in the northwestern part of the Wales, at the UK, is what is currently considered the city with the longest (and unpronounceable) name in the world: Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch. That's right, this is not a typo! The gigantic name – even registered in the Guinness Book – it has meaning and means: “Church of Santa Maria on the background of the white hazel near a rapid whirlpool and the Church of St. Tisílio from the red grotto.”.
Pronouncing a name like this, for those of us who don't speak English and don't know the specific pronunciations of Welsh very well, it's practically impossible. But if you want to try it, you can hear your name clicking here. At the Youtube videos of people who have achieved this feat can also be found.
The Welsh city, located in isle of anglesey, has about three thousand inhabitants, and many make abbreviations when pronouncing her name, calling her “Llanfairpwll" Or until "Llanfair PG”. The inscription “Llanfair Pwllgwyngyll”, a name that is still complicated to read and speak. Due to its local beauties and its linguistic peculiarity, the city has a good tourist potential.
And – believe it! – the city has a football team called “Clwb Pel Droed Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch Football Club”!
Do not stop now... There's more after the advertising ;)
Official Shield of Clwb Llanfair F.C.
To make matters worse, Llanfair PG has its competitors for the title of the longest-named city in the world. A hamlet also located in Wales changed its name to “Gorsafawddacha'idraigodanheddogleddollônpenrhynareurdraethceredigion”, but, in 2006, it went back to its old name, “Golf Halt”, to the relief of many.
The city of Bangkok, in turn, claims to have the longest name, since its official name, much longer, is: “Krungthepmahanakhon Amonrattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilokphop Noppharatratchaniburiron Udomratchaniwetmahasathan Amonphimanawatansathit Sakkathattiyawitsanukamprasit", which means: "The edges of the place where Tamatea, the man with the big knees, who slipped and swallowed mountains, to explore these lands, who is known as the land eater, played his flute for his own loved”. It's a real text!
In Brazil, luckily, the cities with the biggest names don't even come close to that. “São José do Vale do Rio Preto”, in Rio de Janeiro, is who holds the national title. But the country still has curious names that are difficult to pronounce, such as Caraguatatuba, Itaquaquecetuba and Pindamonhangaba, all of these located in the interior of São Paulo.
By Me. Rodolfo Alves Pena
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
PENA, Rodolfo F. Alves. "The city with the longest name in the world"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/geografia/a-cidade-com-nome-mais-longo-mundo.htm. Accessed on June 28, 2021.
