Can You Identify These Landmarks That Didn’t Exist Before the Year 2000?

WORLD

153 PLAYS

By: Jonnathan Chadwick

7 Min Quiz

Image: �� Allard Schager/Moment/GettyImages

About This Quiz

The world is filled with landmarks. People create works of art every day and new ideas are always being brainstormed. On top of that, there's a list of sites sitting right under our noses that could attain "landmark" status at any moment. Those landmarks have been around for decades and centuries, if not millennia. Other landmarks are born out of trending topics and erected almost immediately. They don't attain official landmark status, but they become some of the most popular sites in the country.

It's not as easy to create a landmark as you may think. If you're an artist, you'll need to get all the licensing needed to display your art in a location where it will be seen. It's a lot easier said than done. The tallest statue in America, for example, was rejected by several cities before finding its permanent location. Once you complete all the necessary paperwork and find a permanent home for your art, next comes the waiting game.

You can wait forever and your art may never be designated an official landmark, and if you're a true artist, you probably don't care. If you're a politician who wants to create an officially protected landmark, be prepared to wait. Washington, D.C.'s WWII Memorial was just recently completed and the city still hasn't finished its WWI Memorial. Nevertheless, a lot of landmarks have been erected in the first two decades of the millennium. Some of them are official and some of them are just awesome. Can you name these landmarks that didn't exist before 2000?


Can you name this NYC memorial located where the Twin Towers once stood?

This monument is simply known as the "9/11 Memorial & Museum" and construction began in 2006. The memorial opened in 2011 and the museum opened in 2014. It remembers all those killed during the 9/11 attacks and the 1993 WTC bombing.

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What's the name of this stainless steel "bean" that greets visitors at Chicago's Millennium Park?

Cloud Gate is nicknamed "The Bean" and its allure comes from the polished finish that makes it resemble a dollop of liquid mercury. It was finished in 2006 and is made of 168 steel plates. The entire structure is 33 feet tall and 66 feet long. The arch is 12-feet high.

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Do you know the tallest Ferris wheel in Europe?

The London Eye was completed in 2000 and sponsored by Coca-Cola in 2014. It's officially called the Coca-Cola London Eye until 2020 when it will get a new sponsor. Nearly 4 million people visit it each year, making it Britain's top tourist attraction.

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Wall Street's "Charging Bull" was erected in 1989 and this courageous statue popped up in 2017. Do you know it?

The "Fearless Girl" caused quite a bit of controversy when it was erected directly in front of the "Charging Bull." The 50-inch girl stared down the 11-foot-tall, 7,000-pound bull until so many people complained that it was relocated. Now it stands in front of the New York Stock Exchange.

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Do you know the tallest building in the world?

The Burj Khalifa rises more than 2,700 feet and was finished in 2010. The top 10 tallest buildings in the world were all built after the Khalifa, but all are at least 600 feet shorter. The only building from the western hemisphere to make the list is the Freedom Tower, which is about 1,000 feet shorter.

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What's the name of these twin buttes in Utah?

These twin buttes in Utah likely formed at least 50 million years ago, but they weren't designated landmarks until 2016. The amount of protected land around the buttes was reduced the next year but is still being disputed.

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Martin Luther King Jr. was carved "out of the mountain of despair" for this memorial. Do you know it?

The Stone of Hope is part of a larger MLK Jr. Memorial that opened in Washington, D.C. in 2011. King gave his legendary "I Have a Dream" speech during the March on Washington in 1963 and helped push the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The memorial is located at 1964 Independence Ave.

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What's the name of this Banksy work?

You can see Banksy stencils all over the world, as he's one of the most famous street artists. This specific work was once voted the No.1 work of art in England and went up on the Waterloo Bridge in 2002. Unfortunately, the original works don't exist as they were all sold or painted over.

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Do you know the tallest statue in the world?

The "Statue of Unity" is a 597-foot tall statue of Sardar Patel. Patel was India's first deputy prime minister and the guy who united all of India to create one of the most populous countries in the world. The statue was completed in 2018.

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The English are known to love football. What's the biggest football stadium in England?

The first Wembley Stadium opened in 1922, was renovated in 1963 and demolished in 2003. The new Wembley Stadium was built in 2007 and is the second biggest football stadium in all of Europe. It's the newest football stadium in all of Europe. It's also where the NFL plays its games.

