Places of Sadness Trivia Quiz

Answer: Dachau

You would be touring the former Dachau concentration camp. Located in southern Germany, Dachau was opened in 1933 on the site of an abandoned munitions factory. For 12 years it was the location of unspeakable horrors including torture, medical experimentation, and genocide.

The exact amount of deaths that occurred at this hell on earth, will never be known as many were executed upon arrival. Visitors can tour the crematorium, bunkers, and the roll call area. A large memorial has also been erected on the site and special exhibitions are available at some times.

This was truly one of the saddest and most frightening places to be in the 20th century.

Answer: Papillon

First opened in 1852, the French penal colony at Bagne de Cayenne, also known as Devil's Island, became one of the most infamous prisons in the world. Located off the coast of French Guiana, this prison system was one of the most feared locations on the planet. During its 94 years of operation this tropical prison was home to everyone from political prisoners to pickpockets.

The photo shows a typical cell with its open roof. Food and water were sometimes dropped from above, or sometimes put through the door.

There was no protection from the elements including rain, bugs, and high temperatures. Any attempt to escape the island prison involved a trip through very thick jungles, piranha-infested rivers, and dangerous land animals. The autobiography of former inmate Henri Charriere describes numerous alleged escape attempts.

In 1973, this book entitled "Papillon" was made into a blockbuster movie starring Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman.

Answer: It was too expensive to run

It was common in many locations around the world to build a prison on an island, close to the mainland, to help prevent escape. One of the most common problems with this was the lack of supplies and water on these islands. Alcatraz had to ship over one million gallons of water a month for the prison to use. All food and other supplies were ferried over.

Although the prison housed some of the most vicious criminals in the U.S. it was finally closed down due to the high cost of running the prison.

Answer: It was the first women's prison in Canada

The Mercer Reformatory (1874-1969) was the first women's prison in Canada. Until it was opened in 1874, men and women were housed together. The objective of this prison was to teach its prisoners the skills they needed to live a decent life once their sentence was over.

It had a homelike atmosphere that aimed to teach these women the Victorian virtues that were popular at the time. These ideals included obedience and servility to your spouse, and feminine behaviors. It was demolished in 1969 and is now the site of Lamport Stadium.

Answer: False

This is completely false. Most historians agree that only seven people were actually executed at the Tower of London. All other executions took place at Tower Hill which is not part of the Tower of London. This large collection of buildings has been many things during its long history including a prison, a mint, a menagerie, a residence and an armory.

The oldest parts of this location were built in the 11th century and it is home to many of England's historical artifacts. There was sadness and inhumanity that occurred here, most during the 16th and 17th centuries.

But its reputation as a location of horror, torture, and death has often been over-rated when compared to other locations in this quiz. Tours of the Tower of London are one of the most popular vacation attractions in the city.

Answer: It was the site of the deadliest gun-fire massacre in Australian history

Founded in Tasmania, Australia, Port Arthur is a former convict colony that first opened in 1833. The hardest criminals from Ireland and Britain were routinely shipped down under to Port Arthur. Today, you can tour the ruins of the prison. The church, hospital, and insane asylum are all still standing. Sadly, in 1996 Port Arthur added to its sad reputation of being a place you did not want to go when it became the location of the deadliest gun massacre in Australia's history.

A deranged shooter opened fire on visitors to the ruins killing 35 of them.

Answer: Folsom State Prison

One of the oldest prisons in the state of California, Folsom State Prison opened its doors in 1880. This unique looking prison was built on the site of the Stony Bar mining camp on the American River. This was one of the toughest prisons in which to do your time. Prisoners spent most of their time in the dark behind solid boiler plate doors.

They were housed in stone cells that measured about 4ft x 8ft. (1.2 m x 2.4m) with the only light coming in from a six inch eye slot in the door. In the 1940s the authorities finally drilled some air holes into the door to provide for circulation and these same doors were in use 60 years later.

In 1966 and 1968 country singer Johnny Cash sang two live concerts at the prison and is forever associated with the prison.

However, it is a urban myth that he ever did time in Folsom.

Answer: The Count of Monte Cristo

One of the most famous prisons in the world, the Chateau d'If was used as the setting for "The Count of Monte Cristo" by Alexander Dumas. Sitting off the coast of Marseille, France, the prison takes up almost the whole island of If. It has served as a prison for both religious and political prisoners.

As was common during its time, the prison had areas for the wealthy and the poor. Those who were more fortunate were able to pay for privileges and got better treatment. In 1890 it was demilitarized, the population was moved and it was opened up to the public as a tourist attraction.

Answer: Cambodia

Tuol Sleng was once a high school in Cambodia. It was turned into a prison by the Khmer Rouge and was very possible one of the most horrifying prisons in the world. Prisoners were routinely tortured in order to coerce a confession to whatever crime the Khmer Rouge Regime decided to charge them with. Once they confessed, which was almost always, they would then be executed. Little is actually known about what exactly went on inside as there were VERY few survivors. Women and children were not exempt from the torturous conditions found inside this prison.

In 1979, Tuol Sleng was turned into a historical museum in honor of the thousands killed there at the hands of one of the most evil regimes in recent history.

Answer: True

This was a common practice in both Britain and the U.S. Sometimes they were a temporary measure until the boat was full and then it sailed off to Australia or a penal colony away from Europe. Others were used simply as prisons. These ships usually had very little air circulation, only the crudest of toilet facilities and disease ran rampant.

The HMP Weare was used as recently as 2006 as a prison ship, where it was berthed in the harbor in Dorset, England.