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130 Switzerland Trivia Questions, Answers, and Fun Facts

How much do you know about Switzerland? This category is for trivia questions and answers related to Switzerland (Geography). Each one is filled with fun facts and interesting information.
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1 This Swiss city is relatively small, but it is usually crowded because it is a popular hub for tourists hoping to visit and climb the nearby Matterhorn. Which city in Valais canton is this?
Answer: Zermatt

Zermatt was nothing more than a small farming community until 1865 when climbing the Matterhorn gained in popularity. It is estimated that between half and two-thirds of the population work in the tourism industry (2014 data). Zermatt is primarily German-speaking.
    Your options: [ Biel ] [ Zurich ] [ Zermatt ] [ Schaffhausen ]
  From Quiz: Swiss Cities
2 Which lake in Switzerland, the fifth largest in the country, has its water level maintained by an unusual structure known as a needle dam?
Answer: Lake Lucerne

Lake Lucerne is found in central Switzerland and receives a large amount of its water from the Reuss River. The Reuss' flow into the lake is restricted by an unusual type of dam known as a needle dam, which is composed of many wooden "needles" which may be added or removed by hand in order to modulate the amount of flow through.

Doublemm gazes over the beautiful scenes of Lake Lucerne, which provides a setting for Rossini's opera "William Tell".
    Your options: [ Lake Maggiore ] [ Lake Neuchâtel ] [ Lake Constance ] [ Lake Lucerne ]
  From Quiz: Switzerland - 'All For One, One For All'
3 Around which mountain in Switzerland is it possible to ride the world's first revolving cable car?
Answer: Titlis

The Titlis Rotair is the highest glacier excursion in Central Switzerland. The Kleine Titlis cable car peaks at 3028m at Kleine Titlis.

The Titlis is 3238m high.
    Your options: [ Blanc ] [ Monch ] [ Pilatus ] [ Titlis ]
  From Quiz: Mountain Delights of Switzerland
4 A majority of the Swiss population speaks a variety of German as their first language. French and Italian are also official languages. What is the fourth official language of Switzerland?
Answer: Romansch

Romansch is the first language of about one-percent of the Swiss population. Several dialects of this ancient language are spoken in Grisons. It has been recognized as an official language since 1938.
  From Quiz: Travels in Switzerland
5 What is the capital of Switzerland?
Answer: Bern

Bern is the fourth largest city in Switzerland with an approximate population of 129,400 people.
  From Quiz: Superb Switzerland
6 What is the population of Switzerland?
Answer: Between 8 and 9 million

It is over eight million.
  From Quiz: Geographically Speaking - Switzerland
7 Which cantonal capital lies exactly on the language frontier between German and French and is bilingual?
Answer: Fribourg-Freiburg

Fribourg lies above the River Sarine which is considered as the proverbial 'fried potato ditch' which separates the French and German speaking parts of Switzerland
    Your options: [ Basel-Bale ] [ Neuchatel-Neuenburg ] [ Fribourg-Freiburg ] [ Biel-Bienne ]
  From Quiz: Swiss Canton Capitals
8 Switzerland's most famous alpine peak is the Matterhorn. Which city would you visit if you wanted to view it from below?
Answer: Zermatt

In the canton of Valais, Zermatt rests at the bottom of this 4,478m peak known worldwide for its unique shape and its difficulty, even for seasoned climbers; many regard it as the last great alpine peak - once it was scaled, there was nothing left!

Zermatt is a unique town. Boasting a rather robust tourism industry, the Zermatt area contains many hotels and resorts. Additionally, you won't find many traditional vehicles in the streets. Residents travel in eco-friendly cars and visitors are barred from bringing theirs in. If you get tired of skiing on the local slopes, you could ways go across the border to Italy as well - it's only 10km away.

