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During the last century, Europe was devastated by two World Wars which resulted in the deaths of millions, shattered Europe’s economy and changed the borders of several countries. In order to guarantee that this didn’t happen again, some European leaders decided that their countries should work together to ensure peace and prosperity for the future.

The result is the European Union. EU Member States now work together on many areas of common interest. Each Member State has a voice in this process and decisions are made collectively by the member countries and elected members of the European Parliament.

Ireland joined the EU in 1973. Since then, we have received over €60 billion in funding from the European Union which has helped develop the Irish economy, improve the country’s infrastructure, expand our trading partners, and support Irish agriculture. One of the greatest advantages of EU membership is that Irish people can travel, study and work in any other EU country.

Today, there are 27 Member States in the European Union. But what do we know about them? Let’s take a tour of Europe and see what we can fi nd out about our neighbouring countries. Austria Hundertwasser House: The Hundertwasserhaus is an apartment and offi ce building hellogrüss designed by Austrian artist gott Friedensreich Hundertwasser. Unique features include uneven fl oors, a grass rooftop and large trees growing from inside rooms.

Food: Austrians enjoy Wiener Schnitzel (breaded veal cutlet), Capital: Vienna Tafelspitz (boiled beef served with Size: 83,858 km² apple and horseradish sauce) and Population: 8.3 million Find the flag! Apfelstrudel (apple and pastry dessert). Language: German National Day: 26th October Famous Austrians: Gustav Klimt (artist), Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (composer), Joseph Haydn (composer). Vienna Prater: This is a large public park in the middle of Vienna. It also Find Out: Which Austrian born actor is now Governor of houses an amusement park with over California? 250 rides, including the Riesenrad, which is a ferris wheel. Emperor Did you know? Francis Maurice Lacy, who was of Irish Joseph II opened the park to the descent, was a general in the Austrian army in the 18th public in 1766. century. He was a favourite of Austrian emperors and lived in a magnifi cent estate and house in the Vienna Woods. Belgium The Manneken Pis: Sculpted in 1619, this statue, literally translated as ‘the little man wee’, has survived hallo through the ages to become one of salut Belgium’s most loved monuments. He even has a wardrobe of over 600 costumes!

Food: Belgium is famous for its moules-frites ( and chips), as well as its chocolate! Capital: Brussels Size: 30,158 km² Famous Belgians: Justine Henin (tennis player), Population: 10.5 million Find the flag! Eddie Merckx (cyclist), Tin-Tin and the Smurfs! Languages: Dutch, French and German Find Out: See if you can fi nd a picture of the Atomium and National Day: 21st July stick it in your passport.

The Atomium: Built in 1958, the Did you know? Ireland has many historic connections with 103 metre-tall monument represents Belgium. The Irish College in Louvain educated Irish priests a magnifi ed iron crystal. Recently for many centuries. renovated and open to the public, the Atomium not only hosts interesting exhibitions, especially for children, but also boasts some of the best views of Brussels. Bulgaria Rila National Park: This is the biggest national park in Bulgaria and is located about 100 km zdravei south of Sofi a. It is an area of conservation for many endangered wildlife species. The name Rila comes from the word ‘Roula’, which means ‘lots of water.’

Food: Kavarma (a meat and ), shopska salata (a salad with white , cucumber, peppers and ), Capital: Sofi a bob (a and chilli ), banitza (pastry with white Size: 110,000 km² cheese) and kiselo mliako (yoghurt). Population: 7.7 million Find the flag! Language: Bulgarian Famous Bulgarians: Julia Kristeva (philosopher), Elias Canetti National Day: 3rd March (Nobel Prize winning author), Christo Javacheff (artist).

Alexander Nevsky Cathedral: Find Out: What colours are the Bulgarian national fl ag? Situated in Sofi a, this cathedral is one of the largest Eastern Orthodox Did you know? An Irish man, Pierce O’Mahony, established St. cathedrals in the world. It was built Patrick’s Orphanage for boys in Sofi a in 1904. There is a street in the early 20th century to honour dedicated to him, Piers O’Mahoni in Sofi a, Bulgaria. the Russian soldiers who died in the 1877-78 war with . It is a cross domed basilica with the Lord’s Prayer inscribed in gold on the central dome. Petra tou Romiou: Known in English as the Rock of Aphrodite, this spot not only has amazing yia’sou views of the sea but is also the birthplace of the Greek goddess Aphrodite, also known as Venus. Legend has it she rose out of the sea at this point and the event is portrayed in a famous painting called “The Birth of Venus” .

