What is the most famous European capital? Heads of the cities of the Old World

State borders change frequently. Powers themselves arise and disappear with It may happen that one state joins another, or maybe vice versa: the once united country is split into pieces, as it once was. Soviet Union. Even more often, such changes occur with the capitals. After all, even with the inviolability of state cordons and political stability, the government of the country can decide to transfer the main city to another settlement. You don't have to look far for an example: in 1997 it was moved from Alma-Ata to Astana. When the state breaks up, and some parts begin to exist separately, new administrative centers appear. In this article, we will discuss several questions: what European capital the biggest; the most ancient; newest and best. Of course, there is no city that could satisfy all these indicators. But still...

List of European capitals in alphabetical order

In order not to get confused, let's remember all the main cities of this Na this moment there are forty-four states in Europe. There are 44 capitals in total. And if we count Turkey, which, at least on the edge, but still “stands” in Europe, then all forty-five. Some capitals are huge both in terms of area and population. In others, all residents know each other by sight. But more about sizes later. Now we will simply list which capitals are in the states of Europe. If you remember the cities with the letter "A", then it will be Athens, the Dutch Amsterdam and the highlands of Andorra la Vella. The list with the letter "B" is more extensive. These are Bucharest, Belgrade, Brussels, Berlin, Bratislava, Bern and Budapest. Not fewer capitals and the letter "B". These are the Vatican City State, Vaduz, Vilnius, Warsaw, Vienna and Valletta. Dublin and Zagreb are next. Three capitals with the letter "K" - Copenhagen, Chisinau and Kyiv. The four main cities begin with the letter "L": Lisbon, Luxembourg, Ljubljana and London. The same number - on "M": Moscow, Madrid, Monaco and Minsk. Oslo follows alphabetically. On the letter "P" we have Paris, Podgorica, Prague. Under the letter "R" are Rome, Riga and Reykjavik. Here are the capitals whose names start with "S": Sarajevo, San Marino, Skopje, Stockholm and Sofia. There are two main cities under the letter "T" - Tirana and Tallinn. And closes the alphabetical list of Helsinki. If we consider Turkey, then Ankara should also be added to the list. Although this city is located in Asia.

The most ancient capitals of Europe

Many cities have been in the status of "the capital," but over time lost this value. There were younger settlements, which were located near trade routes and other important highways. Thus, these "upstarts" very quickly overshadowed former capitals. And they pulled over the glory of the capital city. Nevertheless, six European capitals have a very respectable age. These are Athens, Rome, Belgrade, Lisbon, Skopje and Paris. And if we take into account that right on the Vatican Hill there is a city that is a theocratic state, then their number increases to seven. Which of them is the oldest European capital? Definitely Athens. The capital of modern Greece was first mentioned in chronicles as early as the 15th century. BC e., that is, about three and a half thousand years ago! By the way, Belgrade could also claim the title if the competition was held in the category “ ancient city from modern European capitals. It is mentioned in many historical sources at the same time as Athens. But it was a modest settlement of the Celts called Singidunum. well and The eternal City Rome was founded later than Athens - in 753 BC. e. Paris (Lutetia in antiquity), Skopje and Lisbon appeared on the world map also before our era.

The largest capitals of Europe

It doesn't take long to guess. The largest European capital is Moscow with almost twelve million people. London is in second place. It was founded in 43 by the Romans. Now eight and a half million people live there. Well, Berlin closes the top three. Three and a half million people live in the new one. Kyiv (2.8 million people) breathes down her neck.

The youngest capitals in Europe

This issue needs to be taken seriously. If we proceed from which city has recently become the capital, then the answer will be: Bratislava. But this settlement is by no means new. On the contrary, the city can boast centuries of history. By the way, Bratislava has repeatedly been the capital. But on modern map In Europe, it appeared with this status only after the split of Czechoslovakia. And if suddenly Catalonia achieves independence and becomes independent state, then the youngest capital will be Barcelona. But the history of this city is also rooted in antiquity. But what is the youngest European Madrid. In 1561, the capital of the Spanish kingdom was moved from Toledo to a small town.

The best European capital

Citizens of every country believe that their main city- the most beautiful. And it's hard to argue here. But if you ask tourists which European capital seems to them the most beautiful, then the majority of respondents will name Prague. But if we take the factor of well-being and comfort as a measure, the result will be different. Helsinki. In the nomination "The most green capital» Stockholm and Warsaw hold the palm.

