Contestants in the “Miss Yekaterinburg” competition were recently quizzed on their knowledge of the city’s history, geography, and prominent figures. The annual beauty pageant seeks to award the title not only to the most beautiful contestant, but also to the most versatile, well-read, and intelligent. This year, 14 contestants are vying for the crown, and their knowledge was put to the test with questions about Yekaterinburg.

The contestants were asked about the city’s former name and its founders. Most of the contestants correctly identified Sverdlovsk as the former name of Yekaterinburg, and Vasily Tatishchev and Wilhelm de Gennin as its founders. However, some struggled to recall the names of the founders or provide complete answers.

Another question focused on the month of Yekaterinburg’s actual birthday. Only a few contestants correctly stated that the city’s founding date is considered to be November 18, 1723, when the Yekaterinburg factory was launched and the fortress of the same name was built. The other contestants gave different months.

The contestants were also challenged to list the metro stations in order. Only three contestants, Maria Vlasko-Vlasenko, Ekaterina Pribylova and Zoya Belonogova, managed to name all nine stations in the correct sequence. Several other contestants could only recall a few stations or struggled to remember the order.

The question about the longest street in Yekaterinburg proved to be the most difficult. Only Yana Rukavanova and Varvara Makarova correctly identified Kosmonavtov Avenue as the longest street. Several other contestants named other streets.

Finally, the contestants were asked to provide the full name of the city’s mayor. Only Maria Vlasko-Vlasenko, Aida Berg and Zoya Belonogova were able to answer correctly, stating that the mayor’s name is Alexey Valerievich Orlov. Some contestants could only remember the mayor’s first name, last name, or patronymic.

The “Miss Yekaterinburg – 2025” beauty contest final will be held on August 16, during the City Day celebrations. This year’s winner will receive a trip for two to Japan, in addition to the crown and title. The contestants recently visited the Museum of Fine Arts as part of their preparations for the competition.