Capital: Nicosia Food: (a series of appetisers Size: 9,251 km² and savouries), (bean soup). Population: 0.8 million Find the flag! Language: Greek Famous Cypriots: Hüseyin Çağlayan (fashion designer), National Day: 1st October Zeno of Citium (philosopher), Marcos Baghdatis (tennis player) and Michael Cacoyannis (fi lmmaker). The Archbishop’s Palace: Archbishop Makarios was the fi rst Find Out: What was Aphrodite the goddess of? president of Cyprus from 1960 to 1977. His palace, in Nicosia, is Did you know? Irish soldiers served with the United Nations open to the public and it contains in Cyprus on peacekeeping duties from 1964 to 2005. a Byzantine museum with a large collection of religious icons. Czech Republic Charles Bridge: This medieval bridge was constructed in the 14th century. It’s named after King Charles IV and spans the river ahoj Vltava.

Food: Knedliky (dumplings) and bramboraky (potato ).

Famous Czechs: Alfons Mucha (artist), Antonin Dvo (composer), Capital: Prague Milan Kundera (writer) and Size: 79,000 km² Petr Čech (footballer). Population: 10.3 million Find the flag! Language: Czech Find Out: Which famous Czech tennis player became an National Day: 28th October American citizen in 1981?

St. Vitius Cathedral: The most well Did you know? Legend has it that the potato was introduced to known church in the Czech Republic, the Czech diet in the 17th century by Irish Franciscan monks. this cathedral is Gothic in style and is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Prague. It is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Prague. Denmark The Little Mermaid: This mermaid owes its fame to the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale on which the hej sculpture was based. She sits on a rock in Churchill Park in Copenhagen harbour. The sculptor, Edward Eriksen, used his wife as the model.

Food: Frikadeller () are very popular as is smoked fi sh and Capital: Copenhagen smørrebrød or open sandwiches. Size: 43,000 km² Population: 5.4 million Find the flag! Famous Danes: Ole Kirk Christiansen (inventor of LEGO), Language: Danish Hans Christian Andersen (author), Søren Kierkegaard National Day: 5th June (philosopher).

The Tivoli Gardens: The Find Out: Can you name three Hans Christian Andersen amusement park and gardens were fairy tales? built in the middle of the 19th century and are home to one of the world’s Did you know? Danish Vikings invaded and settled in Ireland oldest wooden rollercoasters, still in in the 9th century. use today. It is also used for open air concerts and plays during the summer. Estonia The Town Hall: This Town Hall was built before the pharmacy and is thought to date from the early 13th century. Its Gothic architecture has tere been well preserved. It is currently open to the public and is sometimes used for receptions.

Food: Classic Estonian dishes include verivorst (blood sausage), leib (black bread) and kartulid Capital: Tallinn (potatoes). Size: 45,000 km² Population: 1.3 million Find the flag! Famous Estonians: Carmen Kass (model), Language: Estonian Mart Poom (footballer) and Markko Märtin (racing driver). National Day: 24th February Find Out: See if you can fi nd a picture of the Town Hall The Town Hall Pharmacy: Situated Pharmacy and stick it in your passport. on the Town Hall Square in Tallinn, the Town Hall Pharmacy dates Did you know? 1999 saw the signing of an agreement of back to 1422 and is still used as a cultural exchanges between Ireland and Estonia. This has pharmacy today, although medieval resulted in exchange visits of theatre, musical and dance medicines like bat powder and groups from both countries. snakeskin potion are no longer sold! Finland Finlandia Hall: Designed by the architect Alvar Aalto, Finlandia Hall in Helsinki is used as a conference hei centre and concert venue. Its architectural goal was that it should be modern and functional, with nothing to distract an audience from the stage or the event they had come to participate in.

Food: Finland is famous for pickled Capital: Helsinki herring, lihapullat (meatballs) and Size: 338,000 km² gravlax (cold smoked fi sh). Population: 5.3 million Find the flag! Languages: Finnish, Swedish Famous Finns: Kimi Räikkönen (racing driver), Fredrik Idestam National Day: 6th December (founder of Nokia), Sibelius (composer).