Other leaders

A city of romance, a haven for lovers, a trendsetter... As soon as they don't call Paris! This is perhaps the most famous European capital. Andorra la Vella is the highest above sea level. Monaco is the leader in terms of the number of casinos per capita.

If you are going to Europe, then preliminary information about the country of destination will not hurt. Including historical information. Since no trip to any country usually bypasses its capital, then the greatest interest represent data about the main city of the state. Acquaintance with the city begins with its name. Capital names European countries we should have known since school. But few people know about the origin of these names. The following selection of etymological references will fill this gap in knowledge.

Amsterdam. Capital of the Netherlands. The city is located at the mouth of the river Amstel. fishing village at this place with the name Amstelredamme known since 1282. Translated as "village near the dam on the river Amstel".

Athens. Capital of Greece. The first settlements on this site are known from the 15th-13th centuries. BC e. The ancient Greeks associated the name of the city with the name of the goddess Athena Pallas - its patroness. It is believed that this name appeared even before the ancient Greeks and was given by the Pelasgians. Translated from the language of the latter, it may mean "hill, hill".

Belgrade. Capital of Serbia. The city was founded by the Celts in the 4th-3rd centuries. BC e. entitled Singidun (dun- "Hill"). After the conquest by the Slavs in 878, it was first mentioned by name White City. Modern name– the same, only in Serbo-Croatian. The word "white" is believed to have a symbolic meaning in this case. Only the latter is interpreted differently. Some link the element white with water, since all the "white cities" are located by the river. Others explain it as a synonym for beautiful. Still others believe that in this case white= "free" (that is, a city that has certain privileges).

Berlin. Capital of Germany. The name has been known since 1244. The origin of the name has not yet been precisely established. Many explanations have been offered. The following are considered the most convincing: 1. From a personal name Berla. 2. From Slavic brl"bog, swamp" 3. From Slavic brlen"a dam on a river for fishing or timber rafting."

Berne. Capital of Switzerland. The city has been known since 1191. Many explanations have been proposed. The most convincing are the following: 1. From the Celtic "mountain". 2. This is a name transferred from Italy Verona, reworked into Berne. The coat of arms of the city depicts a bear. And popular rumor connects the name of the city with the word "bear". This explanation is rejected by etymologists as unacceptable.

Bratislava. Capital of Slovakia. BC on the site of the city was a Roman fortified camp Posonium. Later, a Slovak city was formed here Preslav named after a personal name. Subsequently, this name was transformed into Breslavsburg, and then Pressburg. After the formation of Czechoslovakia, the Slavic name returned to the city Bratislava(this is a modified version of the toponym Preslav).

Brussels. Capital of Belgium. The city was first mentioned in the 8th century in the form Brocela, which then transformed into modern French Bruxelles and Flemish Brussels. Toponym consists of Flemish roots brock"bog" and sela"housing", that is, Brussels - "village by the swamp."

Budapest. Capital of Hungary. In 1872, the cities of Buda and Pest, located on opposite banks of the Danube, were merged into one city, which received the name Budapest. Both parts of the toponym are Slavic: buda"house, building, village"; pest“stove” in the meaning of “home, dwelling”.

Vein. Capital of Austria. It is named after the river that flows into the Danube at this point. The name of the river is derived from the Celtic vedunia"tree". Others are from Celtic vindo"white", "building". Another version - from the Celtic vedunis"forest stream"

Bucharest. Capital of Romania. Under this name, the city was first mentioned in 1459. The toponym was formed from a personal name Bucur, apparently, belonged to the feudal owner. Suffix -eat common in the names of Romanian settlements.

Vaduz. Capital of Liechtenstein. The toponym has been known since 1342. It is a modified name of the valley, the name of which was given by the Romans - Vallis-Dulcia – Vallis"sweet, nice" + dulcis"valley". Through the intermediate Valduz the city received its present name Vaduz.

Warsaw. Capital of Poland. The city has been known under this name since the 13th century. Concerning etymology different opinions were expressed. The most convincing is the construction to a personal name Varsh+ affiliation suffix -Eve. That is Warsaw- Varsha village.

Vilnius. Capital of Lithuania. Until 1939 it was called Vilna. It was founded in the 10th century on the river Viliya (lit. Neris) at the confluence of the Vileyka (Vilnia) into it. The city got its name from the names of these rivers. The name of the river Viliya - from the Slavic velha"large".

Zagreb. Capital of Croatia. Known since the 11th century. The most convincing is the version about the Slavic origin of this toponym. Its etymology is "behind the embankment (dam, moat)".

