Good and Evil in World Squares Quiz

Answer: Executed

The Place de la Concorde has had many names, including Place Louis XV, Place de la Revolution, and Place de la Chartre. It borders the Champs-Elysees to the west and the Tuileries Garden to the east. It was the location, in 1793, of the beheading of King Louis XVI and his wife for being convicted of conspiracy with foreign powers. Today there is an Egyptian obelisk from the Temple of Luxor in the center of the square.

Answer: Begonia

This UNESCO World Heritage Site is surrounded by guild houses, the City Hall, and the King's House. The Grand Place started construction in the 11th century and was finished in the mid 1600s. The square, surrounded by various buildings of magnificent architecture, has seen bombing, Inquisition executions, and regrowth. One of the most anticipated events is the creation of the flower carpet that occurs every other August. Almost a million begonias are laid out for visitors' viewing pleasure.

Answer: Times Square

Times Square is five blocks long between 42nd and 47th Streets in Manhattan, New York. It was originally called Longacre Square after an area in London. In 1904, it was renamed to Times Square after the "New York Times" moved there. That was also the year the first New Year's Eve celebration was held at that venue.

The area started to decline and by the 1980s it was considered one of the most dangerous areas in the city with its rampant prostitution and drug dealings. In the 1990s the area was cleaned up and once again it brings millions of visitors to see its crowds and neon billboards.

Answer: Moscow

Red Square is a famous city square in Moscow, capital of Russia. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is located in the center of the city in the eastern walls of the Kremlin (center of the Russian government). It contains almost 800,000 square feet and dates from the late 1400s. Over the centuries, it has been the site of riots, speeches, executions, and entombments. St. Basil's Cathedral was built in the square in the 1500s and boasts iconic architecture and colorful domes.

Answer: Bullfighting

The square, in the center of Madrid, is surrounded by three-story buildings with porches all along the sides. The Casa de la Panaderia, one of the oldest and striking buildings in the square, used to be the important bakery in all of Madrid. The square has seen multiple huge fires, and has been rebuilt each time. Starting in 1619, the Plaza Mayor hosted bullfights to commemorate important events.

There were two bullfights each day: a morning session for the working people and an afternoon one for the King.

The last of these events was in 1846. The Plaza continues to host a large Christmas market every year.

Answer: Horatio Nelson

Trafalgar Square is in Westminster in central London. It was named after Britain's victory in the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. Although Britain won, the war hero Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson was killed during the battle. His contribution was remembered by a statue of him in the square. Four bronze panels at the base of the column depict his battles and lions are sculpted to protect it. Trafalgar Square hosts many events over the years including celebrations, rallies, film shoots, and holiday events.

Answer: Peter

The large plaza, called St. Peter's Square, is on the doorstep of St. Peter's Basilica. Both of these are named after Saint Peter, an apostle of Jesus and considered by Catholics to be the first Pope. The square is built at the site where St. Peter was killed and construction started in the mid 1600s.

There are over 140 statues and columns with a Royal Staircase going to the Vatican Palaces. Following his election, the Pope will emerge on a balcony over the square and address the crowd. He will also be seen here at Easter and Christmas.

Answer: False

Big Ben is a great bell in the Houses of Parliament clock tower in London, England. The famous Old Town Square in Prague boasts a medieval clock that was first installed in 1410, and it is still in use today. The square is found in the historic part of Prague and contains a complex of connected medieval buildings.

A stroll through the square shows visitors memorials, a palace, galleries, houses (one belonging to Franz Kafka at one point), and of course the historic clock. Christmas and Easter markets fill the square during those holidays.

Answer: Aztecs

This ancient square has been part of Mexico City's market areas since the days of the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan in the 1300s. It also held ritualistic events and celebrations. After the Mexican Revolution, the Parisian-style park was cleared and a giant Mexican flag placed in the center. Every day it is still ceremoniously lowered at 6pm.

The square itself is bordered with a cathedral, government buildings, stores, and historic buildings and museums. The plaza, at any time, can have protests, rallies, artworks, native dancers, and of course, revellers (especially during Day of the Dead celebrations).

Answer: Beijing

Tiananmen Square was built in 1651 in the center of Beijing, China. Its northern end contains the stone Tiananmen which was once the main gate to the Forbidden City. Several museums surround the plaza and the Mao Zedong Memorial Hall is in the south area where the body of Mao Zedong lies in state.

A huge meeting hall also is situated in the area. The giant acreage is covered by flagstones where are numbered for ease of use in military and civilian parades. This square is where the 1989 university student uprising occurred calling for more individual rights and freedoms. Protestors even blocked the way of advancing armies and tanks and pictures of the incident were spread around the globe.