Helsinki Cathedral: Situated Find Out: Which world famous person comes from Lapland? in Senate Square, this distinctive (Clue: He visits once a year!) Helsinki landmark was built by Carl Ludvig Engel, who also designed Did you know? Since 1986 an Irish Festival has been held in the Square and surrounding buildings. Finland every year. Concerts celebrating Irish music and culture Though religious ceremonies are take place in cities across Finland. still conducted in the cathedral, it also attracts over 350,000 tourists each year. France The Eiffel Tower: The tallest structure in Paris is the most visited paid monument in the world. Named bonjour after its architect Gustave Eiffel, the structure of the tower weighs 7,300 tons and sways 6-7cms in the wind.

Food: The French love their cheese and also are the proud inventors of the baguette.

Capital: Paris Famous French people: Jean Monnet, Size: 550,000 km² Thierry Henry (footballer), Pierre-Auguste Renoir (painter). Population: 60.9 million Find the flag! Language: French Find Out: What is Jean Monnet famous for? National Day: 14th July Did you know? Patrice de MacMahon, a descendant of Irish Notre Dame: Built in the Middle emigrants, was president of France from 1873 to 1879. Ages, the Parisian cathedral was in a state of disrepair until the mid-nineteenth century when the French novelist Victor Hugo wrote “The Hunchback of Notre Dame”. The success of the book launched a campaign to restore the cathedral to its former glory in 1845. Germany The Reichstag: Almost destroyed by fi re in 1933 and again during World War II, the newly renovated guten Reichstag has been the symbol of German reunifi cation since its tag inception as the seat of the German Parliament in 1991.

Food: and Bratwurst which translated means pickled cabbage with sausages.

Capital: Berlin Famous German people: Ludwig Van Beethoven (composer), Size: 356,854 km² Friedrich Nietzsche (philosopher), Michael Ballack (footballer). Population: 82.5 million Find the flag! Language: German Find Out: Find a picture of the Brandenburg Gate and stick it National Day: 3rd October onto your passport.

Brandenburg Gate: This gate is the Did you know? St Killian, an Irish missionary, converted many former entrance to the city and the Germans to Christianity and is still honoured in the German city symbol of Berlin. Built between 1788 of Würzburg. and 1791, it was commissioned by Wilhelm II and is a symbol of peace.

Greece Olympia: The birthplace of the Olympic Games, Olympia was dedicated to the god Zeus and yia’sou became the most important religious and athletic centre in Ancient .

Food: (aubergine and meat dish), keftedes (meatballs), (a sweet pastry dessert).

Capital: Athens Famous : Plato (philosopher), Aristotle Onassis Size: 131,957 km² (shipping magnate), Alexander the Great (king and conqueror). Population: 11.1 million Find the flag! Language: Greek Find Out: How many countries competed in the 2004 Olympic National Day: 25th March Games?

The Acropolis: Dedicated to the Did you know? Sir Richard Church, a native of Cork, was goddess Athena, this impressive commander of the Greek forces during the war of Greek monument dating back to Ancient Independence in the 19th century. Greece dominates the Athenian skyline. Built in the fi fth century BC, it was the pinnacle of the achievements of Ancient Greece. Hungary The Chain Bridge: This suspension bridge links the two cities of Buda and Pest which szia are divided by the river Danube. As a result of the construction of this bridge at the end of the 19th century, Budapest experienced an economic revival, changing the city from two provincial towns into a growing metropolis.

Capital: Budapest Food: Typical Hungarian fare includes (soup), halászlé Size: 93,000 km² (fi sh and soup) and vanilias kifl i (vanilla croissant). Population: 10.1 million Find the flag! Language: Hungarian Famous Hungarians: Harry Houdini (magician), Ern Rubik National Day: 15th March (inventor of the Rubik’s cube), Ferenc Puskás (footballer).

The Hungarian Parliament: One of Find Out: Name two European Union Member States that the biggest parliament buildings in border Hungary. Europe, the Hungarian Parliament was inaugurated on the 1000th Did you know? James Joyce refers to the Hungarian town of anniversary of the country in 1896. Szombathely in Ulysses and the town celebrates the annual Located in Budapest, over 40 million event of Bloomsday in Joyce’s honour. bricks, half a million precious stones and 40kg of gold were used in its construction. Ireland Newgrange: Built between 3300 and 2900 BC, Newgrange is the oldest standing building in the dia world, predating even the Egyptian dhuit pyramids! It is a Neolithic passage tomb lit by the rising sun each year at the time of winter solstice.