Kyle would like to head to Zermatt; he doesn't mind the cold or the altitude one bit.
    Your options: [ Zurich ] [ Geneva ] [ Lucerne ] [ Zermatt ]
  From Quiz: Switzerland - 'All For One, One For All'
9 Why is Pilatus also known as the Dragon Mountain?
Answer: Pilatus is rumoured to have been home to flying dragons

This mountain in Switzerland is surrounded by many legends as Pilatus.
Many years ago, it was thought that dragons with healing powers lived in and on Pilatus including a dragon called Winckelriedt.
  From Quiz: Mountain Delights of Switzerland
10 It seems silly to ask for "Swiss" cheese in a Swiss restaurant. What would the natives call this cheese if they ordered it in Switzerland?
Answer: Emmentaler

There are over 450 varieties of cheese in Switzerland, generally made from cow's or sheep milk.
  From Quiz: An Alpine Tour of Switzerland
11 One of Switzerland's prettiest lakes is the Vierwaldstatter See, or Lake of the Four Forest Cantons. Which tourist destination lies near Mt. Pilatus on this lake?
Answer: Lucerne

The four forest cantons are Uri, Schwyz, Unterwalden, and Lucerne. The first three of these are the three original cantons of the first Swiss federation.
    Your options: [ Lugano ] [ Lausanne ] [ Locarno ] [ Lucerne ]
  From Quiz: Travels in Switzerland
12 What percentage of Switzerland is covered by mountain ranges?
Answer: 70 percent

The other thirty percent is the Swiss Plateau, an area of rolling hills. Most of the population live in this area.
  From Quiz: Geographically Speaking - Switzerland
13 Which cantonal capital houses three parliaments and three governments?
Answer: Bern

As capital of Switzerland, Bern houses three parliaments and governments: communal, cantonal and federal. Thus Bern is known as the city of officials
    Your options: [ Herisau ] [ Zurich ] [ Bern ] [ Altdorf ]
  From Quiz: Swiss Canton Capitals
14 This city lies close to the northeastern border of Italy, which explains why it is the largest Italian-speaking city outside of Italy. Which city is this that sometimes goes by the nickname the "Monte Carlo of Switzerland"?
Answer: Lugano

Lugano is famous for its hotels, museums and resorts, just like Monte Carlo in Monaco, hence the city's nickname. It also is home to an unusually high number of churches and libraries for a city its size. Lugano lies on the shores of Lake Lugano in Ticino canton.
    Your options: [ Basel ] [ Vernier ] [ Lugano ] [ St. Moritz ]
  From Quiz: Swiss Cities
15 Which mountain is home to the steepest cogwheel railway in the world?
Answer: Pilatus

At 7000 feet (2123m), Pilatus (The Dragon Mountain) has the steepest cogwheel railway in the world.
From the top of the mountain, 73 mountain peaks can be seen and five different lakes.
    Your options: [ Titlis ] [ The Eiger ] [ Bernese Alps ] [ Pilatus ]
  From Quiz: Mountain Delights of Switzerland
16 What is the most practiced religion in Switzerland?
Answer: Roman Catholic

Approximately 49% of Switzerland is Roman Catholic, with about 48% Protestant, and 3% other.
  From Quiz: Superb Switzerland
17 Ticino is the only Italian speaking canton. Which is the name of its capital?
Answer: Bellinzona
    Your options: [ Como ] [ Lugano ] [ Bellinzona ] [ Locarno ]
  From Quiz: Swiss Canton Capitals
18 The Swiss call this next city Bärn in German. In English, however, the city shares its name with the canton it can be located in. The Zeitglockenturm or Zytglogge clock tower is one of this city's most iconic sites. What city is this?
Answer: Bern

Bern is primarily a German-speaking city, but as the Swiss capital, the other national languages (Italian, French and Romansh) are also frequently spoken. Many of Switzerland's government buildings are located in Bern, and several of them date back from the Middle Ages and were built in Gothic style.
  From Quiz: Swiss Cities
19 Like many other countries, Switzerland's capital city and largest city are different. Its capital is Bern, but which city is the country's biggest, in terms of area?
Answer: Zürich

Zürich is known for its abundance of banks and financial institutions, so it's no wonder some of the world's biggest banks have headquarters or branches in Switzerland's largest city. Located just over 120 km away from the capital city, Zürich boasts beautiful architecture and stunning scenery (including the Limmat River which divides the Old Town district in two), and is also home to the base of operations for the Fédération Internationale de Football Association, better known perhaps as FIFA.

