We Will Build Bridges Trivia Quiz

Answer: Augusta National

The Augusta National Golf Club is probably one of the world's most iconic sporting venues, renowned for its exclusivity, tradition, and winner's green jacket. The Augusta National Golf Club, located in Augusta, Georgia, was founded in 1932 by Bobby Jones, a legendary amateur golfer, and Clifford Roberts, an investment banker. Built on a 365-acre former indigo plantation and nursery called Fruitland, the property was transformed into a golf course by architect Alister MacKenzie, with input from Jones. The course opened in 1933 and the first Masters Tournament, initially called the Augusta National Invitation Tournament, was held in 1934. It was won by Horton Smith. Augusta National remains a private club with limited membership and no public access except during the Masters. Among the features that have made the course so recognizable to television viewers and visitors alike are Amen Corner, the name given to holes 11, 12 and 13 with their magnificent displays of azaleas and a trio of stone bridges.

One of this trio is the Hogan Bridge, a stone arch bridge that crosses Rae's Creek and leads to the 12th green. Dedicated on April 2 1958, it honors Ben Hogan's record-breaking 1953 Masters victory, where he scored a then-record low of 274. Approximately 60 feet long with three smaller arches beneath, this bridge is probably the most photographed spot in golf with both visitors and professionals pausing to have their picture take in the middle. The other two stone bridges are the Sarazen Bridge at the 15th hole and the Nelson Bridge which takes golfers from Augusta's 13th tee towards the fairway.

Answer: Christmas cactus

Perhaps not quite as well known as other Christmas mainstays such as holly, mistletoe and the ever glorious poinsettia, the Christmas cactus or Schlumbergera bridgesii, to give it its full name, is a popular houseplant that shows off its vibrant, tubular flowers around the holiday season, hence its festive name. Although known as the Christmas cactus, it's not actually a desert cactus, but an epiphyte that grows naturally on trees or rocks in shady, humid conditions in the coastal mountains of southeast Brazil, its native habitat.

The plant has flat, segmented, leaf-like stems called cladodes with rounded edges. It grows about 6-18 inches tall and up to 2 feet wide, with a cascading habit that make it ideal for hanging baskets. Flowers, which bloom at the stem tips, come in shades of pink, red, white, orange, or purple and typically appear in late autumn to winter (November-January in the Northern Hemisphere) when triggered by cooler temperatures and shorter daylight of 12-14 hours of darkness daily for 6-8 weeks. They grow best in bright, indirect light and, to encourage prolific flowering, keep away from drafts.

Answer: True

Given their role in forging links and facilitating passage, it is no wonder that bridges play a prominent role in the mythology of many cultures. Crossing these mythological structures often involves risk, as crossing requires bravery or worthiness.

Bifröst, in Norse mythology, is the rainbow bridge connecting the human world, Midgard, to the realm of the gods, Asgard. The bridge is crossed daily by the gods as they meet to decide things at Urdarbrunn, the Well of Urd, under the tree Yggdrasill. The bridge is guarded by the god Heimdall. Described as radiant and fiery, Bifröst is prophesied to collapse under the weight of invading giants during Ragnarök, the so-called "twilight of the gods", signaling the world's end.

Ram Setu, also known as Adam's Bridge or Rama's Bridge, is a natural geological feature, consisting of sandbanks and coral reefs that were thought to belong to the submerged landmass that previously linked India and Sri Lanka. However, according to Hindu mythology, Ram Setu is no ordinary geological formation. It is the legendary bridge built of blessed stones by Lord Rama's army of monkeys to cross from India to Lanka in the "Ramayana", which enables the rescue of Sita from Ravana.

In Chinese mythology, Queqiao is the celestial bridge formed by magpies in the Qixi Festival legend.The Qixi Festival is China's equivalent of Valentine's Day. The bridge allows the lovers Niulang, the cowherd, and Zhinü, the weaver girl, to reunite across the Milky Way once a year.

