Q 01/05

Jerusalem sits on a plateau in which mountain range, between the Mediterranean and the Dead Sea?

A) The Judaean Mountains

B) The Golan Heights

C) The Carmel Range

D) The Negev Highlands

Answer · why

A) The Judaean Mountains

The Old City stands about 760 metres above sea level; the ridge to its east includes the Mount of Olives and Mount Scopus.

Q 02/05

Jerusalem is considered a holy city to which three religions?

A) Judaism, Christianity and Zoroastrianism

B) Judaism, Christianity and Islam

C) Christianity, Islam and Bahá'í

D) Judaism, Islam and Druze

Answer · why

B) Judaism, Christianity and Islam

Its Old City packs the Western Wall, the Dome of the Rock and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre into less than one square kilometre.

Q 03/05

By Wikipedia's tally, how many times has Jerusalem been captured and recaptured?

A) 66

B) 55

C) 44

D) 88

Answer · why

C) 44

It has also been besieged 23 times, attacked 52 times and destroyed at least twice.

Q 04/05

On 14th-century BCE Egyptian tablets the city is Urusalim, 'City of' which Canaanite deity?

A) Baal

B) Dagon

C) Anat

D) Shalem

Answer · why

D) Shalem

Shalem was the god of dusk; his name shares the root S-L-M with the Hebrew word shalom, hence the popular gloss 'City of Peace'.

Q 05/05

The dual ending of the Hebrew name Yerushalayim suggests the city sat on how many hills?

A) One

B) Seven

C) Two

D) Twelve

Answer · why

C) Two

The name is mentioned 669 times in the Hebrew Bible, while Zion appears 154 times.