Can You Identify the Landmark From a Guidebook Description?

By: Sameena Mughal
Estimated Completion Time
5 min
Can You Identify the Landmark From a Guidebook Description?
Image: chokkicx / DigitalVision Vectors / Getty Images

About This Quiz

The world is a big wonderful place. Whether it's your own backyard or halfway across the world, there are lots of things to see and explore. Seeing the most famous landmarks in the world is a priority for many travelers. They inspire wonder in those who behold them.

One of these landmarks is the Angkor Wat in Cambodia. Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this archaeological marvel was the home of the Khmer Empire for seven centuries. It is number seven of the Seven Wonders of the World and one of the most famous religious monuments. When it was first built, the king dedicated it to the Hindu god, Vishnu. Later, its caretakers repurposed it for Buddhism. Even as it's changed, it is still a thing of beauty.

Another breathtaking wonder of the world is the Roman Colosseum. This ancient amphitheater was a spectacle when it was first built and still is. It remains after both natural disasters and human-made ones.

There is so much history behind these places and others that draw people to them year after year. Travelers go to soak in what they have to offer. Take our quiz and see how much your travels have taught you!

Sydney Opera House
Chris Pritchard / Photodisc / Getty Images
Surrounded by water, this spot makes for a peaceful Australian artists' haven. Do you know its name?
Uluru
Sydney Opera House
Ballarat
Port Arthur
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Sydney Opera House is one of the most recognizable landmarks in the world, opening in 1973. The fact that it wasn't even complete didn't stop American singer and actor Paul Robeson from serenading the construction workers in 1960 with "Ol' Man River" during their lunch break.

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Taj Mahal
ferrantraite / E+ / Getty Images
This Indian architectural gem is a monument to love. Can you tell us its name?
Hampi Monuments
Golden Temple
Taj Mahal
Red Fort
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Taj Mahal is a national treasure and one of the New Seven Wonders of the world. It took over 20,000 workers around 20 years to build this mausoleum for the Emperor Shah Jahan's late wife, Mumtaz.

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Petra
traumlichtfabrik / Moment Open / Getty Images
This ancient Jordanian capital was a "Lost City" underground. What's it called?
The Great Temple
The Royal Tombs
Obelisk Tomb
Petra
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The architects of the city of Petra knew a thing or two about city planning for the seat of the Nabataean Empire. They devised sophisticated waterways and tunnels that formed human-made water in the middle of a desert.

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Christ the Redeemer Statue
Donatas Dabravolskas via WikiCommons
This monument to a religious icon keeps watch over Rio de Janeiro. Could you tell us its name?
Christ the Redeemer Statue
Sugarloaf Mountain
Ipanema
Copacabana
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The 98-foot-tall Christ the Redeemer statue is closely associated with Rio and Brazil. Started by the Catholic Church in Rio, the first stone was laid on the summit of Mount Corcovado in 1921. Construction began in 1926 and finished in 1931.

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The Great Wall of China
Jeff_Hu / E+ / Getty Images
This enclosure in Beijing is the longest in the world. Can you say what it's called?
The Forbidden City
Terracotta Warriors
The Great Wall of China
Summer Palace
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The English translation of the Chinese name for the Great Wall of China is "Long Wall." It's appropriate because the wall comes in at a length of 13,170 miles. It was built to protect the Qin dynasty.

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St. Basil's Cathedral
Ayhan Altun / Moment / Getty Images
The colorful turban-like domes that sit on top of this building stand out in Moscow's Red Square. Do you know it?
The Kremlin
St. Basil's Cathedral
Catherine Palace
Cathedral of St. Sophia
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

St. Basil's Cathedral is an iconic symbol of Russian architecture. It was named after a saint who was known as the "holy fool," and even Ivan the Terrible both feared and respected him at the same time.

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Golden Gate Bridge
franckreporter / E+ / Getty Images
This recognizable reddish landmark connects two California counties. Can you name it?
Gamble House
Alcatraz Island
Balboa Park
Golden Gate Bridge
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Golden Gate Bridge's original reddish-orange hue was initially supposed to be a temporary primer color. But one of the architects preferred the unusual "international orange" color.

