European Cultures Trivia

1. The Basque people live in an area that spreads across two countries. In which two countries does the land of the Basque people fall?

From Quiz Basque In It

Answer: Spain and France

Spreading from the northern portion of Spain, across most of the Pyrenees in the lower region of France, the land known as the Basque Country (officially referred to in most parts of the region as the Basque Autonomous Community) contains an interesting and rich culture. The Basque people have inhabited the area since around the Paleolithic era.

From Quiz The Spiral Dance

Answer: Islam

Sufism is a mystical form of Islam. Followers of this practice are called Sufis. Islam has two major branches - Sunni and Shia Islam. The majority of Sufis belong to the Sunni sect. The word Sufi can be translated to 'wearer of wool'. This draws relations to the early mystics who were known to wear woolen clothes.

From Quiz The Seat of Power

Answer: Westminster Abbey

Ah yes. MY throne is more comfortable. I don't know why the English monarchs think the Stone of Destiny might be comfortable to sit on; maybe that's why they let the Scots look after it in Edinburgh for most of the time these days. During coronations, it's tucked under the actual seat, but even that's just a slab of oak that Walter of Durham carved in the late 1200s. Edward Longshanks wanted somewhere to keep the Stone of Scone (which they tell me is the other name for the Stone of Destiny) which was originally captured from the Scots in 1296. Okay, it's lovely to look at, but not my cup of tea.

From Quiz Winding Our Way Through Greek Culture

Answer: No

Ohi Day is known as the 'Anniversary of No' and is celebrated on the 28th of October. It commemorates the then Greek prime minister Ioannis Metaxas' refusal to give in to the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini's ultimatum on the 28th of October 1940. Mussolini threatened to attack Greece if the country did not allow the Axis troops to enter and occupy certain unnamed strategic locations. Metaxas allegedly replied with a 'No' ('Ohi') which led to Greece entering the World War II. Parades are held every year on this day and government buildings are decorated with the Greek flag.

From Quiz Norwegian Culture

Answer: "The Scream" by Edvard Munch

"The Scream" was painted by Edvard Munch between 1893-1910. There are actually four individual versions - two paintings and two pastels. The paintings are both located in Oslo, one in the Munch Museum and the other at the National Gallery. One of the pastels is also in the Munch Museum. The other pastel is in the private collection of financier Leon Black who paid almost $120 million U.S. dollars for it in 2012. "The Scream" has a reputation for being stolen. The one in the National Gallery was stolen in 1994 on the day the Winter Olympics opened in Lillehammer. It was recovered a few months later with no damage. In 2004, the painting housed in the Munch Museum was stolen along with the "Madonna" painting. They were both recovered in 2006 with some minor damage done.

From Quiz Hearts of Fire

Answer: Albania

The red background signifies the bravery, strength and valour of the people. The strongest source for the origin of the double-headed eagle is the family crest/coat of arms of the Kastrioti family who ruled over the Debar region during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. Their most notable member was Skanderbeg (1405-1468), who was declared a national hero after he had led a rebellion against the Ottoman Empire, which prominently delayed that nation's expansion into Western Europe. The Albanian Nationalist Movement would adopt the same eagle as their symbol during the nineteenth century and early twentieth century as they campaigned for independence from the Ottoman Empire. Upon attaining that independence on 28 November 1912, it was adopted as the nation's national symbol. This question was created by Phoenix Rising team member pollucci19.

From Quiz Finnish Culture

Answer: Cinnamon roll

Pulla is very similar to a cinnamon roll as it is prepared in a similar manner and has similar ingredients. Traditionally it is made into a knotted bread loaf and then sliced, but some varieties more closely resemble a traditional cinnamon roll. Pulla usually contains almonds and other nuts and may sometimes have a coffee flavor.

From Quiz Icelandic Culture

Answer: Sagas

Sagas are common in most Scandinavian cultures, especially in Iceland. Most sagas told epic stories about exploration and were written by Vikings or other Norsemen. It is from these sagas that we know most of Iceland's early history, including its founding. Sagas are not unique to Iceland or Scandinavia and are found in many European cultures.

From Quiz Life In The United Kingdom

Answer: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

The United Kingdom is a sovereign state consisting of four countries. These four countries are: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Although the cultures of these four countries have certain common features, yet they have their own distinct features and elements as well. In fact, the full name of the UK is "The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland". Ireland is a separate country, and is not part of the United Kingdom. It is a republic, while the United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy.

From Quiz Samovar Teaset Is Missing...

Answer: Self-boiler

The name is derived from the Russian words 'samo' meaning 'self' and 'varit' meaning 'to boil'. A samovar is a decorative tea urn with a tap at the bottom so that you can serve your guests with tea while the samovar keeps the water boiling.

