Overview:

Big Ben is the nickname for the clock tower of the Palace of Westminster, the meeting place of the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It is also sometimes used to refer to the clock itself. The tower stands at the north end of the Palace of Westminster and was completed in 1859. It is 96 metres high and has become one of the most famous and instantly recognisable sights in the world. It houses a set of bells, which have rung out the hours over London life since 1859. The name 'Big Ben' is believed to have originated from the name of the chief commissioner responsible for ordering the clock appropriately Sir Benjamin Hall. You can learn history, culture, and heritage through these magnificent monuments in United-Kingdom
Prominent Features:

The most prominent feature of London, England is Big Ben, the clock tower officially named Elizabeth Tower, located at the north end of the Palace of Westminster. Since 1859, the tower has been a major part of the city skyline and has since become a symbol of the city and of the country, associated with London across the world. It is renowned for its central role in the yearly celebrations for New Year's Eve and is even used to help individuals around the world keep track of the passage of time since it is so accurate. The tower is composed of a clock face with a diameter of 7 metres (23 feet). The tower stands at 96 metres (315 feet) tall and houses four bells which are sounded every 15 minutes. The complex mechanism of the clock has undergone several changes and improvements over the years, allowing it to remain as accurate as modern technology can allow for. This national monument of United-Kingdom portrays the history and culture of the country.

History:

Big Ben, one of London's most iconic landmarks, is actually the Great Bell housed inside Elizabeth Tower at the north end of the Palace of Westminster. Its chimes have been heard around London since 1859, when the bell officially began ringing. Big Ben's story begins in 1834 when fire destroyed much of the Palace of Westminster. Edward Blore, the designer of the new palace, built a bell tower to replace the original one destroyed by fire. It was completed in 1859 and became known as the Great Bell Tower. The Great Bell of Big Ben was cast in early 1858 at the Whitechapel Foundry. It weighs 13.8 tons and is made of a bell metal alloy containing 70% copper and 25% tin. The bell was so big and heavy that it had to be put in place by laying a withe, a type of rope, across the river Thames and attaching it to a steam engine on either side. On the 11th of July 1859 Big Ben rang for the first time, striking the hour of midnight. In 1871, stormy weather severed the bell's clapper and it fell silent for eight months. A new clapper was cast and it began ringing again, but on a reduced basis due to concerns about the stress it was putting on the tower. In 1976, it stopped chiming altogether due to restoration work on the tower. It resumed its duties in April of the following year. Big Ben has been silent for major events like the funeral of Winston Churchill in 1965 and Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997. But its tones continue to bring comfort and familiarity to Londoners, marking both celebratory and somber occasions. Its story is emblematic of the city it serves— a place that never stops changing yet remains iconic in its own right. You must visit one of these historical places in United-Kingdom on your United-Kingdom tour

Interesting facts:

1. Big Ben is actually the nickname for the great bell of the clock at the north end of the Palace of Westminster in London and is usually extended to refer to the clock and the clock tower. 2. The official name of the tower is Elizabeth Tower, renamed in 2012 in recognition of Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee. 3. Big Ben is the largest of the five bells in the tower and is also the largest four-faced chiming clock in the world. 4. The Great Clock was the inspiration of Edmund Beckett Denison, a noted horologist and civic lawyer. 5. The bell weighs 13.7 tons and was cast by George Mears at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry in 1858. 6. The clock’s first chime came on 11 July of that year from the then 96-metre-high Elizabeth Tower. 7. It chimes on the hour, every hour, and it can be heard within an 8 km radius. 8. At first, the clock was the most accurate of its kind in the world, usually losing only a second a day. 9. In the 1870s, delays of up to four minutes at a time were observed. 10. The four clock dials have a diameter of 7 meters and are made of cast iron. 11. Each dial is composed of 312 pieces of opal glass. 12. The tower was designed by Augustus Pugin and the clock was started on May 31, 1859. Visit one of the famous monuments of United-Kingdom with your friends and family.