Italian Cities Trivia Quiz

Answer: Genoa

Genoa, or in Italian Genova, is a city in the Italian region of Liguria. It is one of the main cities of the Italian Riviera along the Ligurian Sea. It is the birthplace of famed explorer Christopher Columbus who was born there in 1451.

Genoa, like most Italian cities, is famous worldwide for its arts, music and food. The Teatro Carlo Felice is the main opera house within Genoa. It was built in 1824 .

One of Genoa's most famous sites is the Piazza De Ferrari, the main city square. The Piazza De Ferrari was the scene of Genoa's heyday and was the city's main financial center in the 19th century. Some of the famous sites at or near the Piazza De Ferrari are the Doge's Palace, the Ligurian Museum of Fine Arts and the Teatro Carlo Felice.

Answer: Bologna

Bologna is located in the region of Emilia-Romagna. Bologna has long been considered one of Europe's foremost cities for education. In fact, the world's oldest university, the University of Bologna, is located within the city. It opened in 1088.

The Fountain of Neptune is located in the city in the Square of Neptune. A bronze statue of the Greek god stands on top of it. The statue inspired the logo for the Maserati car company (Neptune's trident) because the company's founder said it inspired strength.

The Due Torri or Two Towers are some of the most famous buildings in Bologna. They were the inspiration for New York City's twin towers. The two towers, which date back to at least the early 12th century, are named Asinelli and Garisenda. The Garisenda is smaller than the Asinelli but leans slightly but not as much as the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

The Piazza Santo Stefano is a famous square in the city of Bologna. It is famous for its many restaurants and street cafes.

Answer: Verona

Verona is a city in the region of Veneto near Venice. It lies on the Adige River.

The city is probably most famous for being the setting of William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet". Visitors to the city can even visit Juliet's balcony at the Casa di Giulietta. However, Verona was also the setting for "Two Gentlemen of Verona" and "The Taming of the Shrew".

The Castelvecchio Bridge, also called the Ponte Scaligero, spans the Adige River. When it was built in the 14th century, it was likely the longest bridge in the world.

The Basilica of San Zeno is one of many churches in Verona. Most churches in the city, including the Basilica of San Zeno, are mostly built with white brick. The Basilica of San Zeno is, according to legend, the resting place of Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet.

Answer: Trieste

Trieste is a city in the small region of Friuli Venezia Giulia. Trieste is close to the Italian-Slovenian border, as well as the Austrian-Italian border. As a result, Trieste is more Germanic than other cities in Italy. It was also an important city during both World Wars because of its location where the eastern and western parts of Europe meet.

Illycaffe, or simply Illy, is a popular chain of Italian coffeehouses headquartered in Trieste. It is said that one can be found on every street corner in the city.

The Piazza Unita d'Italia is the main square in Trieste. It was built by Austria-Hungary when the city was part of the empire. The Castello Miramare is another remnant from when Trieste was controlled by Austria-Hungary. It was built along the Gulf of Trieste for Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian who was once shipwrecked along the shore.

Answer: Turin

Turin, also called Torino, is a city located in the Piedmont region. It is known for being a center of education and winter sports within Italy. In fact, the 2006 Winter Olympic Games were held there. Those Games' Olympic Stadium was once the home stadium for the Juventus F.C. but became the home stadium for Torino's other football club, Torino F.C.

The Palantine Towers are remnants from ancient Rome. They were once part of the city's walls. Since the wall no longer exists, the towers are sometimes called the Palantine Gate since it now looks more like a gate than towers.

Turin is also known for the Shroud of Turin which is held in the Cathedral of Saint John Baptist. The Shroud of Turin is believed to be Jesus' burial cloth which bears an image of his face.

Answer: Brescia

Brescia is located in the Lombardy region of Italy. It is nicknamed the Lioness of Italy.

The Pallata Tower is a 13th century building in Brescia that was once part of the city walls. Today it serves as a clock tower. The Broletto is another old building in Brescia. It dates back to at least 1230. It was the town hall for the city at the time and remains so today. This is unlike most other ancient Italian cities which have moved their municipal government headquarters to modern day buildings.

The Capitolium of Brixia is one of Brescia's oldest buildings and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was built in 73 BC and was Brixia's (the ancient name for Brescia) main temple. It was dedicated to Jupiter, Juno and Minerva the members of the Capitoline Trio. Today it is in ruins and had to be excavated in the 1820s after a landslide buried it.

Answer: Cagliari

Cagliari is the capital of the Italian island region of Sardinia. It is located along the Mediterranean on the southern point of the island.

One of Cagliari's most famous sites is the Necropolis of Tuvixeddu, an archaeological site. It was the burial place for a Punic society that had once lived on the island thousands of years ago. Some of the famous tombs here include the Fighter Tomb and the Tomb of the Wheel.

The Palazzo Regio was once the island's royal palace for the Kings of Sardinia. Many of the palace's walls and ceilings are covered with frescoes painted by Domenico Bruschi, though they were painted once the building ceased being a royal palace in the 19th century.

The Castello di San Michele stands upon the hill also called San Michele. The building, now in ruins, served many purposes in its hundreds of years of use. It was once a church, castle, military complex and hospital.

Answer: Ancona

Ancona is a port town along the Adriatic Sea in the region of Marche. It was used primarily as a naval sea port during World War I. In World War II, it was the site of a major battle between Britain and Poland against Germany. The Allied Forces won the battle and were able to take control of the city and, crucially, its naval port.

The Arch of Trajan is an ancient Roman marble arch. It stands on the location the Emperor Trajan departed from to fight the Dacian War. The arch is in good condition which is unusual for most ancient Roman constructions still standing today.

The Mole Lazzaretto is a pentagon-shaped building built in the 18th century to serve as a leper house. It mainly housed lepers but also housed sailors who may have contracted the disease at sea. By the 19th century, the building became a military citadel and today it is a museum.

Answer: Palermo

Palermo is the capital and largest city of the island region of Sicily. It is located along the Gulf of Palermo along the Tyrrhenian Sea along the island's northern coast.

The Teatro Massimo, which translates to the Greatest Theater, is the largest opera house in Italy. It opened in 1897 and was designed by Giovanni Battista Filippo Basile, who was well known in the city for restoring ancient cathedrals.

The Cappella Palatina was once the royal chapel for the Norman Kings who once ruled Sicily. It is well known for its many intricate mosaics. It was designed in the Byzantine style. It occupies the first floor of the Palazzo dei Normanni, the Norman Royal Palace.

The entire palace was originally built in the 9th century and is the oldest royal palace in Europe. It was built in the Arab style since the Moors of North Africa controlled Sicily at the time. Although the palace was updated and renovated in different styles since its initial construction, much of the Moorish style can still be seen.

Answer: Ravenna

Ravenna is located in the region of Emilia-Romagna close to the Adriatic Sea. It was the capital of the Western Roman Empire during the 5th century.

Famed poet Dante Alighieri died in Ravenna and is buried in the Church of San Francesco. Also buried in Ravenna is the Ostrogoth King Theoderic the Great. His mausoleum stands outside the old city walls and is relatively simple for that of a king at the time.

The Basilica of San Vitale was built in 547 AD in the Byzantine style. It was not a basilica when it was built but made an honorific one centuries later. This means it lacks some of the traditional features of most major and minor basilicas and is significantly smaller in size than most basilicas. The same goes for the nearby Basilica of Sant'Apollinare.