Food: Ireland is home to Irish stew and and cabbage.

Capital: Dublin Famous Irish people: James Joyce (writer), Samuel Beckett Size: 70,000 km² (writer) and Bram Stoker (writer). Population: 4.2 million Find the flag! Languages: English, Irish Find Out: What well-known book did Bram Stoker write and National Day: 17th March which other European country was the main character from?

Dublin Castle: Once the site of a Viking fortress, this historical landmark has been in existence since 930 AD, though in different forms. For centuries it was the seat of government in Ireland and was also used as a jail. CountryItaly Pompeii: This city was destroyed by a massive volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, ciao!hello covering the city and its inhabitants in volcanic ash until its discovery at the end of the 18th century. Excavators discovered human remains in volcanic ash as well as a wealth of art, jewellery and other materials, allowing archaeologists a valuable insight into how life was Capital: Rome lived during that time. Size: 301,263 km² Population:xx 58.8 million Find the flag! Food: is most famous for its pasta and . Italians are Language: Italian very fond of gelato (ice cream)! National Day: 2nd June Famous Italians: Leonardo da Vinci (painter, sculptor, inventor), The Coliseum: One of the best Christopher Columbus (who discovered America), Enzo Ferrari preserved Roman monuments, the (founder of the Ferrari motor car company). Coliseum was built to hold 50,000 people who came to see gladiatorial Find Out: Which famous lady did Leonardo da Vinci paint? fi ghts, games and even executions in Roman times. Though the Did you know? Guglielmo Marconi, who invented the radio, amphitheatre hasn’t been used for was half-Irish and married Beatrice O’Brien, daughter of Baron entertainment since the early Middle Inchiquin of Dromoland Castle, County Clare. Ages, it is a major tourist attraction and an iconic symbol of Ancient Rome. Latvia The Historic Centre of Riga: Riga’s centre has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage sveiki Site; it is renowned for its Art Nouveau architecture. This style of architecture peaked in the early 20th century and is defi ned by fl owing, curved designs often including fl oral motifs.

Food: Latvians enjoy borsch Capital: Riga (beet soup), rasols (potato and meat Size: 65,000 km² salad) and pickled mushrooms. Population: 2.3 million Find the flag! Language: Latvian Famous Latvians: Kārlis Baumanis (composer), Vizma National Day: 18th November Belševica (Nobel Prize winner in Literature), Leor Dimant (DJ Lethal, member of Limp Bizkit). The Doma Cathedral: Built in the 13th century, the Doma Cathedral Find Out: See if you can fi nd a picture of Latvian Art Nouveau is thought to be the largest church architecture and stick in onto your passport. in the Baltic States. One of its key attractions is its magnifi cent organ Did you know? Edward O’Rourke, a priest of Irish ancestry, which dates back to 1844. was appointed the fi rst Bishop of Riga in 1918. Lithuania Trakai: The historic capital of Lithuania, Trakai is noted for its beautiful surroundings as well as labas Trakai Castle which is an excellent example of Gothic architecture. It was home to Grand Duke Vytautas before Vilnius became the Lithuanian capital.

Food: Lithuanians enjoy kibinai (similar to Cornish pasties), cepelinai (meat fi lled dumplings) and sweet or savoury Capital: Vilnius pancakes. Size: 65,300 km² Population: 3.4 million Find the flag! Famous Lithuanians: (poet), Language: Lithuanian Laurynas Gucevičius (architect), and Steponas Darius National Day: 16th February and Stasys Girėnas (pilots).

Gediminas Castle: Legend has it Find Out: What event does the National Day commemorate? that the Grand Duke Gediminas had a dream in which he saw an iron wolf Did you know? In 1935, Lithuanian American pilot, Feliksas howling like 100 wolves where the Vaitkus, became the sixth person to fl y solo across the Atlantic castle now stands. He thought the and landed in a fi eld in Ballinrobe, Co.Mayo. dream meant that it was God’s will that the castle be built there and so in 1230 it was. Luxembourg Adolphe Bridge: This bridge is one of Luxembourg’s most popular tourist attractions and is 17.2 metres moien wide and carries four lanes of traffi c. Designed by Paul Sejourne and Paul Rodange, it was built between 1900 and 1903.

Food: Thuringer (small sausages), paté and quetsche tort (type of tart).

