Eastern Block Trivia Quiz

Answer: Belarus

Belarus is a landlocked country in Europe, bordered by Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Ukraine and Russia. The capital city, Minsk, is in the centre of the country and steeped in history dating back to the 11th century, although most of the evidence was razed to the ground during World War 2.

Brest is a city in the far south-west of Belarus alongside the Polish border. Founded in 1019, the area has been famous throughout history, especially known as the location where the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was signed between the Russians and Central Powers at the end of World War 1. The 327km long Svislach River flows through the city centre. Mir Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage site in the north-west of Belarus, was built in the 16th century as a gothic style fortification.

Answer: Bulgaria

Bulgaria is a country full of wooded mountains, small villages, modern cities and sandy beaches hugging the Black Sea. The capital, Sofia, lays at the base of the Vitosha Mountain, a region popular with hikers, skiers and spelunkers. Varna is the third largest city in Bulgaria and can be located in the east of the country alongside the Black Sea. The oldest gold jewellery in the world was located at the ancient burial site of Varna Necropolis. Artifacts including a gold pendant date back approximately 6,600 years.

The Danube river is the second longest in Europe, winding through Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova and Ukraine. It takes in Ruse which was Bulgaria's former capital city. The Madara Rider is a rock carving in north-east Bulgaria which dates back approximately 1,300 years ago. It depicts a horseman holding a spear with a lion at his feet.

Answer: Czech Republic

Prague in the Czech Republic is a city full of historical treasures and famous for its glassware shops. Sightseers take to the streets to visit the Jewish Quarter, castle, or old town square with its astronomical clock, and much can be seen of the city by using its extensive tramway system. The city is split by the Vltava River where you can cross one of 18 bridges including the gothic Charles Bridge with its stone monumental saints.

Situated 210km from Prague is the second largest city, Brno, which can be found towards the south-east of the country. It is the traditional capital of the region of Moravia. Sedlec Ossuary is an unusual Roman Catholic chapel in the centre of the country. It contains the skeletons of between 40,000 and 70,000 people, many of which have been arranged artistically to decorate the small building.

Answer: Hungary

Hungary is a landlocked country in Europe with its largest city, Budapest, split by the River Danube. The hilly settlement of Buda features the imposing Buda Castle and Sandor Palace, home of the Hungarian President. On the other side of the river is the settlement of Pest which is more urban, with its shopping areas, theatres and government buildings.

Pecs is the fifth largest city in Hungary and popular as a tourist destination with plenty of sites dating back to Roman times. It was the European Capital of Culture in 2010. This small city in the hills has a warm micro-climate, and because of this, it is known as the "City of Grapes and Wine". Lake Balaton is a holiday destination and summer resort for those wishing to escape city life. The 77km long lake is the largest in central Europe and situated in the west of Hungary, where people can swim, sail, fish, or take up water sports along the north and south shores.

Answer: Moldova

The Republic of Moldova is a small landlocked country, tucked in between the much larger countries of Ukraine and Romania. It declared its independence from Russia in 1991 and is slowly recovering its economic fortunes with the export of wines, white goods and agricultural machinery. The capital Chisinau is situated in the centre of the country and lies on the River Bic (155m). The much longer Prut River (953km) traverses the western border of the country and provides a natural border with Romania.

Tiraspol is the second largest city in Moldova and is located towards the south of the country. If you want to visit a city still caught in an old Soviet time-warp then this is the place to come, although Western influences are starting to make their mark. Old Orhei is a 2000-year-old monastery complex 60km north-east of Chisinau. Set amongst a rocky ridge overlooking the Raut River, the open-air museum features caves, forts and archaeological remnants of an ancient civilization.

Answer: Poland

Warsaw has had a long and turbulent history which built itself back from the ashes after World War 2. The Old Town was rebuilt from maps and architectural plans to become a World Heritage Site in 1980. The 1,047km long Vistula River rises in the Beskid Mountains at the south of the country and meanders along until it empties into the Baltic Sea. Warsaw, Krakow and Gdansk are all cities which lie on its banks.