Whenever eburge goes near a bank, he gets withdrawal symptoms. Thank goodness he doesn't live in Zürich!
    Your options: [ Geneva ] [ Basel ] [ Lucerne ] [ Zürich ]
  From Quiz: Switzerland - 'All For One, One For All'
20 On which mountain in Switzerland can you visit the Ice Palace?
Answer: The Jungfraujoch Pass

At 11,782 feet (3571m), the Ice Palace is a technical wonder. It was created in 1934.
    Your options: [ Schilthorn ] [ Titlis ] [ The Eiger ] [ The Jungfraujoch Pass ]
  From Quiz: Mountain Delights of Switzerland
21 On what body of water is Geneva situated?
Answer: Lake Geneva

Lake Geneva is the largest lake in Switzerland.
  From Quiz: Superb Switzerland
22 What is the judicial capital of Switzerland?
Answer: Lausanne

Bern is the administrative capital
  From Quiz: Geographically Speaking - Switzerland
23 The James Bond film "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" was filmed in 1969. On which mountain did the filming take place?
Answer: Mount Schilthorn

"On Her Majesty's Secret Service" became a very successful film for James Bond and Mount Schilthorn. The Schilthorn is 9000 feet (2970m)high. Visitors enjoy the legendary "Martini, shaken not stirred" at the James Bond Bar and lunch can be eaten in the 360° revolving restaurant.
    Your options: [ Gornergrat ] [ Pilatus ] [ Jungfraujoch ] [ Mount Schilthorn ]
  From Quiz: Mountain Delights of Switzerland
24 This ski town which has hosted two winter Olympic games. What is the name of this town?
Answer: St. Moritz

Hosting the winter Olympic games in 1928 and 1948, St. Moritz remains a jet set resort catering to the world's wealthy skiers.
    Your options: [ St. Gallen ] [ Zermatt ] [ Geneva ] [ St. Moritz ]
  From Quiz: An Alpine Tour of Switzerland
25 Murten, with its well-preserved medieval walls, is a popular tourist destination near Bern. Murten is the German name for the city, but it also has many French-speaking residents. What is the French name for Murten?
Answer: Morat

Murten/Morat lies on a ridge marking the linguistic boundary between French-speaking Switzerland and German-speaking Switzerland.
  From Quiz: Travels in Switzerland
26 What is the area of Switzerland?
Answer: 41285 km2
  From Quiz: Superb Switzerland
27 What famous mountain is near the city of Zermatt?
Answer: Matterhorn

The Matterhorn is 14,692 feet high. Cervin is the name it is known by in French speaking Switzerland.
  From Quiz: Geographically Speaking - Switzerland
28 Losanen is the old Germanic (not used anymore) name of this canton capital. Which is the name used today?
Answer: Lausanne

In the 16th century Berne conquered the French speaking Vaud. They usually used Germanic versions of the French town names. There are rather terrible examples of Germanicized names: Montbeliard (fr) - Moempelgard (ge) {;)}
    Your options: [ Montreux ] [ Locarno ] [ Lausanne ] [ Solothurn ]
  From Quiz: Swiss Canton Capitals
29 This next city's name translates to New Castle in English from the German, French and Italian. It is located in the Jura Mountains and is a center for Swiss watchmaking. Which French-speaking city is this?
Answer: Neuchâtel

Neuchâtel is actually a corruption of neuf chatel, the French words for new castle. It was named Neuchâtel because Rudolph III of Burgundy, King of Arles, built a castle there for his wife in 1011, and it was likely planned to be the center of the kingdom he planned but never created.
    Your options: [ Basel ] [ Winterthur ] [ Neuchâtel ] [ Fribourg ]
  From Quiz: Swiss Cities
30 Switzerland is often represented by the international code "CH", which stands for Confoederatio Helvetica. From what does the name "Helvetica" derive?
Answer: An ancient Celtic tribe

Despite the ancient roots of the name, the title "Confoederatio Helvetica" only came into common usage after 1848.

The Helvetic Republic was the name given to Switzerland by expanding French armies in an attempt to unite several cantons. This union was unsuccessful and the Helvetic Republic collapsed after just five years.