Capital: Luxembourg Famous Luxembourgers: Joseph Kutter (painter), Gabriel Size: 2,586 km² Lippmann (Nobel Prize winner), Frank Schleck (professional Population: 0.5 million Find the flag! cyclist). Languages: Luxembourgish, French and Find Out: What did Gabriel Lippmann win the Nobel Prize for? German National Day: 23rd June Did you know? In 1693, Patrick Sarsfi eld was a commander in the army of the Duke of Luxembourg when he was fatally The Grand Ducal Palace: Originally wounded at the battle of Landen. built as a town hall in 1572, the palace is now the offi cial residence of the Grand Duke of Luxembourg and his family. During World War II, the building’s interior and art collection was extensively damaged. However the palace has since undergone two major restorations. Malta St. Paul’s Cathedral: Built on the site of a Norman church which was destroyed in an earthquake in 1693, St. Paul’s cathedral crowns bongu. the city of Mdina and is topped by a magnifi cent dome designed by the cathedral’s architect Lorenzo Gafa.

Food: Traditional food includes fenek (rabbit) and pastizzi (savoury pastries). Capital: Valletta Size: 316 km² Famous Maltese people: The Knights of Malta, Dun Karm Population: 0.4 million Find the flag! Psaila (poet), Giuseppe Calì (painter), Edward de Bono Languages: Maltese, English (philosopher). National Day: 8th September Find Out: Complete the title of the famous thriller Valletta: Named after the Grand ‘The Maltese ______’. Master of the Order of St. John, Jean Parisot de la Valette. Construction of Did you know? Irishman, Richard More O’Ferrall, was this fortress city began in 1566 and appointed as the fi rst civil governor of Malta in 1847. was completed in a remarkably short 15 years. CountryNetherlands Volendam: This historical village is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Netherlands hallo!hello today. It’s famous for its fi shing boats and traditional Dutch costume which is still worn by some residents today. >

Food: Typical Dutch food includes hutspot (stew), vla (cooled with custard) and Capital: Amsterdam blinde vink (meatballs). Size: 41,864 km² Population:xx 16.3 million Find the flag! Famous Dutch people: Vincent Van Gogh (painter), Anne Language: Dutch Frank (diarist and holocaust victim), Ruud Van Nistelrooy National Day: 30th April (footballer).

Windmills: Although over 1,000 Find Out: The name of the city that is the seat of government windmills are still standing in the in the Netherlands (it’s not the capital!). Netherlands today, many of them are no longer in use. Windmills Did you know? The battle of the Boyne was won by a were mainly used to drain water, to Dutchman, William of Orange, who became King of England. produce paper and oil and to saw wood. For fi ve centuries windmills were the primary source of power in the Netherlands. Poland Gdansk Shipyard: This is where Lech started the Solidarity movement, the anti-communist cze trade union that altered the course ść of Polish and European history in the late 20th century. Though no longer the huge shipyard it once was, it is considered the birthplace of Polish resistance to Communism.

Food: Poland is home to urek Capital: Warsaw (a type of sour soup). The is bigos (cabbage Size: 313,000 km² and meat). Population: 38.1 million Find the flag! Language: Polish Famous Poles: Pope John Paul II, Fryderyk Chopin National Day: 11th November (composer), Maria Sk odowska-Curie (physicist and chemist).

Warsaw’s Old Town: Originally built Find Out: What was the birth name of Pope John Paul II? in the 13th century, Warsaw’s Old Town was built around the Royal Did you know? In the 17th century, Dr Bernard O’Connor, from Castle. The Old Town was destroyed Kerry, was personal physician to the king of Poland. during World War II. After the war, it was painstakingly rebuilt, much of it brick by brick, and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Portugal Belém Tower: The tower, situated in the Belém district of Lisbon, was built in the early 16th century to olá commemorate Vasco De Gama’s expedition. The infl uence of Moorish art can be found in the arched windows and balconies.

Food: (salted cod), and leite-créme (egg custard) Capital: Lisbon Size: 92,072 km² Famous Portuguese people: Vasco De Gama (explorer), Population: 10.6 million Find the flag! Cristiano Ronaldo (footballer), Fernando Pessoa (poet). Language: Portuguese National Day: 10th June Find Out: What naval route did Vasco De Gama’s expedition discover? The Vasco de Gama Bridge: This is the longest bridge in Europe, Did you know? There was an Irish college in Lisbon from 1590 measuring 17.2 km in total. The to 1834. bridge has six lanes and was built to alleviate traffi c on Lisbon’s other bridge (the 25 de Abril Bridge). Bran Castle: Built in 1212, this castle is commonly referred to as Dracula’s Castle, as legend has bun it that the castle was once home to Vlad III Dracula, the prince on whom the novel ‘Dracula’ was loosely based.