From Quiz The Bayeux Tapestry - A medieval masterpiece

Answer: Normandy

Normandy is a large region of what is now northern France. In the 11th Century, however, it was an entirely separate kingdom. It takes its name from the fact that it was populated by Vikings or Norsemen who had settled there during the period known as the Dark Ages. At this time, to have referred to a Norman as French was a great insult and would almost certainly have resulted in death or serious injury! The principal cities of modern Normandy are Rouen, Caen, Le Havre and Cherbourg.

From Quiz I Bought It Off A Gypsy

Answer: India

These nomadic people began their wandering lifestyle in medieval times in India. The term "gypsy" originated from the Greek word, "Aigyptoi", meaning "Egypt", because the Greeks erroneously believed that it was their country of origin. In the Sanskrit-based language of the gypsy/romani people, "Rom" means "man" or "husband", while "Romni" is the female counterpart. Romani has nothing to do with Rome or Romania.

From Quiz The Viking Legacy

Answer: Normandy

In 911 AD, Norse warlord and Viking leader Rollo was granted the region of Normandy by King Charles III (Charles the Simple) of West Francia. This agreement, known as the Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte, marked the creation of the Duchy of Normandy. It established Rollo as the first Duke of Normandy in exchange for his loyalty to Charles. It was signed after the Siege of Chartres and granted Rollo and his followers fertile coastal lands in northern France. In return, Rollo promised to protect the region from other Viking groups who had been raiding the northern coast relentlessly. This agreement not only resolved the ongoing Viking raids, but also introduced a new political and cultural dynamic to the region. The Norse settlers, known as "Northmen" (later Normans in French), formed communities with non-aristocratic roots and began to adopt Frankish customs. They learned French, renounced paganism, converted to Christianity and intermarried with the local population. Over time, this blending of Norse and Frankish traditions created a unique Norman identity that would have a lasting impact on European history, including the conquest of England in 1066 by Rollo's descendant, William the Conqueror.

From Quiz The Basques

Answer: In France and Spain

The Basques do not have a country of their own, however this area is generally known as Basque Country. The greater part is in NW Spain.

From Quiz Cultural Tidbits

Answer: 8th Circle

The circle for thieves, liars, politicians, and magicians. Seems like a fair grouping.

From Quiz History of Western Culture

Answer: Wyclif

From Quiz Gypsies

Answer: Northern India

From Quiz The Spiral Dance

Answer: Rumi

Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī, known mostly just by the name Rūmī, was a 13th-century poet and mystic from Persia. He is one of the better known Persian philosophers in the Western world through the popular translations of many of his works. In recent times, he has also become a social media favourite. Often, quotes and verses attributed to him have no correlation with the actual writings, the meaning seemingly lost in translation. Rūmī was born in present day Afghanistan, but his family moved to Turkey when he was a teenager in a bid to escape the invading Mongols. It was in Turkey that Rūmī developed and popularised the practice of whirling as a means of uniting with the Creator. The Mevlevi Order or Mawlawiyya (formal name of the whirling dervishes) was founded by him in Konya, Turkey.

From Quiz Austrian Culture

Answer: Coffeehouses

In 2011, UNESCO designated Viennese coffeehouses as an "intangible cultural heritage" item. Coffeehouses can be found on nearly every street corner (sometimes multiple per street) throughout Austria but especially in Vienna. Aida is a popular chain of coffeehouses, known for its traditionalism and rarely updates with the times. None of the original Aida coffeehouses exist as they were all destroyed in World War II.

From Quiz Norwegian Culture

Answer: Peer Gynt

Henrik Ibsen is one of Norway's most famous playwrights and Edvard Grieg is one of the country's most prominent composers. "Peer Gynt" is an 1876 play, like many of Ibsen's works, that was largely a satire of Norwegian and Danish society of the time. Its reception was mixed, with many prominent Norwegians finding it distasteful while others appreciated the jest. "In the Hall of the Mountain King" was part of the stage production. The Norwegian title of the piece is "I Dovregubbens hall", which loosely translates to "In the Troll Mountain King's Hall". It plays after Peer falls and hits his head after stealing a bride from her wedding. The piece has been used frequently in popular culture across the world including in the 1915 film "Birth of A Nation".

From Quiz Hearts of Fire

Answer: Guy Fawkes

"Remember, Remember the 5th of November, Gunpowder Treason and Plot." Lewes in Sussex, hosts celebrations with bonfires and the ritual burning of enormous effigies. These are generally quite politically contentious (including, among others; Barack Obama, Osama Bin Laden and one time UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown), and also includes an effigy of Guy Fawkes, the person blamed for the failed plot to blow up the Houses of Parliament in 1605. England has annually commemorated this since 1606. There have been bonfires and rebellious activity since then in Lewes but it has grown more organised since the 1850s. Robert Catesby was also part of the plot, but Guy Fawkes was the one caught with his hands on the large stock of gunpowder. This question was created by Phoenix Rising team member smpdit.

