B I G B E N

Hi, Guys!,

Why is the London Clock Tower called BIG BEN? Although it is popularly believed that Big Ben is the name of the four faced clock which rises above the Houses of Parliament, this is not true. Big Ben is the name of the BELL which strikes every quarter of an hour.

However, it is also believed that Big Ben nickname comes from a small man who oversaw the installation of the Great Bell. the clock and whose name was Sir Benjamin Hall. So, from that moment onwards, the Clock Tower was called Big Ben.

This international British symbol rises above the Houses of Parliament. This clock tower was built at Westminster in 1288. In 1367, the first tower was replaced, and this became the first public shimming clock in England.

In 1834, the 16th October, there was a fire, a new present clock, Big Ben, was raise in a neo-gothic style.In 1840, the architect Charles Barry, started the construction of the new Palace of Westminster.

Its height: 96.3 metres and the bottom: 61 metres.

The Clock Tower is a focus of New Year celebrations in the United Kingdom. Last year, Big Ben celebrated its 150th anniversary.

If you want to go on reading about the history of the BIG BEN, you can watch the following videos.






Houses of Parliament and The Big Ben
Cargado por GiftTours. - Divertidos y exóticos vídeos de viaje.

If you are more interested or you'd like to visit this inside, please, click on: http://www.parliament.uk/visiting/visiting-and-tours/bigben/