Question 1

True or false: Big Ben is the name of the clock tower, not the bell inside.

Accepted Answer

False. Common myth. Big Ben is actually the nickname for the Great Bell; the tower is now called Elizabeth Tower.

Question 2

True or false: The London Eye was originally intended to be temporary, like the Eiffel Tower.

Accepted Answer

True. Built for the 2000 millennium celebrations, it was only meant to stand for five years but became a permanent landmark.

Question 3

True or false: There is a secret underground river called the River Fleet that still flows beneath London streets.

Accepted Answer

True. The Fleet is one of London's lost rivers, now a sewer; you can see it emerge at a grate near Blackfriars Bridge.

Question 4

True or false: The Queen's swans on the Thames are legally owned by the monarch and counted annually.

Accepted Answer

False. This is true for mute swans in open water, but the 'Swan Upping' ceremony is real; the myth is that all swans belong to the Queen—actually, only some.

Question 5

True or false: The London Underground map was designed by a professional cartographer in 1933.

Accepted Answer

False. It was designed by Harry Beck, an electrical draftsman, who based it on circuit diagrams—not a cartographer.

Question 6

True or false: London's 'Black Cab' taxis must carry a bale of hay for their horse in case of traffic jams.

Accepted Answer

True. This old law dates from the horse-drawn carriage era but was never officially repealed; it's still technically on the books.

Question 7

True or false: London had a full-size replica of the Colosseum built in the 19th century.

Accepted Answer

False. There was a 'Colosseum' near Regent's Park, but it was a circular building for panoramas, not a true Colosseum replica.

Question 8

True or false: London has a 'Cockney rhyming slang' word for the police: 'Bacon and Eggs'.

Accepted Answer

True. 'Bacon and Eggs' rhymes with 'legs', but 'the Old Bill' is more common; 'Bacon' is rarely used but authentic.

London Trivia Questions