within Greater London, which include Hyde Park, Regent's Park, and Richmond Park?

Answer with a number.
In which year did Amsterdam's famous Vondelpark first open to the public under its original name, Nieuwe Park?

Answer with a number.
Name the world-famous sculpture park in Oslo, Norway, which displays over 200 granite and bronze works by a single artist.

Answer with a letter.
Name the historic amusement park and pleasure garden in Copenhagen, Denmark, which opened in 1843 and famously inspired Walt Disney.

Answer with a letter.

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The 100 questions

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