The Clock Tower of the Palace of Westminster
- officially named Saint Stephen's Tower - is commonly known as the Big
Ben. The tower is one of London's most famous landmarks.
Big Ben
The clock inside the tower was the world's largest when it was installed
in the middle of the 19th century. The name Big Ben actually refers to
the clock's hour bell, the largest of the clock's five bells. The other
four are used as quarter bells.
Big Ben
There were two bells cast as the clock tower's hour bell. A first, 16
ton weighing bell was cast by John Warner and Sons in 1856. Since the
Clock Tower was not yet completed, the bell was hung temporarily in the
Palace Yard. The bell soon cracked so it was recast in 1858 in the
Whitechapel Bell Foundry as a 13.5 ton bell. Unfortunately soon after
this bell was placed in the belfry in July 1859, it cracked as well.
This time, instead of yet again recasting the bell, the crack was
repaired and a lighter hammer was used to prevent any more cracks.
The hour bell was probably named after Benjamin Hall, the First
Commissioner of Works. Some sources however claim the bell was named
after Benjamin Caunt, a British heavyweight boxing champion.
Clock face
The Clock
The clock was the largest in the world and is still the largest in
Great-Britain. The clock faces have a diameter of almost 25ft (7.5m).
The hour hand is 9ft or 2.7m long and the minute hand measures 14ft
(4.25m) long.
The clock is known for its reliability, it has rarely failed during its long life span. Even after the nearby House of Commons was destroyed by bombing during World War II, the clock kept on chiming. The clock's mechanism, designed by Edmund Beckett Denison, has a remarkable accuracy. The clock's rate is adjusted by simply adding small pennies on the shoulder of the pendulum.
The clock is known for its reliability, it has rarely failed during its long life span. Even after the nearby House of Commons was destroyed by bombing during World War II, the clock kept on chiming. The clock's mechanism, designed by Edmund Beckett Denison, has a remarkable accuracy. The clock's rate is adjusted by simply adding small pennies on the shoulder of the pendulum.
The Tower
The tower was constructed between 1843 and 1858 as the clock tower of
the Palace of Westminster. The palace is now better known as the Houses of Parliament.
The clock tower rises 316ft high (96m) and consists of a 200ft (61m) high brick shaft topped by a cast iron framed spire. The clock faces are 180ft / 55m above ground level.
The clock tower rises 316ft high (96m) and consists of a 200ft (61m) high brick shaft topped by a cast iron framed spire. The clock faces are 180ft / 55m above ground level.
Views
Unfortunately the clock tower is not publicly accessible, but if you're looking for views over London the London Eye and the Shard are currently the best options.
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