Answer: Brazil

The Puente de la Amistad in Spanish or Ponte da Amizade in Portuguese which connects Paraguay and Brazil is one of a number of Friendship Bridges around the world which link bordering nations. It is a single-span, concrete arch bridge over the Paraná River that connects Foz do Iguaçu in Brazil with Ciudad del Este in Paraguay. The bridge is 290 meters long and was opened to traffic on 27 March 1965. It is open 24 hours a day, and now serves as a primary link for trade and tourism, with around 100,000 people crossing daily, approximately 25% of whom are on foot. The bridge symbolizes unity and facilitates cross-border commerce with residents of both Brazil and Paraguay often crossing freely in the border area without strict controls. This free movement has earned Ciudad del Este the nickname of the "Shopping Capital of South America."

A second link between the two countries, the Ponte da Integração or Integration Bridge, was completed in August 2023 and its opening to traffic relieves the heavy traffic on the original bridge which will then be closed to heavy vehicles.

Answer: Bermuda

The Bermuda Bowl is the the most prestigious and renowned bridge tournament in the world. Started in 1950 as a private initiative, it is now the world championship of contract bridge for national teams and is held biennially. Organized by the World Bridge Federation since 1958, it features top teams competing in a round-robin and knockout format over two weeks. The name of the trophy presented to the winners comes from Bermuda, where the first event was held, hosted at the Castle Harbour Hotel in Tucker's Town. The choice of Bermuda was partly due to its appeal, at that time, as a neutral, attractive venue for international players.

The name "bridge" comes from an evolution of earlier trick-taking games, particularly whist. The term most likely derives from the Russian word "biritch", an early 19th-century Russian game that influenced modern bridge. By the late 19th century, "bridge-whist" emerged in England, blending whist's mechanics with new bidding elements. The name "bridge" stuck as the game evolved. By the early 20th century, auction bridge and later contract bridge, developed by Harold Vanderbilt in 1925, came into being. Contract bridge is widely thought to reflect the game's strategic "bridging" of partnerships through bidding and play.

Answer: Switzerland

The most photographed site in Lucerne, Switzerland, the Kapellbrucke, or Chapel Bridge, is a historic wooden covered bridge that diagonally spans the Reuss River. The bridge links the Lucerne Theatre on the south bank of the River Reuss with St. Peter's Chapel on Rathausquai. Built in 1333, it's one of Europe's oldest wooden bridges and one of the oldest surviving truss bridges in the world. It is named after St. Peter's Chapel nearby and originally served as part of Lucerne's fortifications. The bridge is 204 meters long and features a series of 17th-century triangular paintings, created by Hans Heinrich Wägmann, under its roof, which depict local history and legends. A distinctive octagonal water tower, the Wasserturm, stands mid-bridge, where it was once used for defense and storage.

Disaster struck on the night of 18 August 1993 when a major portion of the bridge caught fire. All that could be saved were the two bridgeheads and the Water Tower. The bridge was meticulously restored over a period of eight months and preserved its medieval character. The "new" Kapellbrucke was opened on 14 April 1994, although sadly only 62, some of which are partially burned, of the original 158 paintings remain. Those that were lost have been replaced by replicas.

Answer: William Wordsworth

William Wordsworth, one of the founders of English Romanticism, was known for his deep love for the beauty of nature and many of his best known works depict this affinity. "Composed Upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802" is a poem that differs from many of Wordsworth's other work in that he captures the quiet, calm silence that one sometimes comes across in the early morning in a big city before the hustle and bustle of the day begins.

"Earth has not any thing to show more fair:
Dull would he be of soul who could pass by
A sight so touching in its majesty:
This City now doth, like a garment, wear
The beauty of the morning; silent, bare,
Ships, towers, domes, theatres, and temples lie
Open unto the fields, and to the sky;
All bright and glittering in the smokeless air.
Never did sun more beautifully steep
In his first splendour, valley, rock, or hill;
Ne'er saw I, never felt, a calm so deep!
The river glideth at his own sweet will:
Dear God! the very houses seem asleep;
And all that mighty heart is lying still!"

