Big Ben is London's most recognizable landmark. It rises 96 meters above the streets and boasts 4 of the largest watch faces in the world. You might be surprised, but this massive clock tower officially has a completely different name.
Big Ben is part of the Palace of Westminster and is located in the heart of London, within walking distance of other popular attractions such as the London Eye, Downing Street, House of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, etc. Westminster or Waterloo.
History
Big Ben owes its birth to an accidental fire that occurred in 1834 at Westminster Palace. A large-scale competition was held to restore the part of the building destroyed by fire, in which the British architect Charles Barry was selected from among 96 other applicants. Since the clock tower was not in the original design, Barry turned to Augustus Pugin for help, and it was added to the plan in 1836. The parliament was built in the neo-Gothic style, the foundation for the tower was laid on September 28, 1843, and construction work, 5 years behind schedule, was completed in 1859.
Bell
Contrary to popular belief, the name Big Ben does not belong to the tower, but to the bell installed inside the structure. The prototype bell was released in 1856, weighed 16 tons and was so heavy that it cracked during the testing phase. The current version weighs 13.5 tons; for its safety, the developers installed a hammer made of a lighter material, which gives Big Ben a special sound.
Nobody knows exactly where the name Big Ben came from. According to one theory, he bears the name of a high-ranking politician - Benjamin Hall, who oversaw the installation of the bell. Another theory says that the bell is named after Benjamin Count, a professional heavyweight boxer who won several boxing matches in those days and was widely known to the public. In any case, although the tower has several alternative names, including Big Tom, the Great Clock of Westminster, the Clock Tower and, most recently, Elizabeth's Tower, people around the world call it Big Ben.
Clock
Edward John Dent was appointed the creator of the watch movement. Unfortunately, he died in 1853 and his nephew completed the work.
A tremendous work was done by the craftsmen - to this day, the clock on the Elizabeth Tower is the most accurate and largest mechanical clock in the world. Each dial, 7 meters in diameter, consists of 312 pieces of white glass that can be removed and replaced if necessary. The clockwork weighs 5 tons, so 6 people were required to start the motor before installing the motor.
During its existence, the watch was let down only once: in 1962, due to a record low temperature, the hands froze, slowing down the clock by as much as 10 minutes.
Interesting Facts
- In addition to the largest bell, Big Ben, which rings once an hour, there are 4 smaller bells. They ring every 15 minutes, and each quarter of an hour has its own ringing track.
- There is no lift inside Big Ben. Those wishing to climb to the top must go through 340 steps, which is equivalent to climbing the 16th floor.
- Each year, the Big Ben tower tilts a few millimeters in the northwest direction, and one day it may fall directly onto the Houses of Parliament, which is located across the road.
- The accuracy of the watch is adjusted using a penny. Putting a coin on the pendulum, you can slow down the clock by 0.4 seconds during the day.
- The sound of the chimes of the tower can be heard within a radius of 8 kilometers.
Probably the most recognizable watch in the world, Big Ben is the epitome of English precision and pedantry, and is rightfully considered the hallmark of London and the UK.
