Famous Landmarks of the World Quiz | World

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. David Livingstone was the first European to see which great waterfall in 1855?

Answer: Victoria Falls

The Victoria Falls lie on the Zambezi River, on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe in Africa. They are about 1 mile wide and about 128 metres high and were formed as the water gradually formed a chasm along a fracture zone in the Earth's crust. The falls are known locally as "Mosi-oa-Tunya", which translates as "smoke that thunders".

2. The Taj Mahal in India was built as a mausoleum for the wife of Shah Jahan, who was then the Mughal Emperor. But where in India would you find the Taj Mahal?

Answer: Agra

The Taj Mahal was built between 1632 and 1648 and is mainly constructed of white marble. Built as a mausoleum for Mumtaz Mahal, the favourite wife of Shah Jahan. When Shah Jahan was deposed by his son and was imprisoned, he was given a view of the Taj Mahal. It also became his tomb after his death in 1666.

3. The Statue of Liberty stands on Liberty Island in New York Harbor. But which country built and donated the statue to the United States?

Answer: France

The Statue of Liberty was finally erected in 1886 and stands at over 305 feet high if you include the pedestal. It was donated by France in a gesture of friendship between 2 republics. It was sculpted by Frederic Auguste Bartholdi and Gustave Eiffel was the structural engineer.

The light green colouring of the statue comes from the natural weathering of copper, which the exterior of the statue is made from. Liberty Island was formerly Bedloe Island.

4. Machu Picchu was built as a mountain retreat containing palaces and temples amongst the many buildings. But which people built Machu Picchu?

Answer: Incas

Machu Picchu was built sometime during the 15th century and was inhabited until the Spanish conquest of Peru in 1532. Machu Picchu, located on a ridge above the Urubamba Valley was then forgotten about by the Western World until it was rediscovered by Hiram Bingham in 1911.

5. Which Parisian landmark was built for the 1889 World Fair that marked the centennial celebration of the French Revolution?

Answer: Eiffel Tower

Named after its designer, Gustave Eiffel, the tower stands at 324 metres high and was the world's tallest structure up until 1930. Built in 1889, the tower was to be dismantled in 1909, but it was very useful for communication purposes and was allowed to stay. Now it is seen as a work of art and is one of the world's most visited monuments.

6. Ayers Rock is the most famous natural landmark in Australia. It is also a sacred rock to the local Aboriginal people. But what do the Aboriginal people call Ayers Rock?

Answer: Uluru

Ayers Rock or Uluru is a large sandstone rock found in the Northern Territory of Australia. It stands at 346 metres high and is more than 8 kilometres around its base. The rock is famous for changing colour as different lights hit it at different times of the day and the year.

7. Which famous temple in Cambodia is dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu and is depicted on the national flag of Cambodia?

Answer: Angkor Wat

Built for King Suryavarman II in the early 12th century, Angkor Wat is a temple that was designed to represent Mount Meru, which Hindus class as the home of the gods.

8. Which famous square is the largest open space in Venice and is also generally the busiest place in Venice, especially for tourists and pigeons?

Answer: St Mark's Square

St Mark,s Square (Piazza San Marco in Italian) is probably the most famous landmark in Venice. Located very close to the Grand Canal the square is surrounded by famous buildings such as the Basilica, the Doge's Palace and St Mark's Campanile.

9. After joining the separate states to form a united China, the first emperor of China connected walls from these states to form the Great Wall of China to defend the now united country. Who was this emperor?

Answer: Qin Shi Huangdi

The Great Wall of China is the world's longest man-made structure, stretching around 3,950 miles across northern China. It was first built by the Qin Dynasty around 200 B.C, but not much of this wall exists now. The wall was enlarged and lengthened all the way up until the 17th century and is one of the world's most famous landmarks.

10. The Grand Canyon is a huge gorge found in the U.S state of Arizona. But which river flows through the Grand Canyon?

Answer: Colorado

The Grand Canyon has been formed by the Colorado River cutting a gorge out of the rock over millions of years. It is about 277 miles long, the width varies from 0.25 to 15 miles wide and is more than a mile deep in some places.