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What's the name of the building in downtown Manhattan that stands 1,776 feet tall?

Freedom Tower is officially known as One World Trade Center and stands 1,776 feet tall to commemorate the year we signed the Declaration of Independence. It's the tallest building in the western hemisphere.

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Can you name the tallest building in the European Union?

The Shard opened in 2012 and its observation deck, The View from the Shard, opened in 2013. It's the highest observation deck in London and costs about $50 to visit. The elevator takes about a minute to get to the top.

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What's the name of this monument in San Antonio that honors the country's bravest canines?

This monument was dedicated in 2013 to all military working dogs and handlers. The monument consists of a handler who's holding a leash and a machine gun and four military dogs: a Doberman pinscher, a German shepherd, a Labrador Retriever and a Belgian Malinois.

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Can you name the tallest statue in North America?

The Statue of Liberty held the title of America's tallest statue between 1886 and 2016. "Birth of the New World" was completed in 2016 and stands 360 feet tall on the coast of Puerto Rico. It commemorates Christopher Columbus discovering the new world.

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What's the name of this memorial in Pennsylvania that honors passengers that fought back during the 9/11 attacks?

United Airlines Flight 93 was hijacked during the 9/11 attacks and it's believed the plane was headed to the U.S. Capitol Building. Passengers were able to fight back, bringing the plane down in a field in Pennsylvania. A memorial was opened in 2011 at the site of the crash.

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What's the name of this honeycomb staircase with 2,500 steps?

According to project managers, "The Vessel" is a temporary name and it might get renamed soon. The structure opened in 2019 in NYC's Hudson Yards as part of a $25 billion project. The entire project is expected to be complete in the mid-2020s.

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Vladimir Putin gifted this memorial to the United States to honor victims of the 9/11 attacks. Do you know it?

This monument is much easier remembered as the "Tear of Grief" or "Tear Drop Memorial," but others have called it the ugliest monument in America. Vladimir Putin attended the groundbreaking ceremony and served as the keynote speaker in 2005.

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Do you know the name of this 52-foot Jesus statue in Ohio?

"Christ of the Ozarks" in Arkansas is the tallest Jesus statue in the United States at 65.5 feet tall. It was built in 1966. Lux Mundi stands 52 feet tall and replaced a 62-foot-tall Jesus statue called "King of Kings."

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Can you name this memorial on the National Mall that's been in the works since 1985?

The World War II Memorial was first proposed in 1985. The House voted against the first three proposals and finally passed a fourth proposition in 1993. Fundraising, planning and design began the next year, and it was finished and opened to the public in 2004.

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Where do the Bronx Bombers play?

The new Yankee Stadium hasn't seen as much history as the old Yankee Stadium, but it's still home to one of the country's most historic sports teams. It opened in 2009 and the Yankees won the World Series that year. They haven't won again since.

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In what state can you find the world's largest rocking chair?

The world's largest rocking chair is more than 56-feet tall and 32-feet wide. It stands in Casey, Illinois and was created by Jim Bolin, who happens to work at a pipeline maintenance company and has access to plenty of extra piping. Bolin is known for building large structures in the town.

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You've probably seen this iconic actress and image before. What's the name of this statue?

This is one of Marilyn Monroe's most famous poses and it comes from Billy Wilder's 1955 rom-com "The Seven-Year Itch." This giant sculpture is 26 feet tall and has toured the country and been displayed across the world. It will permanently be displayed in Palm Springs, Florida, come 2020.

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The Burj Khalifa is the tallest building in the world, but this building has the world's highest observation deck. Do you know it?

The Burj Khalifa had the highest observation deck in 2010 but was surpassed in 2011. The Burj Khalifa reclaimed the title in 2014 when a new, higher observation deck was created, but then it lost the title in 2016 when the Shanghai Tower opened.

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The world was introduced to the "Bird's Nest" stadium during the 2008 Summer Olympics. Where is it?

Even non-sports fans watch the Olympics every few years to watch the opening ceremonies. Beijing's opening ceremony left the world in awe and took place at Beijing National Stadium (aka Bird's Nest). More than 15,000 people performed for more than four hours in a production that cost more than $100 million.

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Where in the world can you find the largest wind chime on the planet?