Food: , the national dish, which is a small skinless sausage. Capital: Bucharest Size: 238,000 km² Famous Romanians: Eugène Ionesco (writer), George Population: 21.6 million Find the flag! Enesco (composer), Constantin Brâncu i (sculptor) and Angela Language: Romanian Gheorghiu (soprano opera singer). National Day: 1st December Find Out: What was the original name for the Parliament The Parliament Palace: At 330,000 Palace? square metres, this is the largest building in the world after the US Did you know? Dracula, the famous book about a vampire Pentagon. Built by order of the from Romania, was written by the Irish author, Bram Stoker. dictator Nicolae Ceau escu, many had argued that it be destroyed after he was deposed, so hated was his regime. However it is now a symbol of Romanian democracy. Slovakia Bratislava Castle: This is the main castle of Bratislava and stands on the hill of the Little Carpathians. On ahoj a good day, the view from it extends as far as Austria and Hungary. The castle itself contains four towers, a courtyard and an 80m deep well.

Food: Well known dishes include potato dumplings with sheep’s milk cheese and and Capital: Bratislava sausage. Size: 49,000 km² Population: 5.4 million Find the flag! Famous Slovakians: Štefan Bani (invented the military Language: Slovak parachute) and Andy Warhol (artist of Slovakian descent). National Day: 1st September Find Out: In what year was the parachute invented? St. Michael’s Gate: This is the sole remainder of Bratislava’s medieval Did you know? Today’s Slovaks are descendants of the Slavic fortifi cations and is one of the town’s tribes but Slovakia is also a region where Celts once dwelt. As oldest historic monuments. Originally you know, the Irish are the descendants of the Celts. one of four gates, it dates back to 1300. Slovenia Tromostovje: The Tromostovje, or Triple Bridge as it’s known in English, is one of the symbols of zhivjo Ljubljana. It consists of a stone arch bridge as its central part and has a pedestrian bridge on either side.

Food: Slovenian food includes potica (cake) and bujta repa (a turnip dish).

Capital: Ljubljana Famous Slovenians: Jožef Stefan Size: 20,000 km² (writer), Franc Mikloši (linguist) and Jože Ple nik (architect). Population: 2 million Find the flag! Language: Slovene Find Out: What mountain is depicted on Slovenia’s National Day: 25th June national fl ag?

Postojna Caves: Carved by the Pivka River, the Postojna Caves are the longest caves in the country and one of the top tourist attractions. Ancient signatures at the entrance passage show that the caves have been visited since the 13th century. El Escorial: This one-time monastery and royal palace is close to Madrid and is now a museum hola and art gallery.

Food: Spanish food includes paella (chicken, seafood and rice), tortilla (potato ) and chorizo (sausage).

Famous Spanish people: Capital: Madrid Penelope Cruz (actress), Salvador Size: 504,782 km² Dalí (artist), Fernando Torres (footballer). Population: 45.3 million Find the flag! Language: Spanish Find Out: Find a picture of the Sagrada Familia and stick it onto National Day: 12th October your passport.

Sagrada Familia: Designed by Did you know? Many of Ireland’s “wild geese” such as “Red” Antoni Gaudí, this cathedral was Hugh O’Donnell settled in Spain after fl eeing from Ireland. unfi nished at the time of his death in 1926 and is still under construction today. This cathedral is an excellent example of Art Nouveau architecture and is located in Barcelona. Sweden The Royal Palace Stockholm: Home to the Swedish Royal Family, Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia. hej The palace was completed in 1760 and is situated next to the parliament.

Food: Swedish food includes artsoppa ( soup), gravad lax (cured salmon) and falukorv (sausage). Capital: Stockholm Size: 450,000 km² Famous Swedish people: Alfred Nobel (chemist, set up the Population: 9 million Find the flag! Nobel Peace Prize), Sven-Göran Eriksson (football manager) Language: Swedish and ABBA (music group). National Day: 6th June Find Out: Name three multinational Swedish companies. Gamla Stan: This is the old town of Stockholm. It dates back to the Did you know? Swedish home furnishings company, IKEA, 13th century and consists of cobbled opened it’s fi rst Irish branch in Dublin in July 2009. medieval streets and alleyways. It is home to Stockholm Cathedral and the Nobel Museum. United Kingdom Big Ben: Perhaps one of the most famous clocks in the world, Big Ben is the world’s largest four faced hello chiming turret clock. Construction was completed in 1858. The clock has since become an international symbol of London and the United Kingdom.