Being a Celt and made of chocolate, Doublemm wonders if there is any Swiss in him.
    Your options: [ A local name for the Alps ] [ A Roman word meaning "hostile place" ] [ A deity from Swiss folklore ] [ An ancient Celtic tribe ]
  From Quiz: Switzerland - 'All For One, One For All'
31 The Matterhorn was the last major mountain of the Swiss Alps to be climbed. Who was the first woman to successfully climb the Matterhorn in 1871?
Answer: Lucy Walker

Did you guess Meta Brevoort? Meta was the second woman to climb the Matterhorn. At 14,693 feet (4,478m) with four faces, the Matterhorn is extremely difficult to climb. Early climbers found themselves on difficult slippery rock and had to turn back. Today climbing the Matterhorn is still very dangerous and each year several climbers die.
  From Quiz: Mountain Delights of Switzerland
32 The Swiss national hero, William Tell, shot an arrow from his crossbow at 50 paces to hit an apple placed on his son's head. Why was he forced to do this?
Answer: For failing to bow to the Austrian colors

A hat with the Austrian colors was placed on a pole with passers-by ordered to bow. William Tell successfully shot the arrow from his son's head, but had hidden a second arrow destined for the district governor if he missed the apple and hit his son.
  From Quiz: An Alpine Tour of Switzerland
33 The Centovalli train passes through a series of picturesque villages. One end of this line terminates in Domodossola, Italy. Which Swiss city lies at the other end of the line?
Answer: Locarno

The Val Centovalli ("The Valley of 100 Valleys") provides one of the most scenic train rides in all of Europe.
    Your options: [ St. Moritz ] [ Basel ] [ Geneva ] [ Locarno ]
  From Quiz: Travels in Switzerland
34 What is Switzerland's largest glacier?
Answer: Aletschgletscher

The Aletschgletscher has an area of 118 km2.
  From Quiz: Superb Switzerland
35 What is the second largest city of Switzerland?
Answer: Geneva
  From Quiz: Swiss Canton Capitals
36 Which city in Graubünden canton hosted what is considered the very first Winter Olympic Games in 1928 and again in 1948?
Answer: St. Moritz

The 1928 Games in St. Moritz were technically the second Winter Games. The 1924 Winter Olympics were actually considered part of the Summer Games at the time. The 1928 Games saw bizarre weather as it began with a blizzard and ended with a heat wave that forced the cancellation of some events. St. Moritz is famous for its many ski slopes and snowboarding locales, many of which attract wealthy customers. German is the city's most used language.
    Your options: [ Nyon ] [ Zurich ] [ St. Moritz ] [ Geneva ]
  From Quiz: Swiss Cities
37 Which mountain in Switzerland is also known as The Toblerone Mountain and has the highest altitude open-air cogwheel railway in Europe?
Answer: Matterhorn

Gornergrat (The Toblerone Mountain) has an altitude of 10,000 feet (3089m). On August 20th, 1898, the GGB Gornergrat-Monte Rosa-Bahnen went into operation, the first electric cogwheel railway in Switzerland. It took another 30 years before it was open in the winter as well as through the summer.
    Your options: [ Chasseral ] [ Dent-Blanche ] [ Jungfrau ] [ Matterhorn ]
  From Quiz: Mountain Delights of Switzerland
38 Which Swiss town is famous for its annual jazz festival?
Answer: Montreux

Held in the month of July, this two week festival hosts the world's jazz greats in a picturesque setting.
    Your options: [ Lucerne ] [ St. Gallen ] [ Zurich ] [ Montreux ]
  From Quiz: An Alpine Tour of Switzerland
39 The Rhine Falls is a popular tourist destination in the northern part of Switzerland. Which Swiss city is home to the Rhine Falls?
Answer: Schaffhausen

The Rhine Falls, the mightiest falls in central Europe, display their greatest force in June and July after the melting of the mountain snows.
    Your options: [ Stein am Rhein ] [ St. Gotthard ] [ St. Gallen ] [ Schaffhausen ]
  From Quiz: Travels in Switzerland
40 What is Switzerland's largest city by population?
Answer: Zurich

Zurich has a population of approximately 250,000 people.
  From Quiz: Superb Switzerland
The rest of the questions and answers can be found in our quizzes here:
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