8 Capital Cities Everyone Gets Wrong

When it comes to capitals around the world, we tend to go with the most popular or biggest city we can name. That theory holds true most of the time, but there are some country capitals that may surprise you. Here are 8 at the top of our list:

1. Canada. There are several cities that come to mind when thinking of the capital of Canada – Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver or even Quebec City. All are beautiful, bustling cities, but none are the capital. That honor goes to Ottawa, Ontario.  At one time, Toronto and Montreal had the pleasure of being the capital, but Ottawa became the official capital in 1857, as it was midway between Toronto and Montreal and farther from the American border which made it safer from attacks.
   
2. Switzerland. The most likely candidate for the capital of Switzerland is probably Geneva, home to many international organizations. Your second guess is most likely Zurich, its financial center. In fact, the capital of Switzerland is Bern, which the Swiss refer to as their “federal city”.
3. Brazil. If you guessed that Rio de Janeiro is the capital of Brazil, you’d be off by about 600 miles as the crow flies. While Rio is the most popular cities in Brazil – and was the capital until 1960, the capital is now Brasilia, which was specifically built as the capital. Brasília has also been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its modernist architecture and uniquely artistic urban planning.
4. Australia. Sydney or Melbourne are often mistaken as the capital of Australia. The real capital is Canberra, located about 170 miles southwest of Sydney. Canberra, like Washington DC and Brasilia, is a planned city. After an international contest, the city’s design was awarded to American architects Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony Griffin and construction started in 1913.
5. Morocco. The cities of Casablanca and Marrakesh are most prominent when talking about Morocco. But neither hold the title of capital city. That honor goes to Rabat. In 1912, the French decided to move the capital of Morocco from Fez to Rabat due to the rebellious nature of its citizens. When Morocco became independent in 1955, they chose to keep Rabat as their capital city.
6. Turkey. If you are old enough, you probably remember the fun song Istanbul (not Constantinople), which was written for the 500th anniversary of the fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Empire. It’s an understandable mistake to think Istanbul is Turkey’s capital – since it was the capital until 1923 when the Ottoman Empire fell. Since then, the capital has been Ankara.
7. New Zealand. The first city that comes to mind when you think about New Zealand is Auckland. It was, in fact, the capital until 1865 when Wellington became the official capital after a decade-long argument in Parliament to move the capital to a more central location.
8. South Africa. South Africa’s capital may be the most confusing of them all. While many may think Cape Town is the capital, they are only partially right. South Africa is one of only a few countries that does not have a single capital city – it has three, one for each branch of government. Pretoria is the administrative capital, Cape Town is the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein is the judicial capital.

Are you ready to learn more about these fascinating cities on your next vacation? Let Luxury Destinations Concierge help you plan that trip! Give us a call at (805) 236-4437.