Pi's 'What's What' in Haiku Trivia Quiz

Answer: Blackpool

Blackpool Tower was designed by Lancashire architects Maxwell and Tuke, and built in 1894; it does look very like the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Unlike its Parisien counterpart, however, the Blackpool Tower includes amongst its attractions a ballroom and a circus. On the other hand, at around 159m in height, it is dwarfed by the Eiffel Tower which is 324m tall.

Question by Invinoveritas.

Answer: Statue of Liberty

The Statue of Liberty, or Liberty Enlightening the World, was given to America by the French people in 1886. She stands proudly on Liberty Island and welcomes immigrants and visitors to New York. She is maintained by the National Park Service, and in the 1980s was closed to the public for some time as major restoration work was needed. The dedication of the statue in 1886 was the first ever ticker tape parade in New York and marks the start of that tradition.

Question by Christinap.

Answer: The Royal Pavilion

The Royal Pavilion was built in Brighton in three stages between 1787 and 1823 for the Prince Regent, who would later become King George IV. At the time the seaside town was a fashionable place to live. The (then) Prince of Wales' doctor advised him that the sea air would be good for his gout. (Cutting back on his hedonistic lifestyle would have been more effective.) It also gave him the opportunity to spend time with the love of his life, Mrs Fitzherbert, away from the gossip of the court. The outside of the Pavilion is based on 17th century Indian archtecture and stands out from the other buildings around it. The inside is a combination of Mughal and Chinese styles and is renowned for its collections of chinoiserie.

Question by Calpurnia09

Answer: Tower of London

The Tower of London has stood next to the Thames since the 11th century. It has had many functions during its lifetime, including royal palace, feared prison and, for hundreds of years, a zoo. Very few people have ever managed to escape from the Tower and it was in use as a prison as late as 1941, when it briefly held Rudolf Hess; a German spy called Josef Jacobs was executed there in 1941 at the East Casement Firing Range.
Ravens have been resident at the Tower for many years, and the legend goes that if the ravens leave, the Tower will fall and so will England - for this reason they have their wings clipped, and there is a Yeoman Warder ('Beefeater') who looks after them. There are usually six ravens resident at any time, and they can live for up to 25 years. Modern opinion says that the legend about the ravens only goes back to the 19th century, but it's a good story and people will believe what they want to.

Question by Invinoveritas

Answer: Moulin Rouge

The world-famous Moulin Rouge first opened its doors to an enthusiastic Parisian public in 1899, ten years after the Eiffel Tower was completed. Situated close to Montmartre and instantly recognisable by the red windmill on its roof, it remains one of the world's leading cabaret venues. Fabulously glamorous and one of Paris's most iconic tourist attractions, it still retains many of its original features. The Moulin-Rouge has been immortalised in art by artists including Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (1864-1901).

Question by Jennifer5

Answer: The Pyramids of Egypt

The Pyramids of Egypt are some of the most fascinating man-made structures in the world. Most were built as tombs for the pharaohs and their queens. The earliest known ones are at Saqqara, near Memphis, the capital of the Old Kingdom. The most famous ones are at Giza, in the desert near Cairo, the present Egyptian capital. They are among the largest structures ever built and include the Pyramid of Khufu, which is the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World still standing.

There are theories that the passages into the burial chambers of the pyramids were orientated towards certain constellations and would provide a pathway to heaven for the deceased.

Question bt Calpurnia09

Answer: Christ the Redeemer

The statue of Christ the Redeemer stands on Corcovado Mountain overlooking Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. The statue is 40m high and took nine years to complete, finishing in 1931. Said to be one of the modern Seven Wonders of the World, and the only one in Brazil, there are fabulous views of Rio from the the site where it stands.

Question by Invinoveritas

Answer: Graceland

Situated at 3734 Elvis Presley Boulevard in Memphis, Tennessee, Graceland was the home of Elvis Presley from 1957 until his death there on 16 August 1977. Originally part of Graceland Farms, the mansion was built in 1939 by Ruth Moore, the niece of Grace Toof after whom the property was named, and from whom Elvis purchased the property for $102 000. Elvis is buried in the Meditation Garden which forms part of the estate, together with his parents and his grandmother.

In an attempt to raise money to maintain the estate after his death, his widow, Priscilla, decided to open its doors to the public in 1982. Today, the estate still attracts some 600 000 visitors a year and is one of the most visited private homes in the United States. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991 and in 2006 was declared a National Historical Monument.

An aside - the phrase "Elvis has left the building" has become a catchphrase to refer to someone who has in some way left or something that is complete. However, when the phrase was first used by Horace Lee Hogan in 1956 during the Louisiana Hayride show, it was intended to do just the opposite and get the audience away from Elvis's dressing room and back into their seats so that the show could continue.

Question by KayceeKool

Answer: Sydney Opera House

Designed by Jorn Utzon, the Opera House was opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 20th October. In 2007 it was added to the World Heritage List, and its amazing roof consisting of 'shells' that resemble sails is instantly recognisable by almost everyone.

Question by angelic54

Answer: Petra, Jordan

The ancient city of Petra, carved from the "rose-red" sandstone mountains which surround it, remained unknown to the western world until it was discovered by a Swiss explorer, Johann Ludwig Burckhardt, in 1812. It is thought that the city had been established by the Nabataeans around 300 BC but archaeological evidence suggests that cultures flourished there perhaps a thousand years earlier. The success of the Nabataean culture was due in large part to their ability to control the water supply by way of dams and other storage systems as well as its location on the trade routes from the Far East. The decline of Petra occurred under Roman rule as the Romans revised the trading routes making Petra virtually obsolete. It is thought that catastrophes such as earthquakes brought about the physical demise of the structures and the splendid tombs, for which it was also known, contained therein. Many of the tombs' treasures, sadly, were looted during this period of decline. Petra is featured in the movie 'Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade' and other such adventure films. Petra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a glorious one it is too.

Question by Barbarini