From Quiz Cornish Culture

Answer: Tamar

The River Tamar is 98km (61 miles) in length and forms a major part of the border between Cornwall and Devon in the south-west of England. The Tamar's source is off the Northern coast of Cornwall and the river flows southward toward the Plymouth Sound. Interestingly, the name "Tamar" means "dark-flowing" a prehistoric etymology that also describes its more well known counterpart, the River Thames in London. The river has been designated as both a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a Site of Special Scientific Interest as a European Special Area of Conservation.

From Quiz Finnish Culture

Answer: Sami

The kantele is a stringed instrument that looks like a small harp turned on its side but it is actually a kind of zither. Kanteles vary in size and number of strings. Large concert kanteles can have over 40 strings while most small ones have about 15. It is said that the Sami people made the first kantele out of a whale jawbone.

From Quiz Icelandic Culture

Answer: The Sugarcubes

In addition to Bjork, other members included Einar Orn Benediktsson and Sigtryggur Baldursson. "Birthday" debuted on the band's first album "Life's Too Good". The band broke up in 1992 but has reunited occasionally since then.

From Quiz Samovar Teaset Is Missing...

Answer: Tula

The main Tula samovar museum opened in 1990 and contains a huge collection of samovars. Among its most interesting exhibits are five tiny samovars presented in 1909 to the children of the last Russian tsar, Nicholas II, by the Batashev Samovar Factory. There is also a samovar museum at a hotel just outside Tula.

From Quiz The Bayeux Tapestry - A medieval masterpiece

Answer: Seventy metres

Although the tapestry is only 50cm in height, it is almost 70 metres in length. It was thought for a long time that it was composed of eight separate sections, but recent investigations have concluded that it is, in fact, constructed from nine sections all of varying lengths, the longest at 13.9 metres and the shortest at 2.43 metres. The tapestry consists of needlework in coloured wools on a backing of finely textured linen. Although this masterpiece is called a tapestry, it should be referred to more accurately as an embroidery, as the word tapestry should be used to describe a woven work with a wholly unbroken surface.

From Quiz I Bought It Off A Gypsy

Answer: Between 200 and 500 thousand

The gypsy word for the Holocaust is "Porajmos"; 'The Devouring'. They were systematically registered, sterilized, ghettoized, and deported to concentration camps, where they were destroyed. This subject has been relatively neglected in research and there are some higher estimates, but most authorities who have studied the subject agree that a figure of 200-400,000 is reasonably accurate.

From Quiz Where was I in Central Europe?

Answer: Fifteen days before the first Sunday in October

Even though it's called the 'Oktoberfest', the celebration is more of a late September event. A large park called the Theresienwiese is where the Oktoberfest is held; thousands of tourists gather under huge tents to drink giant steins of beer and listen to German polka music. The dates of the Oktoberfest were changed in 1990 so that there will always be a celebration on German Unity Day (October 3).

From Quiz The Viking Legacy

Answer: The Battle of Stamford Bridge

The end of the Viking Age is a subject of historical debate, with two key events in 1066 often proposed as its conclusion: the Battle of Stamford Bridge and the Norman Conquest of England. The year began with Harold II, the newly crowned king of England, facing an invasion by Harald Hardrada, the king of Norway. Considered one of the last great Viking warriors, Hardrada led an invasion force intent on seizing the English throne. On 25 September 1066 at Stamford Bridge, King Harold II defeated Harald Hardrada in a brutal battle near York. Harald's death marked the end of major Viking incursions into England and symbolised the decline of the Viking Age as a period dominated by Norse raiders and warriors. This victory, however, left Harold's army weakened and unprepared for what was to come. Just weeks later, Harold faced another invasion - this time by William, Duke of Normandy and of Viking descent through his ancestor Rollo. At the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, William defeated Harold and established Norman rule over England. Although the Normans were no longer "Vikings" in the traditional sense, their lineage and martial traditions were rooted in the Viking heritage. In this way, the Norman Conquest reflected the evolution of the Vikings from raiders and explorers to rulers and settlers, especially those who adapted to the European feudal system. For some historians, the defeat of Harald Hardrada at Stamford Bridge is a more appropriate marker of the end of the Viking Age, as it ended the Viking military presence in England. Others see the Norman Conquest as a broader cultural endpoint, highlighting the transformation of the Vikings into integrated European powers. Both events, occurring within weeks of each other, mark the end of one chapter of history and the beginning of another. The Viking Age did not end abruptly, however, and its end varied from region to region. In Scandinavia it coincided with the consolidation of centralised monarchies, the spread of Christianity and the decline of Viking raids due to better defended European states. Other key moments are sometimes seen as symbolic endpoints, such as the Battle of Clontarf in 1014, where Irish forces defeated Viking invaders, or the Christianisation of Norway under Olaf II. The development of trade routes and changes in European warfare also reduced the influence of the Vikings. While the Norman Conquest is a convenient marker, the real "end" of the Viking Age was a gradual process of cultural change and integration.

From Quiz The Basques

Answer: 7

Bizkaia, Alava, Gipuzkoa, Nafarroa, Lapurdi, Nafarroa Beherea, and Araba.

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