Gdansk is a beautiful city on the Baltic coastline at the north of the country and serves as the main port of Poland. It has a multitude of cobbled streets and a long maritime history dating back to the 10th century. The Wieliczka Salt Mine situated just outside Krakow was the oldest salt mine in the world until its closure in 2007. Miners carved out several features including chapels and many statues of religious significance.

Answer: Romania

Romania is home to many sporting personalities, including Nadia Comaneci, Ilie Nastase and Gheorghe Hagi, the latter a famous soccer player of the 1980s and 1990s. Bucharest is the capital and is situated at the south of the country close to its border with Bulgaria and is home to the Palace of the Parliament, Arcul de Triumf and the National Museum of Art of Romania. Several miles north-east of the city is Bran Castle, a 14th century castle and alleged home to Count Dracula.

Constanta, previously known as Tomis, is the oldest city in Romania. Located at the south-east of the country on the coast of the Black Sea, the sea port dates back 2,500 years ago. Legend says that Jason and his Argonauts landed their ship here on their famous quest for the Golden Fleece. The 286km long Dambovita River was once used a source for the country's drinking water until becoming polluted.

Answer: Russia

Moscow is the largest city in Russia and has a history dating back to the Neolithic period. It has a population of 12 million people (2015) with the metro system, river and roads, all linking to the centre where the Italian-built Kremlin building is situated. Gorky Park in the centre of Moscow has formal gardens and summerhouses, as well as a funfair and plenty to keep children occupied.

The city of Omsk is an important junction for the Trans-Siberian Railway, as well as being on the confluence of the Rivers Ob and Irtysh. The seventh largest city of Russia is a hub of industry and serves as a gateway from east to west, as well as south to the border country of Kazakhstan, leading eventually to a connection with Central Asia. The Ob River is Russia's longest, and the seventh longest in the world. At 3,650 km long, it stretches from the Altai Mountains (where Russia meets China, Mongolia, and Kazakhstan) to the Arctic Ocean.

Answer: Slovakia

The Slovak Republic is bordered by the Czech Republic, Austria, Poland, Ukraine and Hungary. It has a long history relating to the former USSR and communism, and severed its ties with the Czech Republic in 1993 during what was known as the 'Velvet Divorce'. The city of Bratislava is ideally located on the River Danube, a central point for east/west trade routes which made the area prosperous, especially during the medieval period. A tributary of the Danube is the Morava, a 1,371km long river which also flows through the city, the two meeting at the township of Devin.

Kosice is a city in the east of Slovakia near its border with Hungary. With a strong Jewish influence, this buzzing city is now home to modern museums and theatres, including the ornately decorated State Theatre near the main square. Tours can be arranged from the city to see the nearby Andy Warhol Museum of Modern Art, as his family originated from the region before moving to America. Spis Castle, which was built in 1249, is situated towards the east of the country and was the former home to the kings of Slovakia. The ruins today are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites which houses archaeological artifacts including torture equipment.

Answer: Ukraine

The Dnieper is the fourth longest river in Europe. Rising in western Russia, it flows 2,290km through Belarus and then Ukraine, and then into the Black Sea. The capital city of Kiev which lies on its banks is one of the oldest cities in eastern Europe. It is situated at the north of Ukraine . The name Kiev was taken after Kiy, one of the founding siblings in the 5th century, who were Kiy, Shchek, Khoryv, and their sister Lybid.

Odessa is a seaport on the south coast of Ukraine on the Black Sea. It was founded in the 18th century by Catherine the Great and is famous for the Potemkin Steps with its statue of Duke de Richelieu at the top. The ghost city of Pripyat is better known as the township most affected by the Chernobyl reactor accident in 1983, with its 49,000 inhabitants ordered to leave and the city falling into disrepair.