You're So Ceuta Trivia Quiz

Answer: Morocco

An exclave is defined as territory of a nation that is completely surrounded by the territory of another. Other examples of exclaves include Cabinda, an exclave of Angola and Kaliningrad, an exclave of Russia. Ceuta is located on the continent of Africa jutting out into the Mediterranean coast and land-wise is surrounded by the nation of Morocco.

The area sits almost directly opposite the Rock of Gibraltar which is owned by the United Kingdom. Residents of Ceuta enjoy the same rights and freedoms as the rest of Spain and the European Union.

Answer: Melilla

Melilla is also an autonomous exclave of Spain. It is located further east along the Mediterranean coast of North Africa. As with Ceuta, it is also surrounded by the nation of Morocco. As a result of their status as exclaves, both Ceuta and Melilla have been a source of political tension between the Spanish and Moroccan governments, with Morocco seeking to claim sovereignty over the two exclaves.

Answer: Phoenicia

The Phoenicians were the first civilization in recorded history to lay claim to the area now known as Ceuta. They gave the region the name Abyla, which translated to "Mountain of God". It was named for the nearby mountain known as Jebel Musa. It stands opposite the Rock of Gibraltar at the Strait of Gibraltar, which connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Atlantic Ocean.

The Phoenicians would also establish the ancient city of Carthage, which is located further east, in the country we now know as Tunisia.

Answer: Septem Fratres

The Roman Empire would lay claim to Abyla/Ceuta after defeating the Carthaginians in the Punic Wars. The three Punic Wars were fought for over a century between 264-146 B.C. The Romans later established colonies in the lands they had acquired in North Africa. Abyla was renamed Septem Fratres, which is Latin for "Seven Brothers", named for the seven hills that surround the area.

The name was shortened to Septem and the name gradually evolved into the current name of Ceuta.

Answer: Islam

In the 6th century A.D., the Islamic religion began to develop around the area now known as Saudi Arabia. During the 7th and 8th century A.D., Islam would spread out across the Arabian peninsula, northern Africa and even made its way into Europe via the Iberian Peninsula.

The Christian kingdoms in the northern part of the Iberian Peninsula eventually pushed Islam out of mainland Spain and its territories. Today, Ceuta is still predominantly Christian, but does contain a much larger Muslim demographic when compared to the Spanish mainland.

Answer: 1415

The Portuguese Conquest of Ceuta began on August 21, 1415. King John I of Portugal sought to gain control of the area from the Moroccan government. Their victory in Ceuta would lead the Portuguese into an era of exploration and expansion. The discovery of Brazil and the establishment of Portuguese colonies in Africa, Asia and Oceania can all be traced back to the Conquest of Ceuta.

Answer: 1668

The Portuguese monarchy had been thrown into chaos in 1580 when two of its prospective kings died prematurely. The Spanish monarch took the opportunity to gain control of Portugal and formed the Iberian Union, which existed from 1580-1640. When King John IV took the Portuguese throne in 1640, this led to the Portuguese Restoration War, which was fought against Spain from 1640-1668.

The Portuguese ceded the city of Ceuta to the Spanish in 1668 via the Treaty of Lisbon in exchange for Spanish recognition of their new monarchy.

Answer: Dragons

The Casa de los Dragones (House of Dragons) is a landmark located on a street corner in the city of Ceuta. The house was designed to be a home for Francisco Cerni González, who was Ceuta's mayor from 1897-1903. It was completed in 1905 and features dragon statues positioned on the roof of the house.

The dragons were initially made out of bronze, but were replaced with fiberglass ones in 2006.

Answer: Francisco Franco

The Monumento del Llano Amarillo is a stone structure found in the city of Ceuta. The monument was constructed in 1940 and had initially been located in a Spanish controlled area of northern Morocco. It was moved to Ceuta when Morocco became an independent nation in 1962.

The monument unfortunately became a symbol of the Spanish Civil War and former Spanish dictator Francisco Franco. It has since become the target of vandalism by those who still harbor ill feelings regarding that era.

Answer: Yes

On January 9, 2004 the city of Ceuta opened a commercial heliport in order to fly passengers to and from mainland Spain. It only takes around 15 minutes to fly from Ceuta to Malaga, which is the closest commercial airport on the mainland. Service has also extended to Melilla, Spain's other exclave city, which does have a fully operational airport of its own.

However, due to the size and terrain of Ceuta it is unable to construct an airport within its borders. Travelers can also reach Ceuta from the mainland via ferry.