Kyiv. Capital of Ukraine. The city arose in the 5th century. The etymology of its name is controversial. At present, the most common version is the formation of a toponym from the Slavic kuyava"mountain, steep hill, pinnacle". In the ancient Russian chronicle "The Tale of Bygone Years" the name is derived from the name cue. However, already in the annals they could not decide who this Kiy was - common man or prince? In ancient times, the cities received the names of princes, so the princely version seems more plausible. But then the name still lived Kiev transport, therefore, a version appeared that Kiy was a carrier across the Dnieper. Adherent version of a personal name cue was A. I. Sobolevsky, who derived this name from the Slavic cue"stick, pole". There is also a version about the non-Slavic origin of the toponym, which many famous Slavists reject. In this case, we are talking about an attempt to connect the toponym with Prakrit (Middle Indian languages ​​and dialects) koyawa, in the sense of "the place of the throne." In the Middle Ages Kyiv was called Sambatas. The origin of this toponym causes a variety of conjectures.

Kishinev. Capital of Moldova. The toponym has been known since the 15th century. According to Radlov, from Moldovan nou"new" and Turkic qishlakh"winter hut". Another version: from ancient Moldavian chisinau"well, well, spring" Among other hypotheses, there is a version from the Polovtsian origin: from swarming burial place, mausoleum.

Copenhagen. Capital of Denmark. The toponym has been known since 1231. It consists of two bases from the words of the Danish language: kjobmann"merchant, merchant" + havn"harbor, pier"

Lisbon. Capital of Portugal. First mentioned in the 2nd century BC. e. The origin of the name is unclear. So, they try to derive the second component from the Phoenician ippo"fence", the second component is unclear. In another case, they try to explain from the Phoenician alis ubbo"joyful bay (joyful bay)". There is also a hypothesis about the appearance of the name from Lisso or Lucio is the pre-Romanesque name of the Tagus River on which Lisbon stands.

London. The capital of Great Britain. The city has been known under this name since 115 – Londinium. Several explanations have been proposed: from a personal name londin("city of Londina"), from the name of the tribe londin("city of the Londines"), from Celtic lon dun"fortification on the hill", etc.

Ljubljana. Capital of Slovenia. The toponym has been known since the 6th century. To date, the semantic meaning of this name is unclear, although there are many versions: from the Slavic basis love, from ethnonym ljubljana, on behalf of the river deity Lubarus, from an ancient Slavic name Lubovid etc. However, the presence of numerous toponymic parallels indicates the pre-Slavic origin of the toponym. So, trying to deduce from the Latin alluviana "flooding".

Madrid. Capital of Spain. The city was founded in 927. In 939 it is mentioned as Magerite. It was believed that it comes from Arabic madarat- "city". But then another explanation appeared: the name is pre-Arabic and comes from Roman Maderita"forest growth".

Minsk. The capital of Belarus. The city has been known since 1067. The chronicle forms of the toponym are Menesk, Mensk, Mensk. Ancient Minsk arose somewhat southwest of the historical core of the modern city, on the river Meni (Menki), by which he got his name. The origin of the name of the river is not completely clear. Someone sees a parallel with the name of the river Mine(a tributary of the Rhine) in Germany. Someone deduces from Latvian main- "swamp".

Oslo. Capital of Norway. Founded in 1048. There are at least two versions of the origin of this toponym. From os"mouth" + Lo- the name of the river, i.e. "river at the mouth of the river Lo". Another version: from ass og lo"glade (clearing) in the forest." Since 1624 the city was named after King Christian Christiania (Christiania). In 1925, its original name was returned to it.

Paris. Capital of France. At the turn of our era, the city was called Lutetia Parisiorium. It was the main city of the Gaulish tribe of the Parisii. It is assumed that the first part of the toponym is from the Celtic lut"swamp". The etymology of the ethnonym Parisii is debatable. According to one version it means "ship", according to another - "border people".

Prague. Capital of the Czech Republic. The name has been known since the 10th century. Of the numerous explanations, the most convincing is the construction to the Czech pražiti"a place where a forest is burned or dried up." The interpretation through the word threshold is very common. But it is erroneous, since it is not confirmed either linguistically or geographically (there are no river rapids here).

Reykjavik. Capital of Iceland. The city was founded by the Vikings in 875 and named after the bay on the shore of which it stands. The steam above the hot springs along the shores of the bay was called smoke. Hence the name of the bay. Reykjavil-reyka"smoke" + vik"bay, gulf"

Riga. Capital of Latvia. The city was founded at the turn of the XII-XIII centuries. The name is derived from the Baltic languages ​​- from the word ring, ring"bend, bend" From this word the name of the river was formed, which later acquired a diminutive form of Ridzene. This river was covered up. Thus, the city was named either after the river or after the bend at which the settlement arose.

