1. 52. To match the number of weeks in the year.

2. He was skinned alive, or flayed.

Answer: Castello Sforzesco

A snake.

Answer: Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper

He is the shifty-looking one fifth from the left.

Answers: Bergamo

1. It is on the wall of the Palazzo della Ragione.
2. One on the northern wall and one above the church door.

Answer: Certosa di Pavia

Bottom left-hand corner.

Answer: Villa Panza, Varese

Fluorescent or neon light tubes.

1. Traghetto.

2. Embarcadero.

3. Lungolago.

4. Lario.

1. West.

2. North.

3. South.

4. East.

Answer: Varenna

Gufo or civetta (owl), falco (hawk), falcone (falcon), poiana or bozzago (buzzard).

Answer: Sacro Monte di Ossuccio

2. There are 15 animals.

Answer: Como

On the left-hand door, known as the Porta della Rana (the Frog Door).

4. An apple.

5. Pax, which means “peace”.

1. On the wall to the right of the altar.

2. Third side chapel on the right looking at the altar.

3. Outside, five arches to the right of the main door.

4. On the wooden panels lining the church.

1. Blocks of stone quarried locally.

2. It can look proud and important, like a triumphal arch to celebrate a victory, or it might be built in honour of a great dignitary.

3. Because it began as a watchtower for defence purposes.

4. It rains a lot in the mountains, and when the snow melts too the water running off the slopes swells the streams and rivers until they break their banks.

1. Build a high wall around it with well-guarded gates at either end.

2. You get a wider view from a rounded tower; with the older, square towers, the enemy could creep up from behind without being seen.

3. Most castles were originally built for a garrison of soldiers, and only later enlarged to accommodate their families. They became the residence of the ruling families following the addition of a relatively comfortable residence.

4. These crenellations gave the archers and marksmen keeping guard some degree of cover, so that they had a better chance of shooting the enemy without being seen.

The Flatiron Building in New York, a triangular-shaped skyscraper built in 1902; The Gherkin, built by architect Norman Foster in the City of London, which resembles a stunted cucumber; also in London are the Razor, the Filing Cabinet, the Cheese Grater and the Shard.

Answers: Castello di Rivoli

1. Medieval, from the 9th to the 14th century; Baroque (18th century) was full of curly-wurly details.
2. Versailles, the palace of the French kings outside Paris.

Answer: La Venaria Reale

The Savoy kings were French; potager comes from French “potage”, meaning a thick soup.

1. So that the monks could be sure of peace and quiet. The Italian word “isola”, meaning island, is the root of the English word “isolation”.

2. 20.

3. China. Pictures of ancient Chinese emperors often show them carrying umbrellas or parasols. As well as protecting people from the sun, they were a sign of power.

1. For grinding herbs, spices, nuts and seasoning.

2. The force of the water’s movement drives the blades of a wheel or turbine, which in turn rotates an axle which drives the machinery.

3. Dibbers, used by gardeners to make holes in the soil to plant seeds and seedlings in; lamp and bell pulls; babies’ rattles; bowls and goblets.

4. Because pebbles were readily available in the area: fast-flowing mountain streams smooth stones until they become pebbles.

Answers: Galleria Nazionale di Palazzo Spinola

1. Monaco.
2. Grimaldi, Pallavicini, Doria or Spinola.

Answers: Museo di Archeologia Ligure

1. Bears, rhinoceroses, hyenas and lions, among others. They died out because the climate changed and it got too cold for them.
2. Cerberus.

1. Because the steep-sided mountains make traditional farming, including vegetable cultivation, impossible, so people learnt to cook with wild herbs and nuts.

2. Shelley, Byron and D H Lawrence were all drawn to this area.

3. To make it possible to plant vines.

4. To watch for Saracen pirates approaching from afar.