Food: British food includes bacon and eggs, fi sh and chips, Capital: London Shepherd’s pie to name but a few Size: 242,500 km² dishes! Population: 60.4 million Find the flag! Language: English Famous British people: David Beckham (footballer), J.K. Rowling (author) and William Shakespeare (playwright and poet). Tower Bridge: This is a combined bascule and suspension bridge over Find Out: Can you name two of Shakespeare’s plays? the river Thames in London. The bridge was opened in 1894 by the Did you know? Approximately 6,000,000 Britons or 10% of then future king Edward VII. the population of the UK claim Irish ancestry. Crossword 23. Lithuanian castle built in the 13th century (9) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 25. Inventor of popular multicoloured puzzle cube (5) 6. 28. A form of greeting in Sofi a (7) 7. 8. 9. 29. Complete the name of the famous Italian Renaissance 10. 11. artist: Leonardo da _____(5) 12. 30. Greek goddess Aphrodite’s other name (5) 13. 14. 15. 31. Ljubljana is the capital (8) 16.

18. 19. 20. DOWN 2. Famous Belgian cartoon character (3, 3) 21. 22. 3. Footballer Cristiano Ronaldo is fl uent in this language (8) 23. 17. 24. 4. The longest river in the European Union and the subject

25. 26. of a famous waltz (6)

27. 28. 5. Central European capital located in Bohemia (6)

29. 6. The fi rst of this month is a holiday is most European countries (7)

30. 31. 8. Nationality of footballer Zlatan Ibrahimovic (7) 9. This European city has a pharmacy which is almost 600 years old! (7) ACROSS 11. Romance language spoken in Transylvania (8) 1. The home of pizza (5) 14. The common currency of many European countries (4) 5. One part of the Hungarian capital (4) 16. The capital of Slovakia (8) 7. Mobile phone company founded by Finnish man Fredrik 17. This tower in Paris is one of the most famous landmarks Idestam (5) in Europe (6) 8. The European fl ag features 12 of these (5) 19. Poland in Polish (6) 10. One of two EU countries which borders the Black Sea (8) 20. The capital of Cyprus (7) 12. ‘Hello’ in Cyprus (6) 21. Northern European country known as ‘Suomi’ to its 13. Democracy was invented in this country (6) residents (7) 15. The smallest country in the European Union (5) 22. Baltic state (6) 16. European capital which was divided by a wall for more 24. Nationality of Vincent Van Gogh (5) than a quarter of a century (6) 26. This castle was Dracula’s home in the hills (4) 18. In 1973, Ireland joined this organisation (8, 5) 27. How to greet your friends in Florence and Rome (4)

Answers Page

1913 (although the the (although 1913 Slovakia: Ciao 27. Bran; 26.

The People’s House People’s The Romania: Dutch; Dutch; 24. Latvia; 22.

Europe to India to Europe Finland; Finland; 21. Nicosia; 20.

The route from from route The Portugal: Polska; Polska; 19. Eiffel 17. Bratislava;

a Karol Józef Wojty Józef Karol Poland: 16. Euro; 14. Romanian;

The Hague The Netherlands: 11. Tallinn; 9. Swedish;

Falcon Malta: 8. January; 6. Prague; 5.

Physics Luxembourg: Danube; Danube; 4. Portuguese;

February 1918 February 3. Tin; Tin 2. DOWN:

the Act of Independence on 16 16 on Independence of Act the Slovenia 31. Venus; 30.

The signature of of signature The Lithuania: Vinci; Vinci; 29. Zdravei; 28. Rubik;

Mona Lisa Mona Italy: 25. Gediminas; 23. Union;

, Romania , Dracula Ireland: European European 18. Berlin; 16. Malta;

Slovakia, Slovenia Slovakia, 15. Greece; 13. Yia’sou; 11.

Austria, Romania, Romania, Austria, Hungary: Bulgaria; Bulgaria; 10. Stars; 8. Nokia;

201 Greece: 7. Pest; 5. Italy; 1. ACROSS:

Crossword Union

founders of the European European the of founders

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