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Leaning Tower of Pisa
lupengyu / Moment / Getty Images
This lopsided structure of Italy makes a great photo-op for tourists. Do you know its name?
Roman Forum
Leaning Tower of Pisa
Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore
Ponte Vecchio
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Construction on the Leaning Tower of Pisa began in the late 12th century and took over 200 years to complete. Originally, it was intended to stand straight but took to a side angle over time as it was being built. It stands in an area called the Square of Miracles.

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Buckingham Palace
Image Source / Image Source / Getty Images
God Save the Queen! Can you tell us what this royal residence in London is called?
Buckingham Palace
Big Ben
Tower of London
Westminster Abbey
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

As the days of monarchs dwindle around the world, Buckingham Palace still thrives and has stood the test of time to remain a working royal palace. One of the main attractions of this site is the changing of the guard.

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Macchu Pichu
Kelly Cheng Travel Photography / Moment / Getty Images
Do you know the name of this ancient Incan maze of a city nestled in the Andes?
Chan Chan
Iquitos
Macchu Pichu
Colca Canyon
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Macchu Pichu is a living testament to Incan ingenuity. The sprawling stone structure was built 8,047 feet above sea level on top of a mountain. Because of the elevation, it's recommended that visitors spend the night in a nearby town before trekking to the sight.

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The Acropolis
Richmatts / E+ / Getty Images
On top of a treacherous hill in Athens sits the ruins of Ancient Greece. Do you remember it?
Plaka
Mount Olympus
Herodes Atticus Theater
The Acropolis
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Acropolis seems like it was pulled out of the stories of Greek mythology. The ruler Pericles built it during the "golden age" of Athens as a tribute to the city and the goddess, Athena.

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La Sagrada Familia
seng chye teo / Moment Open / Getty Images
The magnum opus of Antoni Gaudi is the pride of Barcelona. What do you call it?
La Rambla
Casa Mila
Park Guell
La Sagrada Familia
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Barcelona's most famous architect, Gaudi, started his colossal masterpiece La Sagrada Familia in 1882 and is now in its final stage of construction. Project architects estimate the famous temple will finally be complete in 2026.

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Mount Rushmore
Jacobs Stock Photography Ltd / DigitalVision / Getty Images
This American monument has the faces of four of the greatest US presidents. Can you say its name?
Washington Monument
Mount Rushmore
Fort McHenry
Monticello
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Mount Rushmore is a landmark in the Black Hills of the state of South Dakota. The carved heads of Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln stand an imposing 60 feet tall of Harney Peak granite.

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The Great Pyramid of Giza
karimhesham / E+ / Getty Images
The sandy triangular edifice in Egypt is known to the world as what?
Valley of the Kings
The Great Sphinx
The Great Pyramid of Giza
Colossi of Memnon
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Older than 4,000 years old, The Great Pyramid of Giza and the other pyramids were among the great mysteries of the world for centuries. It is one of the few structures of the ancient world still standing.

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Burj Khalifa
dblight / E+ / Getty Images
What is the name of the tallest building in the world, which towers over Dubai?
Burj Khalifa
Palm Jumeirah
Deira Clock Tower
Al Fahidi Fort
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

At 2,716 feet high, the Burj Khalifa has the distinction of being the tallest free-standing building on the planet. Tourists can see the glitz and glitter of Dubai from one of 160 stories.

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Statue of Liberty
Istvan Kadar Photography / Moment / Getty Images
This gift from France welcomes the newly arrived at Ellis Island. Can you name it?
Brooklyn Bridge
Grand Central Terminal
Old Whalers' Church
Statue of Liberty
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

One of the most famous landmarks of the United States, the government of France gave the Statue of Liberty to the U.S. in 1886 to commemorate the friendship between the two nations. It is also a worldwide emblem of freedom.

