What Did You Call Me? Trivia Quiz

Answer: Bucharest

Bucharest is the capital of Romania. It was dubbed "Little Paris" (Micul Paris in Romanian) around 1900 thanks to its beautiful architecture and the sophistication of its elite classes. Much of the architecture of that time has subsequently been destroyed though a combination of heavy bombing during World War II, Ceaușescu's Communist regime, and earthquakes.

Despite this, Bucharest still remains an incredibly beautiful city.

Answer: Singapore

Singapore is an island city-state in South-East Asia. The name Singapore is derived from the Sanskrit "simha" (lion) and "pura" (city or town). Thus the name of Singapore is almost literally "lion city". Despite this, it is doubtful that lions ever lived on Singapore, and one theory is that the island was actually named after the Malayan tiger, a species which once thrived there. Ironically, the Malayan tiger has been extinct locally since the early 20th Century, wiped out by habitat loss and hunting.

Answer: Prague

Prague is the capital of the Czech Republic. Sitting on the Vltava river, it is the country's largest city. Its nickname "City of 100 Spires" is based on a count made in the 19th Century by local mathematician Bernard Bolzano (he actually counted 103, but that's not quite as catchy). Nowadays, looking out from the top of the 70 metre tall Old Town Hall Tower, the 360-degree view soon reveals that the number of spires far exceeds 100.

In 2010, the Prague information service estimated the count to be around 500.

Answer: Cairo

Cairo is Egypt's capital city. Although modern Cairo was founded in 969 AD, it was built on the site of other ancient capitals, remains of which are still visible today. The nickname "Mother of the World" ("Um al Dunya" in Arabic) has been applied to Egypt as a whole as well as specifically to Cairo.

It can also be translated as "Centre of the World", and the name embodies the sense of pride that Egyptians have in their civilisation and achievements over the years.

Answer: Oslo

Oslo is the capital city of Norway, and is situated on the country's southern coast. Arriving at Oslo's central station, you can't fail to notice the large bronze statue of a tiger. The 14.8 foot high sculpture was erected in the year 2000 to celebrate the city's millennium. So why a tiger - seemingly rather out of place in Scandinavia? The city is known in Norway as "Tigerstaden" (Tiger City).

It's thought that the name originated from the poem "Sidste Sang" (Last Song) penned by Norwegian poet Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson in 1870.

The poem describes a fight between a horse and a tiger - the horse represents the countryside and the tiger the city.

Answer: Tehran

The capital of Iran, Tehran is the country's largest city, and its most popular tourist destination. The capital city of Iran (or Persia, as it has also been known) has moved numerous times over the years, and Tehran is the 32nd national capital. The name "City of 72 Nations" has unknown origins, but is very relevant today with the city being home to people of a wide variety of different ethnic backgrounds including Persians (the largest ethnic group), Iranian Azeris, Kurds, Armenians, Georgians, Bakhtyaris, Talysh, Baloch, Assyrians, Arabs, Jews, and Circassians.

Answer: Rome

Known today as the capital of Italy, Rome itself is older than the country in which it is now found. Roman mythology dates the founding of Rome by Romulus and Remus as 753 BC, but the site has been inhabited for much longer than that, and is classed as one of the oldest continuously occupied sites in Europe. Rome first became the capital of the Kingdom of Italy when that Kingdom was founded in 1871, and remained the capital when in 1946 Italy became a republic.

Answer: Budapest

Budapest is the capital of Hungary, and its name originates from the merger in 1873 of three cities - Obuda and Buda on the West Bank of the Danube and Pest on the East bank. The Széchenyi Chain Bridge linking Buda with Pest was opened in 1849 and was the first permanent bridge over the Danube in Hungary.

The origin of the moniker "Pearl of the Danube" is evident to visitors and it is cited as being one of Europe's most beautiful cities.

Answer: Lima

"Ciudad de los Reyes" was the name given to Lima by Francisco Pizarro when he founded the city in 1535. The name translates to "City of the Kings", and was chosen because the foundation was decided on 6th January - the date of the feast of the Epiphany, a celebration associated with the three kings who visited the baby Jesus. The name was soon rejected in favour of "Lima", originating from an indigenous name for the area. Now the capital of Peru, with a population of more than nine million in 2018, Lima is the third largest city in the Americas behind São Paulo in Brazil and Mexico City.

Answer: Paris

Paris, the capital of France, was nicknamed "The City of Light" ("La Ville-Lumière" in French) during the period in the 18th century known as the "Age of Enlightenment". This was a period in Europe which was marked by major philosophical shifts and by innovations in politics, religion and education. Paris was the centre of much of the activity which took place during this time.

It is also thought that the name may in part be due to the relatively early use of street lighting in the city.