Geographical Squares Trivia Quiz

Answer: Beijing, China

An unidentified man stood in front of a column of tanks at Tiananmen Square on July 5, 1989, the morning after the Tiananmen Square Massacre of students
protesting against the corruption of the Chinese government in Beijing, China. The number of civilian deaths at the June 4th massacre is estimated anywhere between hundreds and thousands.

Beijing is the capital of China and the second largest city by population after Shanghai. Beijing is also the cultural center of China, and has juxtaposed ancient sites like The Forbidden City complex (Imperial Palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties) next to its modern architectural structures.

Answer: Times Square

New York has its share of squares (right, daddyo?) but it would seem that the most famous one, the one that all the tourists come to see, is Times Square, located on the west side of Midtown Manhattan; the colors, the lights, the theater district, the shopping and, of course "The Ball Drop" from the flagpole on the roof of One Times Square.

Some years ago (before Mayor Giuliani) it was also known for its seedy hotels, drugs, hookers and pornography but, not to worry, all of that has been relocated and concentrated into the Pedestrian Plaza - to enhance pedestrian safety! Watch out for the giant muppets and nude (body-painted) women asking for donations!

Answer: Victory Square

Actually, there is a Victory Square in both Saint Petersburg and Kalingrad, Russia, and a Victory Circus in Minsk, Belarus. Victory Square in Saint Petersburg is named after the Soviet victory in the Great Patriotic War. The Great Patriotic War is used by the Russians to describe the conflict from June 22, 1941 to May 9, 1945, i.e., the period which encompassed World War II.

The St. Petersburg Square also features the Monument of the Heroic Defenders of Leningrad. The other Victory Square, in Kalingrad, is a central square which, prior to 1945, was a part of Germany. "To the victor belong the spoils."

Answer: The Circle

Back in the U.S.A., in a place called Normal (really!), there is an environmentally friendly park called the Uptown Normal Circle. The Uptown Redevelopment Plan was organized in 2001, and is a circular intersection (hence the name). There is a park at its center which cleanses storm water and returns the clean water to the fountain located at the site, and also recycles water into an irrigation system. Can you imagine not only looking at the water at a park, but being able to play in it? The Circle has revitalized the city by saving money and increasing property values. Newington Green is in London, Temple Plaza in CT and Bryant Park in NYC.

Answer: Saint Peter's Square

Saint Peter's Square is a large public space located in front of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican City within Rome, Italy; it is called Piazza San Pietro by the residents. The square was designed and built by the sculptor and architect Gian Lorenzo Bernini (credited with creating the Baroque style of sculpture) between 1656 and 1667, under the auspices of Pope Alexander VII.

It was designed "so that the greatest number of people could see the Pope give his blessing". While there is a Saint Peters community in Chester County, the square there is called Kennett Square, with Market Square in Pittsburgh, and Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia.

Answer: Massachusetts

Boston Common, located in downtown Boston in the state of Massachusetts. It is the starting point to what is known as the 'Freedom Trail'. It is the oldest public park in the United States. The term 'common' comes from the 'common lands' in the British Isles; many commons still exist in England, Scotland, Wales and the United States.

There are still over 7,000 registered commons in England alone. A common is defined as "a tract of land or water owned or used jointly by the members of a community", while a "global common" is used to indicate shared natural resources like the oceans, the atmosphere and outer space. For those Americans taking the quiz, this one should be a freebie!

Answer: Piccadilly

Piccadilly is a Circus, not a square. The name Piccadilly originated from the word for a 17th century frilled collar called a 'piccadil'. While "Circus" comes from the Latin meaning ring or circular line. So Piccadilly Circus meant "buildings arranged in a circular line" (although to me a circular line is an oxymoron). Piccadilly Circus is a public space in London's West End in the city of Westminster, built in 1819 at the junction of Regent Street and Piccadilly.

The area is quite popular with its theaters (or theatres) and shopping, and is a main tourist attraction.

It even has a station on the London Underground System.

Answer: Waterloo Public Square

The Waterloo Public Square is in Waterloo (no, not Napoleon's Waterloo) which is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada. At the time of the last census, Waterloo, nicknamed "The Loo" (no, not the English meaning) had a population of 98,780. Other public spaces in Canada include: Granville Island in Vancouver, British Columbia, Edmonton River Valley in Edmonton, Alberta, Carre d'Youville in Quebec City, Quebec, and Montreal Underground City in Montreal. The other choices and their locations are: Dupont Circle in Washington, D.C., Barton Creek Greenbelt in Austin, Texas and Chrissey Field in San Francisco, California.

Answer: Grand Place

The Grand Place, also called Grote Markt, is the central square in Brussels, Belgium's capital. The public space dates back to the late 17th century, and its architecture reflects the cultural life of that time period. While the square actually dates as far back as the 12th century, it was destroyed in 1695 by the troops and French artillary of Louis XIV.

The rebuilding was not only quickly done, but the area reflected how the Brussels bourgeois chose to "restore the city to its former glory". The Old Town Square is in Prague, Czech Republic. Plaza Santa Ana is in Mardrid, Spain. Federation Square is in Melbourne, Australia.

Answer: Piazza del Campo

While all the piazzas listed (except Mike, for those of you who are familiar with American baseball) are in Italy, it is the Piazza del Campo which is located in Siena. Piazza del Campo or "il Campo" is the main public space in the historic center of Siena in Tuscany. It is regarded as "one of Europe's greatest medieval squares", having been built in the 13th century on a space which had been used for markets and fairs.
Piazza Navona is situated in Rome. Piazza del Duomo can be found in Florence. Piazza San Marco (or St. Mark's Square) is located in Venice.