11. Standing at over 16,000 feet high, this landmark is the highest mountain in Antarctica. But what is this mountain called?

Answer: Vinson Massif

Vinson Massif was only discovered in 1957, when it was spotted by a navy aircraft. It was first climbed in December 1966 and is technically not difficult to climb except for the usual hazards of Antarctica. The mountain was named after Carl Vinson, a United States Congressman who was known for helping funding Antarctic research.

12. The Sydney Opera House was built in the 1970's and was designed by the Dane, Jorn Utzon. But in what year was the Opera House officially opened?

Answer: 1973

The Sydney Opera House is one of the world's most distinctive buildings. The building process started in March 1959 and the Opera House was formally opened in October 1973 by Queen Elizabeth II. Situated at Bennelong Point in Sydney Harbour the Opera House is now home to Sydney Symphony Orchestra and Opera Australia.

13. Which famous waterfall lies on the border between Argentina and Brazil and is one of the most spectacular waterfalls in the world?

Answer: Iguazu Falls

Situated on the Iguazu River this waterfall system consists of over 270 falls in an area of 2.7 kilometres along the Iguazu river. The majority of the falls are around 210 feet high but some reach around 270 feet in height. Most of the falls are in Argentina although the better view of the falls is said to be from the Brazilian side.

14. This famous London landmark was the location of the funerals of Lord Nelson, the Duke of Wellington and Sir Winston Churchill. It was also the venue of the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana in 1981. Can you name this venue?

Answer: St Paul's Cathedral

A Cathedral dedicated to St Paul has stood on this site since 604 A.D. The current Cathedral was built between 1675 and 1710 after its predecessor was destroyed in the Great Fire of London. St Paul's somehow survived the Second World War despite being targeted by German Bombers during the Blitz.

15. Which famous bridge was completed in 1937 and was the brainchild of Joseph Strauss?

Answer: Golden Gate Bridge

The Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge that connects San Francisco with Marin County, spanning the Golden Gate between San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean. The bridge is also known as a notorious suicide spot, with well over 1000 known suicides to date.

16. This wall, sometimes referred to as the Wailing Wall is classed as the holiest location in Judaism. Situated in Jerusalem, what is this wall commonly known as?

Answer: Western Wall

According to the Bible, Solomon's Temple which was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 B.C was rebuilt on the same site only to be destroyed by the Romans. The only part of the Temple remaining standing was the Western Wall of the outer court-yard, which is now a place of prayer for millions of Jewish people.

17. This famous landmark is the only one remaining of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. What is the name of this landmark that was built around 2500 BC?

Answer: Great Pyramid of Giza

The Great Pyramid of Giza was built as a tomb for the Egyptian Pharaoh Khufu. The Pyramid, built somewhere between 2650 and 2500 BC is above 450 foot high and was the tallest structure on Earth until 1311, when it was surpassed by the (now collapsed) central spire of Lincoln Cathedral.

18. The Colosseum in Rome was the largest amphitheatre ever built by the Roman Empire. But who was emperor when building began on this famous landmark?

Answer: Vespasian

Building started on the Colosseum in around 70 A.D, whilst Vespasian was emperor and completed around 80 A.D under Titus. Originally known as the Flavian Amphitheatre, it got its new name due to a colossal statue that stood nearby.

19. Christo Redentor or Christ the Redeemer is a statue of Jesus Christ standing open armed. But over which South American city does he look?

Answer: Rio de Janeiro

The statue is 125 foot tall and stands on top of the Corcovado Mountain with stunning views overlooking Rio de Janeiro. The statue was opened in 1931 and is a symbol of Christianity. There is now a chapel under the statue allowing Catholics to hold weddings and baptisms there.

20. Which famous landmark has an address of 350 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York?

Answer: Empire State Building

The Empire State Building is a 102-storey skyscraper that was the world's tallest building from 1931, when it was built until 1972, when it was surpassed by the World Trade Center. The 86th floor of the building is the observation deck and offers spectacular views of New York to the public.

Source: Author wyattsheff

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Bruyere before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

Famous Landmarks of the World Trivia Quiz

This is a quiz on some of the World's most famous landmarks.

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