Rome. Capital of Italy. The legend about the connection between the name of the city and the name of the founder Romulus is a toponymic myth, a classic example of folk etymology. It is believed that the toponym originated from ancient name the Tiber River, on which it is located, Rumo, Rumon. The name of the river, perhaps, is associated with the name of one of the Etruscan tribes, who were the ancient population of these places.

holm stack bay, and stock stake, pile, pillar.

Stockholm. Capital of Sweden. The city was founded in the middle of the 13th century. The second part of the toponym holm means "island". The first part is less transparent. It could be stack bay, and stock stake, pile, pillar.

Tallinn. Capital of Estonia. The city has been known since 1154. The modern name arose in the 13th century, when the Danes captured the city and named it Taani Linn"Danish City" Officially, this name was fixed only in 1917. However, the city is also known under other names. In Russian chronicles and in later sources up to the 18th century - Kolyvan. Its origin is unclear. Derived from a personal name Kalev(hero of the epic "Kalevala"), and from the Lithuanian Kalvis"forge". Before 1917 official name cities - Revel. The origin of this toponym is also debatable. Some deduce from the name of the entire coastal region - Ryavala. Others are from the Swedish "stranded". Third - from the name retail space Rebala. Debatable and origin more early name cities Lindanis.

Helsinki. Capital of Finland. The city was founded by the Swedes in the 16th century near a waterfall and named by them. Helsingfors. Second component fors- "waterfall" The origin of the first is unknown. It is assumed that from the ethnonym helsings. The city moved from the waterfall, but the Swedish name existed in pre-revolutionary Russia for a long time.

Sources

Nikonov V. A. Kratky toponymic dictionary. M., 1966.

Pospelov E. M. School toponymic dictionary. M., 1988.

Modern children treat such a school subject as geography as a secondary discipline. Many students are puzzled by the question “What European capitals can you name?”. This article will help you decide on this part of the world, its location and other territorial characteristics.

European capitals alphabetically

• Amsterdam has been the capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands since 1814. It is located in the western part of the state at the mouth of the Hey and Amstel rivers.
• Andorra la Vella is the main one in Andorra. Located at the confluence of the two rivers Valira d'Encamp and Valira d'Ordino. It is located at an altitude of 1079 m above sea level in the Pyrenees. It is the highest European capital.
• Athens. Capital of Greece. Located in the center of the country and is a real treasure ancient world V modern Europe. Is cultural, economic and administrative center states.

We continue the list

European capitals on "B"

Dublin - Irish city

City-county in Ireland. The European capital, located at the confluence of the River Liffey into the Dublin Bay of the Irish Sea.

Zagreb

The largest city in Croatia and its capital. It is located on the Sava, a tributary of the Danube. Zagreb is over 920 years old.

Kyiv, Chisinau, Copenhagen

Largest cities

• Lisbon is the main city of Portugal. This main port countries and oldest city Western Europe. Lisbon is located at the mouth of the Tagus River. This is the most western capital continental Europe.
• London is the capital of the United Kingdom Northern Ireland and the UK. Located on the island of Great Britain near North Sea at the mouth of the River Thames.
• Ljubljana is the main city of Slovenia. Chief economic, cultural and political center countries. The city is located in the intermountain Ljubljana Basin on the banks of the Ljubljanec River.
• Luxembourg - The largest city and capital of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

Where is Formula 1 held?

Among these capitals are two hero cities:

This is Oslo on the lakes

The main and largest city of Norway. There are 343 lakes within the city limits. They are the main sources drinking water. Located in the southeastern part of the country. Two small rivers flow through this European capital - Alna and Akeshelva.

Tourist centers

• Paris is the main city of France. It is the administrative center of Ile-de-France. Located in the Parisian basin on its plain. It is located on the banks of the Seine River in northern France.
• Podgorica is the capital of Montenegro. It is located on the vast plain of the Skadar Basin, 30 km from the Adriatic Sea, on the banks of the Moraca River.
• Prague is the capital of the Czech Republic. It is located 40 km from the confluence of the Vltava River with the Laba. Is the largest tourist center Europe. The main cultural, economic and political center of the Czech Republic.

