London landmarks: 10 questions

1. Which famous South Bank landmark was designed by the Marks Barfield partnership?
2. Which London landmark is located near Pudding Lane, and in 1830 had words removed from its inscription blaming Catholics for an unfortunate event?
3. What is the common name of the building whose address is 30 St. Mary Axe?
4. Which London skyscraper, designed by Rafael Viñoly, was notorious after opening for its concave face reflecting the sun’s rays into a focused ray which melted car dashboards and caused other havoc.
5. What is the common nickname of the 225-metre high skyscraper officially known as the Leadenhall Building.
6. Prince Charles compared an extension to which building as “like a monstrous carbuncle on the face of a much loved friend” in a famous 1984 speech?
7. Which American politician and scientist lived for 16 years in the 18th century at 36 Craven Street, now a museum to his life?
8. The bell called Big Ben was cast in which district of East London?
9. Which royal libertine and nursery rhyme character is commemorated in a statue on a very high plinth at the end of Waterloo Place, next to St. James’s Park? He is said to be on such a high plinth as it was the only way he could escape his creditors!
10. Which London landmark has the inscription “The Glorious Dead”?

Answers below (scroll down)

1. Which famous South Bank landmark was designed by the Marks Barfield partnership?
   A: The London Eye
2. Which London landmark is located near Pudding Lane, and in 1830 had words removed from its inscription blaming Catholics for an unfortunate event?
   A: The Monument
3. What is the common name of the building whose address is 30 St. Mary Axe?
   A: The Gherkin
4. What is the nickname of the London skyscraper, designed by Rafael Viñoly, which was notorious after opening for its concave face reflecting the sun’s rays into a focused ray which melted car dashboards and caused other havoc.
   A: The Walkie Talkie
5. What is the common nickname of the 225-metre high skyscraper officially known as the Leadenhall Building.
   A: The Cheese Grater
6. Prince Charles compared an extension to which building as “like a monstrous carbuncle on the face of a much loved friend” in a famous 1984 speech?
   A: The National Gallery
7. Which American politician and scientist lived for 16 years in the 18th century at 36 Craven Street, now a museum to his life?
   A: Benjamin Franklin
8. The bell called Big Ben was cast in which district of East London?
   A: Whitechapel (at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry, founded 1570 and sadly closed in 2017)
9. Which royal libertine and nursery rhyme character is commemorated in a statue on a very high plinth at the end of Waterloo Place, next to St. James’s Park? He is said to be on such a high plinth as it was the only way he could escape his creditors!
   A: Frederick, Duke of York
10. Which London landmark has the inscription “The Glorious Dead”?
    A: The Cenotaph