William Wordsworth was born in Cockermouth, Cumberland on April 7 1770. He lost both his parents while still young and this loss shaped his introspective style. His collaboration with Samuel Taylor Coleridge produced "Lyrical Ballads" in 1798, a landmark work that launched the Romantic movement, emphasizing simple language and everyday experiences. He was appointed as Poet Laureate in 1843 and died on April 23 1850, leaving behind a legacy that help shape an era.

Answer: Pope Francis

At the funeral of Pope Francis held on April 26 2025, the homily was delivered by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re. He emphasized the late pope's frequent exhortation to "build bridges, not walls." and highlighted this as a central theme of Pope Francis' papacy, reflecting his call for unity, mercy, and inclusion over division and exclusion. The homily referenced Pope Francis' 2016 statement: "A person who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not building bridges, is not Christian. This is not in the Gospel."

Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio on December 17 1936, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to Italian immigrant parents, he grew up in a working-class family and trained as a chemist before entering the Jesuit order and being ordained as a priest in 1969. He rose through the ranks of the church and was elected pontiff on March 13 2013, taking the name Francis, inspired by St. Francis of Assisi. Pope Francis died on April 25 2025, at age 88, after a papacy of 12 years, leaving a legacy of fostering unity, dialogue and understanding over division and exclusion.

Answer: Yoga

Yoga is a practice that connects the body, breath and mind. Originating in ancient India, it uses physical postures or asanas, breathing exercises or pranayama, and meditation to improve overall health. The word 'Yoga' is derived from the Sanskrit root 'Yuj', meaning 'to join' or 'to yoke' or 'to unite' and the practice is often described as a union of mind, body and soul.

One of the Eight Limbs of Yoga, outlined in the Yoga Sutras by the author Patanjali, asanas or postures are physical poses designed to cultivate strength, flexibility, and balance, preparing the body for meditation. One of these postures is Setu Bandha Sarvangasana, commonly known as the Bridge Pose. The pose is a back bend that strengthens the back, glutes, and core while opening the chest and hips. To perform a Setu Bandha, lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart, heels close to the sitting bones. rest your arms alongside the body, palms down. Pressing into the feet and arms, lift your hips toward the ceiling, engaging the glutes and core. Keep the neck neutral and avoiding turning the head. Hold for 5-10 breaths, then slowly lower the hips back to the floor. This pose has numerous benefits in that it strengthens the posterior chain of back, glutes and hamstrings, improves spinal flexibility, stretches the chest and hip flexors, and can alleviate mild back pain. It also stimulates the thyroid and calms the nervous system.

Answer: Claude Monet

The Japanese Footbridge at Giverny is an iconic wooden bridge featured in Claude Monet's paintings. It is located in his garden at Giverny, France and was built in the 1890s. The bridge spans a small pond filled with water lilies which Monet cultivated to create an ideal setting for his impressionist works. Monet painted the bridge multiple times, most famously in his series "The Water Lily Pond" (1899-1900), capturing it under varying light and weather conditions. The garden, including the bridge, was meticulously designed by Monet himself, blending French and Japanese landscaping principles.

Monet struggled financially early on, but by the 1880s, his work had gained recognition. In 1883, he moved to Giverny, where he first rented and then bought the house in 1890. He began creating his famous garden, including the Japanese footbridge and water lily pond. He lived in the house for 43 years until his death in 1926. Today, Monet's estate is a major tourist attraction with people wanting to be photographed on the iconic bridge. I have to admit to mea culpa on this! The house and gardens were first listed among the Maisons des Illustres and classified as a Jardin Remarquable before the whole estate was classified as a monument historique in 1976.

There is an urban legend which where various sources claim that Monet won 100,000 francs in the Paris Lottery around 1880 or 1890 which he used to buy his property in Giverny. Unfortunately there is no definitive proof to this claim, but I like to think that this would have indeed been a fitting legacy for a surprise windfall.