Big Ben is one of the most recognizable landmarks in London. The famous tower of Parliament is popularly known as Big Ben, however, its real name is The Elizabeth Tower. Big Ben is actually the nickname given to The Great Bell housed within The Elizabeth Tower. The clock tower was installed in 1859 following a devastating fire that destroyed most of the Palace of Westminster in 1834. Architect Sir Charles Barry was invited to design the new clock tower, and materials for its construction came from all over the United Kingdom. When the first bell arrived at the Port of London, it was transferred across Westminster Bridge in a carriage pulled by 16 white horses. Before the bell was installed in the tower, it hung in New Palace Yard, and was tested each day until 17 October 1857 when a 1.2m crack appeared. A new, lighter bell was cast to replace the first, but it still weighed 13.7 metric tons. It took 30 hours to winch Big Ben into the tower’s belfry. Big Ben rang out for the first time on 11 July 1859, but its success was short-lived. In September 1859, the new bell also cracked and Big Ben was silent for four years. In 1863, a solution was found to Big Ben’s silence, and apart from occasional breakages, Big Ben has struck ever since. According to the original guidelines set in 1846 by Sir George Airey, the Astronomer Royal, Big Ben strikes on the hour with accuracy to within one second. The Great Bell and four quarter bells ring out the famous Westminster Chimes, a tune based on Handel’s ‘Messiah’. In 2012, the famous tower containing Big Ben previously called the “Clock Tower’, was renamed the ‘Elizabeth Tower’ in honor of Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee.
- Big Ben
- www.parliament.uk
- Underground: Westminster