Casey, Illinois is home to the world's largest rocking chair, wind chime, mailbox, golf tee, knitting needles, crochet hook, wooden shoes and pitchfork. They were all built by Jim Bolin. The wind chime earned its title in 2012.

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In what historic city can you see these sculptures breaking free in a memorial titled "Freedom"?

Philly is one of the country's most historic cities and has no shortage of monuments and memorials. This monument titled "Freedom" depicts four people. The first person is fully trapped within the wall and the last person is free.

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Do you know this 55-foot steel structure famous for debuting at the Burning Man festival?

The Burning Man festival in Nevada is known for its mammoth art exhibits and giant statues. This one called "Truth is Beauty" is one of the more popular ones and has been displayed in several locations since it was created in 2013. Today, it's on permanent display in the Bay Area.

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You can see these blue beams of light from more than 60 miles away. What's the memorial?

The "Tribute in Light" started as a temporary art installation in 2002 and eventually turned into an annual commemoration. Everyone in New York City and as far away as Connecticut can see the lights beaming for 24 hours every year.

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Do you know this monument in Alabama dedicated to the victims of slavery?

Montgomery, Alabama has been at the center of some of the country's most contentious civil rights moments, so it's only fitting this monument and the Legacy Museum were opened in the city. Both the museum and monument were opened on the same day.

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Do you know the conductor of the Underground Railroad memorialized in this NYC sculpture?

This 13-foot statue in Manhattan is the first public statue of an African American woman in New York City. The statue is also known as "Swing Low" and is made from two different materials, which create a prominent difference between Tubman's skin and skirt.

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In what legendary park can you find this bronze statue of Frederick Douglass?

This eight-foot statue of Frederick Douglass went up in 2010 and stands at the northwest entrance of the park. The plaza and fountain were constructed in 2005, and today the area is known as Frederick Douglass Circle.

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Do you know the name of this statue that celebrates South Dakota's 125th year of statehood?

This 50-foot-tall, stainless steel statue honors the Lakota and Dakota people of South Dakota. Local women posed to serve as inspiration for the statue that was erected in 2016. The statue's quilt is 30 feet wide and covered in diamond-shaped plates that move in the wind.

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In what state can you find this fake Prada store?

This fake Prada store went up 20 minutes outside Marfa, Texas in 2005 and is a permanent art display. It was vandalized on opening night and almost removed when some argued it was an advertisement. The art was created by Michael Elmgreen and Ingar Dragset.

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What's the name of this elevated park located on NYC's west side?

Construction on an abandoned train platform in New York City's west side started in 2006 and was finished in 2009. The entire city was excited to hear a 1.45-mile sliver of green was being created in Manhattan. Today, millions visit it every year.

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Do you know the name of this footbridge crossing the River Thames in London?

The Millennium Bridge is also known as the "Wobbly Bridge" because it was a little wobbly when it first went up. It closed on opening day and underwent improvements for the next two years. The bridge cost about $23 million to build.

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If you want to see all the cool gadgets James Bond uses in his movies, you can visit this Washington, D.C. museum. What is it?

The International Spy Museum opened in 2002 and boasts of the largest collection of spy tools on display. You can find the CIA Museum in Virginia and the NSA's museum (National Cryptologic Museum) in Maryland.

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Do you know this memorial in Budapest that honors victims of WWII?

Thousands of Jewish residents in Budapest were lined up along the Danube River and executed at the end of WWII. This memorial features 60 pairs of iron shoes along the river bank and it was finished in 2005.

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What's the name of this 9/11 memorial in New Jersey's Liberty State Park?

This memorial was dedicated in 2011 to coincide with the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. The memorial is named after the state's hero, Bruce Springsteen, who has a song titled "Empty Sky." The title refers to the empty sky where the Twin Towers once stood.

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Do you know the name of this statue of an African American in dreadlocks riding a horse?

This statue went up in 2019 in response to the Confederate statue controversy that had been brewing all decade. It was unveiled and displayed in Times Square before being moved to Richmond, Virginia where it's on permanent display.

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What's the name of this hotel, casino and mall featuring a luxury sky park?

Marina Bay Sands is the most expensive casino in the world and is also home to luxury hotel rooms, stores and restaurants. Its most striking feature is the SkyPark, which looks like a ship balancing atop three towers. It was opened to the public in 2010.

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