Help Me, I'm Lost Trivia Quiz

Answer: Pisa

It's the magnificent Leaning Tower of Pisa, which was originally built between 1173 and 1372, that I'm viewing. Because the ground underneath the tower is unstable, and the foundations weren't deep enough, the tower developed a lean to one side almost from the beginning. Between 1990 and 2001, the tower was closed while work was carried out to stabilise it.

The tower still has a distinctive lean, but engineers believe it is safe now for at least another two hundred years.

Answer: Saint Petersburg

The Winter Palace in Saint Petersburg was originally built in 1711 for Tsar Peter I, known as Peter the Great. It was not used much as a home, with Catherine the Great using it for her collections of art and other treasures. It has been open to the public as a museum since 1852 and is one of the best known museums of the world.

Answer: Copenhagen

'The Little Mermaid' is a bronze statue which can be seen in Denmark's capital of Copenhagen. The statue was created in 1909 and depicts a small mermaid sitting on a rock. The name comes from a story written by Hans Christian Andersen.

Answer: Paris

The clues should have helped you to work out that I was in Paris, outside the Louvre Museum. The building in which the museum is housed was originally a fortress and Royal Palace, dating from the twelfth century. After the French Revolution, in the late eighteenth century, The Louvre was taken into state ownership as a museum.

The glass pyramid outside was designed by I. M. Pei and opened in 1989 as part of the main entrance.

Answer: Barcelona

The church had already lost its original architect when Gaudi took over in 1883 and changed the design completely. The Sagrada Familia is one of Barcelona's best known sights, with the building being a mixture of Art Nouveau and Gothic styles. Gaudi himself died in 1926, at which time under 25% of the work had been completed. Work is still ongoing in the first part of the twenty-first century.

Answer: Pompeii

Pompeii was buried by volcanic rock and ash in the year 79 AD when Vesuvius erupted. Pompeii was so well hidden that nobody knew it was there until parts were rediscovered in 1599 and then again in 1764. On the second occasion, more organised excavations took place, over many years, uncovering streets and houses. Pompeii is one of Italy's most popular tourist attractions.

Answer: Blackpool

Blackpool Tower dates from 1894 and took its inspiration from the Eiffel Tower in Paris. The English version is rather smaller than the original, though, at less than half the height. Despite this, Blackpool Tower is an iconic landmark in the north of England and the tower is protected as a 'listed building', meaning that permission is needed before any major changes are made.

Answer: Athens

The temple is dedicated to the goddess Athena, the patron of the city of Athens in ancient times. The temple was built during the fifth century BC and the remains are an imposing sight above the city, even in our modern times.

Answer: Berlin

I'm describing the Brandenburg Gate, originally built between 1788 and 1791. It has twelve columns and on the top is a sculpture of a quadriga, which is a chariot drawn by four horses, harnessed side to side. During the Cold War, the Brandenburg Gate was one of the official crossing points between the western and eastern parts of Berlin.

Answer: London

I'm looking up at Nelson's Column, in London's Trafalgar Square. The statue of Lord Nelson was built between 1840 and 1843 to commemorate the victory over the combined fleets of Spain and France at the Battle of Trafalgar. Although Nelson was the admiral in charge of the British fleet, he did not survive the battle. The memorial to him was paid for by subscriptions from the public.