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Stonehenge
Marco Simoni / Cultura / Getty Images
This ancient rocky landmark in the countryside of England is around 4,500 years old. What do you call it?
Cheddar Gorge
Durdle Door
Stonehenge
The Needles
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Situated 88 miles outside of London, Stonehenge is less than a day away from the city but couldn't be more different from its urban neighbor. It took ancient people around 1,000 years to build, and no one really knows what prehistoric societies used it for.

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Ha Long Bay
Oleh_Slobodeniuk / E+ / Getty Images
This Vietnamese pearl on uninhabited waters sits 100 miles away from Hanoi. Can you tell us its name?
Cu Chi Tunnels
Ha Long Bay
My Son
Hue
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Ha Long Bay is 168 square miles comprised of over 1,600 limestone islands on beautiful, clear green and turquoise waters. The spellbinding caves and caverns are scattered all over the bay.

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Eiffel Tower
Ian.CuiYi / Moment / Getty Images
This iconic iron tower in the City of Light is one of the world's most visited destinations. Do you know its name?
Eiffel Tower
Sacre-Coeur
Les Invalides
Moulin Rouge
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Eiffel Tower has come to be one of the enduring symbols of Paris. The original purpose of the tower was to display French industrial might at the World's Fair of 1889, and then it was to be destroyed after 20 years. Clearly, the government changed its mind.

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Swiss Re Building
Image Source / Image Source / Getty Images
What is the name of the green and black bullet tower in London's financial district?
London Eye
Lloyd's Building
The Shard
Swiss Re Building
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Swiss Re Building, also known as the Gherkin due to its striking resemblance to a pickle, is constructed of 10,000 tons of steel. At 500,000 square feet, it stands out along the London Skyline.

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National September 11 Memorial
Michael Lee / Moment / Getty Images
This landmark of NYC commemorates a 2001 tragedy that was one of the worst in U.S. history. What's it called?
New York Vietnam Veterans Memorial Plaza
American Merchant Mariners' Memorial
National September 11 Memorial
General Grant National Memorial
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Ten years after 9/11 occurred, a memorial was unveiled to honor that fateful day in American History. Two reflecting pools and 400 white oaks now occupy the space where the Twin Towers once stood.

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Torre Glories
fotoVoyager / E+ / Getty Images
A building shaped like a bullet and inspired by the Montserrat Mountain is one of the newest additions to the Barcelona skyline. What's the name of it?
W Hotel
Diagonal Zero Zero
Torre Glories
Mount Tibidabo
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Torre Glories is a representation of the contemporary rebirth of Barcelona. Although many say it is similar to the Swiss Re building in London, the architect says he looked to Montserrat and La Sagrada Familia for inspiration.

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Constitution Bridge
© Marco Bottigelli / Moment / Getty Images
This bridge, which opened in Venice on September 11, 2008, has a name familiar to the U.S. Can you say what it is?
Bridge of Sighs
Constitution Bridge
Scalzi Bridge
Rialto Bridge
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Of the five bridges that cross the Grand Canal in Venice, the Constitution Bridge is the newest. Made of glass and marble and intended to be a footbridge, four pranksters drove a car on it in the early morning hours.

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Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth
hartcreations / E+ / Getty Images
People in glass houses ... What is the name of the shimmering glass art house of Fort Worth, Texas?
Modern Art Museum
Winspear Opera House
Flatiron Building
St. Patrick Cathedral
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Tadao Ado's unique concrete and glass structure, the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth is not just contemporary in its art. It's contemporary in its architecture with 40-foot glass walls sitting on a reflecting pool.

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National Stadium
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Do you know the name of the building that was specially built for the 2008 Beijing Olympics?
CCTV New Tower
Summer Palace
Temple of Heaven
National Stadium
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The National Stadium of Beijing, nicknamed the Bird's Nest, was not only unique for its place in history. It's even more significant because it is the biggest steel structure on the planet.

