The Spanish Steps connect at its base the Piazza di Spagna, a square in Rome where a former Spanish Embassy is located, with the Trinità dei Monti, a church on the hilltop above. There are 130-some steps in all (descriptions of the steps differ somewhat on the exact number), and the surrounding area is terraced and planted with a variety of flowering plants. On one of the lower corners of the steps stands a house lived in by the poet John Keats.
2. Taj Mahal
Answer: Agra, India
The Taj Mahal, built in the 1600s as a mausoleum for a favored wife of the Mogul emperor Shah Jahan, is world-famous; in 1983 it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In addition to regular opening hours during daytime, the Taj Mahal is open after dark on the night of the full moon, and for two nights on either side of the full moon, except for Fridays and during the month of Ramadan.
3. Little Mermaid
Answer: Copenhagen, Denmark
The Little Mermaid is arguably the most famous symbol of the city of Copenhagen. It was created in 1913 and represents the title character in Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale of the same name.
Unfortunately, the statue has fallen victim to repeated acts of vandalism and theft in its time. In several instances the vandalism has reflected attitudes of various political groups. Although consideration has been given to moving the statue a ways offshore to make it harder for people to make contact with it, so far it is still situated a few feet from land and accessible on foot, in Copenhagen's Langelinie Park.
4. Tower Bridge
Answer: London, England
Constructed in the latter part of the nineteenth century, the Tower Bridge is a bascule (commonly called a drawbridge) and suspension bridge that spans the River Thames near the Tower of London. The drawbridge is the central portion of the bridge, with suspension bridge sections on either side of the center.
The bridge was built because increasing population and economic activity made an additional means of crossing the river a necessity, but the location chosen was in the path of sailing ships headed to the port area of the city, so a bridge fixed at the height of the street would not work-hence the drawbridge.
5. Manneken Pis
Answer: Brussels, Belgium
Manneken Pis is a small statue (around two feet high) of a young boy who is naked and urinating into a fountain. There are multiple legends in existence about who the boy represents. A not-for-profit organization known as The Friends of Manneken-Pis manage a large number (some sources say as many as 900!) costumes that are used to clothe the little guy every few days.
The original statue is no longer on display at the fountain. It has undergone restoration and is kept at the Museum of the City of Brussels. There have been numerous instances of theft of the statue, so safeguarding the original is a priority.
6. CN Tower
Answer: Toronto, Canada
The CN Tower is a communications/observation tower in the city of Toronto, the capital of the Canadian Province of Ontario. The "CN" designation referred to the Canadian National railway company, which built it in the mid-1970s. It is one of the tallest freestanding towers in the world, and is a major tourist attraction.
It features several interesting elements, like a glass floor 342 meters above the next floor in sight; a 1400-foot high observation deck known as the Skypod, from which one can reportedly see to Niagara Falls-more than 150 miles distant-on a clear day; and a truly terrifying attraction called Edgewalk, which opened in 2011; it's a five-foot wide promenade around the outside perimeter of the tower, on the roof of its restaurant, nearly 1200 feet in the air.
There is no protective rail on this hair-raising walk, but those venturing out are hooked to steel cables to prevent falls.
7. Petronas Towers
Answer: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
The Petronas Towers, or Petronas Twin Towers, as they're also known, are two 88-story skyscrapers housing the headquarters of the Petronas Company, a Malaysian oil and gas concern, and a number of other businesses. They were completed in 1998 and were at one time the tallest buildings in the world, although they no longer enjoy that status.
The towers feature a two-story Skybridge that joins the two buildings on the 41st and 42nd floors, which allows people to move between the two buildings without having to descend all the way to ground level.
The Skybridge was also designed as an emergency exit option.
8. Rialto Bridge
Answer: Venice, Italy
The Rialto Bridge is the oldest of the bridges that cross the Grand Canal in Venice. Constructed in the late 1500s, the bridge is basically two inclined planes, with small shops lining both sides of the bridge.
9. Brandenburg Gate
Answer: Berlin, Germany
The Brandenburg Gate was built in the late 18th century to provide an entry to the boulevard leading to the palace of Prussian royalty. It formed part of the barrier between East and West Berlin after World War II, and was the site of Ronald Reagan's speech in which he famously implored Mikhail Gorbachev to "tear down this wall!"
10. Hagia Sophia
Answer: Istanbul, Turkey
Hagia Sophia was a functioning cathedral for about 900 years, from its completion in 537 through 1453, when it was converted to a mosque. It became a museum in the 1930s.
This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor spanishliz before going online.
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