Big Ben

Big Ben is a nickname of Elizabeth Tower, previously called the Clock Tower and it is a part of Westminster Palace. It is unmissable landmark  and widely recognizable symbol of London and the UK in general. The tower has four clock faces one on each side of the tower, so passersbys can check the time from any location around it.

Quick facts

• Name: Big Ben, Great Bell, Elizabeth Tower
• Location: London, UK
• Opened 1859
• Type of attraction: Architectural/Clock Tower
• Ticket price: Free

It was built in 19th century during the renovation effort of the old Palace of Westminster that was largely destroyed by fire in 1834. It was original designed by the architect Charles Barry but finalized by Augustus Pugin in neo-gothic style, similar to Scarisbrick Hall in Lancashire.

It is believed Big Ben was named after Sir Benjamin Hall, First Commissioner for Works, whose name is inscribed on the bell. Others claim that the bell was named after Ben Caunt, a champion heavyweight boxer.

Big Ben chimed for the first time on July 11, 1859 but it would not ring for long. That September, a crack caused it to fall silent for four years. It has since been quietened on other occasions.

For seven weeks in 2007 its chimes were snuffed out so repairs could be made. It also fell silent during nine months of repairs in 1976.

Current renovation and restoration works are set to complete by 2022.

This Neo-Gothic style building was designed by Augustus Pugin, who employed architectural influences such as the gothic. As the largest and most accurate four-faced striking and chiming clock in the world was completed in 1859, this was the largest and most accurate striking and chiming clock in the world. The tower stands at a height of 316 feet (96 m), and it consists of 334 steps from ground level to the belfry. It is square with a base measuring 40 feet (12 m) on each side. The dials on the clock are 6.9 meters (22.5 feet) in diameter.

Shields showing the symbols of all four nations of the UK, each with a rose for England, a thistle for Scotland, a shamrock for Northern Ireland, and a leek for Wales, are displayed on the tower. Tens of thousands of people were on hand to celebrate the tower’s 150th anniversary on 31 May 2009.

In popular culture, the clock has become a popular symbol of the United Kingdom, and especially in the visual media. A common method of indicating a country location for a television or film producer is to have a black cab in the foreground of a scene as well as a red double-decker bus, as used in the opening credits of the hit British television show “Downton Abbey.”

Today, Big Ben is one of the most recognizable landmark of both London and United Kingdom.

Interesting facts about Big Ben

Here are some interesting facts about this famous landmark:

• Bells chime every fifteen minutes (not during renovation).
• The hour hands are 9 feet long, the minute hands are 14 feet long.
• The clock mechanism was designed by Edmund Beckett Denison, who was not a clockmaker, but a lawyer.

Read more: Interesting facts about Big Ben