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Empire State Building
ChrisHepburn / E+ / Getty Images
"And you say New York City ..." when you say the name of one of the world's most famous and tallest structures. What is it?
Empire State Building
Rockefeller Center
Metropolitan Opera House
Radio City Music Hall
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Although it was built in 1931, the Empire State Building is still in the top 50 tallest buildings in the world. On two separate observation decks, visitors can see all of New York City.

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Allianz Arena
Christoph Anton Mitterer via WikiCommons
Can you name the stadium that is the pride of Munich and the 2006 World Cup?
Olympiasta
Camp Nou
Allianz Arena
Stamford Bridge
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Allianz Arena of Munich, Germany looks like a cross between a tire and a rectangular golf ball. It is the home of the football squad, F.C. Bayern Munich and is known for lighting up in either red, white or blue at night.

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Shanghai Tower
Jackal Pan / Moment / Getty Images
This building is the second tallest in the world and is the jewel in the crown of China. Do you know it?
The Bund
Shanghai Tower
Yuyuan Garden
Oriental Pearl TV Tower
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

While the Shanghai Tower may be second in the world in height behind the Burj Khalifa, it's first in other areas. It has the highest observation deck in the globe and the fastest elevators.

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Victoria Falls
guenterguni / E+ / Getty Images
"Don't go chasing waterfalls." But you might with this one in Zimbabwe because it's the world's largest. Can you name it?
Victoria Falls
Tugela Falls
Lisbon Falls
Howick Falls
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Victoria Falls is impressive for its sheer magnitude. It stretches across a mile and pumps about 500 million liters of water down per minute. A local tribe called it "The Smoke that Thunders."

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State Hermitage Museum
Martin Child / Photodisc / Getty Images
This building once housed works of art for the tsars of Russia but now houses art for the people. What's it called?
Alexander Garden
Armoury Chamber
Cathedral of Christ the Savior
State Hermitage Museum
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg was once the Winter Palace of the Romanovs. After the Russian Revolution, it was turned into a museum that has one of the best art collections in the world.

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Alhambra
Jennifer Kathryn Henry / Moment / Getty Images
What is the name of a palace in Granada, Spain that has an area called the Court of the Lions?
Carthusian Monastery
Royal Chapel of Granada
Alhambra
Generalife
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Alhambra wasn't just a palace for the Nasrid Dynasty. It was an ancient fortress that actually means "red fort" in Arabic and the only surviving piece of the Islamic Golden Age.

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Mount Kilimanjaro
1001slide / E+ / Getty Images
Do you know the name of the tallest mountain in Africa?
Mount Kilimanjaro
Drakensberg
Rwenzori Mountains
Semien Mountains
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

At 20,000 feet, Mount Kilimanjaro has no equal in height, but about 25,000 rock climbers try their luck every year. Those who reach the summit of Uhuru Peak, write about the moment in a book that sits in a box there.

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Arc de Triomphe
Mark Segal / DigitalVision / Getty Images
This monument to the military of France sits on the Champs-Elysees. What's it called?
Place de la Concorde
Arc de Triomphe
Louvre
Montmartre
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Originally initiated by Napolean in 1806, the Arc de Triomphe was completed by King Louis-Philippe in 1836. It is the cornerstone of celebration in France, especially for Bastille Day on July 14th.

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Grand-Place
All rights reserved - Copyright / Moment / Getty Images
Do you know the name of a famous Gothic building in the center of Brussels?
Markt
Atomium
Manneke Pis
Grand-Place
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

After being nearly destroyed by war, the Grand-Place of Brussels, Belgium still stands in the city center. In 1998, it was recognized by the United Nations as a World Heritage Site.

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Easter Island
Patricia Hamilton / Moment / Getty Images
Do you know the resting place of the moai statues of Chile?
El Tatio
Valle de la Luna
Easter Island
Atacama Desert
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Polynesian settlers of Easter Island, the Rapa Nui, created 900 human-like statues called "moai" in what is now Chile. It is believed that the Rapa Nui lasted until about the 16th century, but no one is sure why their civilization ended.

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