Let's go alphabetically

Carlson lived in one of these cities

• San Marino is the capital of the state of San Marino, located on the Apennine Peninsula near Adriatic Sea.
• Sarajevo is the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The city is located in an intermountain basin on the banks of the Milyatsky River.
• Skopje is the main city of the Republic of Macedonia. Skopje is located on the banks of the Vardar River in a valley surrounded by mountains, near the border with Kosovo. Located in the north of the state.
• Sofia is the largest city in Bulgaria. Located in western Bulgaria at the foot of mountain range Vitosha in the south of the Sofia basin.
• Stockholm is the capital of Sweden. It is located on the shores of Lake Mälaren in the channels connecting it with the Baltic Sea.

"T" and "X"

And among these cities is the place where the Nokia phone was “born”:

We hope that now to the question of which European capital is located on the River Thames, Ishi, Tiber, etc., you can easily give the correct answer.

World famous for architectural monuments And interesting history. It is difficult to answer the question of which one should be visited first. This article briefly discusses some of them, namely the most beautiful capitals Oh European states.

Prague

This city, according to generally accepted opinion, is the most beautiful among the capitals of European countries. Abundance here medieval streets, lined with paving stones, a lot unique monuments and Charles Bridge - one of the symbols of the Czech capital. Its length is more than five hundred meters. The famous Prague bridge is associated with important historical events, including the attack of the Swedes, which took place in the middle of the 17th century.

The name of the city that ranks first in the list of the most picturesque capitals European states, translated from Czech as "threshold". There are many legends about the founding of Prague, including legends about the wise ruler Libusha.

Paris

The capital, which was once ruled by one of the world's greatest generals, is famous for Champs Elysees And eiffel tower. In fact, of course, the list of attractions in Paris is quite extensive. We will not list everything here, but we will briefly outline the history of the famous symbol of the French capital.

The metal tower, whose height is more than three hundred meters, cannot be called an ancient monument. It was built only at the end of the 19th century. According to statistics, among all the attractions of the world is the most visited. Every tourist visiting Paris, first of all, seeks to be photographed against the backdrop of the Eiffel Tower.

In 1889, the world exhibition dedicated to the anniversary of the French Revolution was held in Paris. A few years before this event, a competition was organized, the winner of which was to create a project for the structure. The monument reflects the technological and engineering achievements of the country. The authors of the project were employees of the G. Eiffel bureau.

Rome

The third place in the list of the most capitals of European states, photos of which are known all over the world, is occupied by the main city of Italy. Many talented feature films have been created here, among them Fellini's La Dolce Vita. This city is considered one of the most romantic in the world. To the most interesting historical monuments also applies to Piazza Navona, the Pantheon.

Perhaps, it is incorrect to talk about which of the cities in Europe is the most beautiful. For some, this is Moscow. to someone closer Berlin or Athens. But, according to a rating compiled not so long ago based on the reviews of tourists and published in the media, the fourth place belongs to the German capital, the fifth - to the Greek one. Moscow occupies the sixth position in this list. The list of the most beautiful capitals also includes Madrid, Helsinki, Amsterdam.

Most famous cities Europe can be drawn up in a list compiled taking into account various features. Both alphabetically and geographic location, and by age. Below are two more lists, which include the above-mentioned cities.

states from north to south

This list should start with Helsinki. Among European capitals, this city is the northernmost. The list can then be compiled as follows:

• Stockholm.
• Oslo.
• Tallinn.
• Copenhagen.
• Moscow.
• Warsaw.
• Dublin.
• Prague.
• Paris.
• Belgrade.
• Sofia.
• Skopje.

Capitals of European countries in alphabetical order

If you compose full list, then it will include forty-four cities. The first place is occupied by the European capital, which tourists perceive differently. For some, this city is the focus of debauchery. For others, it is the place where great painters worked. We are talking, of course, about Amsterdam. The second position in the list compiled in alphabetical order, occupies Andorra la Vella. The third is Athens. Then there are cities whose names start with "B".

First of all, the capital of Germany comes to mind. But in this list, Berlin is preceded by Belgrade. And then follow the capitals of such states as Switzerland, Slovakia, Belgium, Hungary. Which cities are the political and economic centers of these countries? Bern, Bratislava, Brussels and Budapest.

The full list also includes the capitals of small states, such as Liechtenstein. main city dwarf state is Vaduz. But then we list the most famous capitals:

• Brussels.
• Warsaw.
• Vein.
• Dublin.
• Copenhagen.
• London.
• Madrid.
• Moscow.
• Oslo.
• Paris.
• Prague.
• Stockholm.
• Tallinn.
• Helsinki.

This article will help you understand the geography of Europe in more detail.