Big Ben in London - Clock Tower of Westminster Palace

What is it impossible to imagine good old England without? Legendary five-hour tea, Westminster Abbey, Tower of London and, of course, the famous Big Ben. It has long become something more than just a tourist symbol - the significance of this seemingly “just sight” for tourists and local residents can hardly be overestimated.

London symbol

Any high school graduate knows exactly where Big Ben is. Which, in general, is not surprising, because it is one of the symbols and a visiting card of London. Its importance is great not only for tourists, but also for the British themselves. An image of the famous tower serves as a splash screen for local news programs.

The New Year is celebrated to the sound of the legendary bell. It is also used when you need to announce a minute of silence. And, of course, Big Ben and filmmakers do not disregard - he appeared in almost all films about Great Britain and its capital.

History

Big Ben is the clock tower of Westminster Palace, built in the 13th century (the palace itself was erected two centuries earlier). True, it existed for a relatively short time, only 6 centuries. In 1834, a fire destroyed the building to the ground.

Quite quickly, already in 1858, a new Gothic tower was erected according to the project of the architect Augustus Pugin, which very quickly became the hallmark of England. After that, a real epic with a bell began - in several years it was rebuilt twice, until, finally, it was hoisted in its place, where it remains to this day.

Building

The construction of Big Ben was long and difficult. As they would say today - complex. A variety of specialists were involved in it. From renowned architects to astronomer and watchmaker.

Big Ben Clock Tower

The Big Ben Clock Tower is one of the most famous neo-Gothic buildings in England. Its author was the famous architect of the time, Augustus Pugin, who did a lot to make London what it is. Was it originally conceived or it happened by accident, but the tower is uneven. It is deviated from the vertical by 0.2 degrees. True, the small angle does not allow officially attributing it to falling, but nevertheless this fact takes place.

For a long time, anyone could climb Big Ben - from above, a dizzying view of the Thames and central London with its many attractions opens up. Today, only high-ranking guests and representatives of the press can overcome the cherished 334 steps, having received special permission.

Dials and movement

Big Ben watches deserve special attention. Today they are among the three largest four-sided striking watches in the world. The authors of the project were the astronomer George Airy, the architect Edmund Beckett, and the watchmaker Edward John Dent and his son, Frederick Dent, were able to realize the brilliant idea. The work was completed in 1854. True, the ceremonial launch took place much later - on May 31, 1859.

In order to understand the real size of the clock, it is enough to imagine that their 4-meter long pendulum weighs as much as 300 kilograms. At the same time, its accuracy is regulated using ordinary coins - if you put an old 1 penny coin on the pendulum, then the stroke will accelerate by 0.4 seconds per day. As for the entire movement as a whole, it weighs 5 tons. The diameter of the dial is 7 meters, the small hand is 2.7 meters, and the large hand is 4.2 meters. It is interesting that the hands are made of different materials: the small one is made of cast iron, and the large one is made of copper.

Each of the 4 dials is decorated in a neo-Gothic style and is decorated with an inscription in Latin - “Domine Salvam fac Reginam nostram Victoriam primam”, which means “God save our Queen Victoria the First” in Russian.

What is a bell

Another element, without which it is impossible to imagine Big Ben, is the bell. Its construction was completed only on the second attempt. The first, unsuccessful, weighed 16 tons and failed technical tests. After that, it was melted down into a slightly smaller size. It was he who solemnly sounded on May 31, 1859.

However, a few months later this 13-ton structure also burst. The authorities decided to abandon remelting and confine themselves to making a light hammer. The bell was turned towards it with its whole side - and it sounded again. This was the end of his "adventures".

About accuracy

Big Ben is not only one of the symbols of tourist London, but also the standard of reliability. The clock located on the tower is used to check the time throughout the country and in the world. Their accuracy is ensured by a unique three-stage mechanism designed by Edward John Dent.

The error of the mechanism is no more than 2 seconds per day. It can be "adjusted" by using a coin. Even in the age of scientific and technological progress, the watchman monitors the serviceability and accuracy of watches. This is one of the traditions that good old England is so proud of.

Coca-Cola London Eye Ticket - £ 24.30
Tower of London and Royal Treasure Exhibition Ticket - £ 26.80
Tower Bridge Ticket - £ 9.80
Westminster Abbey entrance ticket and audio guide - £ 20
Madame Tussauds ticket - £ 29
St Paul's Cathedral Fast Track Ticket - £ 16
Skyscraper "Shard" - entrance ticket and champagne - £ 24.95

Interesting Facts

There are many interesting facts and stories associated with Big Ben, which some do not even know about. Even the guides often do not have time to mention all the unusual and exciting moments.

1. The name Big Ben, known all over the world, is not official. According to official documents, until 2012 the tower was called the Clock Tower of Westminster Palace, and in 2012 it was renamed Elizabethan Tower. The British themselves often call Big Ben the Tower of St. Stephen.

2. The total height of Big Ben, from base to end of the spire, is 96.3 meters. So it is even higher than the New York Statue of Liberty.

3. The bell ringing of Big Ben was heard at a distance of 8 kilometers. Due to the design of the building, this sound is unique.

4. The chimes continued to sound even during the wars, they were "silent" only during the restoration of 1983-1985 and the planned repairs carried out in 2007 (of course, not counting the cases of unexpected breakdowns, which were eliminated rather quickly). On August 21, 2017 at 12-00 the bell struck for the last time - until 2021 Big Ben is closed for a major restoration.

5. "Silence" is also associated with tragic events in the life of England. For example, Big Ben was "silent" during the funeral of Margaret Thatcher.

6. In 2012, Big Ben was "off schedule." On the morning of July 27, the bell struck 40 times at once. In honor of the opening of the Olympic Games.

7. Fans of statistics calculated that the minute hands of Big Ben cover a solid 190 kilometers a year.

8. Big Ben is of official importance not only for England, but for the whole world. Officially, the New Year on the planet begins with the first sound of the bell on January 1. It is interesting that those who live in the area of ​​Westminster Abbey hear thirteen of his blows that night. This is because radio waves travel faster than sound.

9. For some time in the tower of Big Ben there was a prison where unwanted members of parliament were imprisoned.

10. In the 21st century, when technological progress reigns supreme, the watchman of Big Ben was almost fired for not noticing a 1 second lag. Another glitch, for as much as 4 minutes, was recorded in 1949. It was caused by birds perched on the arrow.

And finally, another interesting fact. Big Ben is the only attraction that has its own Twitter account. The tower does not "speak" much, its only word is "BONG" (the number of "bongs" depends on the time of day), but every hour.Thus, any Internet user, no matter where he is, becomes a listener of Big Ben without any problems.

Origin of name

Historians are still actively debating why one of the main symbols of London received such a name. According to one version, the chief architect in charge of construction, Benjamin Hall, was named Big Ben for his impressive build. After the completion of the work, he jokingly offered to name the architectural masterpiece in his honor. And, no matter how strange it may seem, the special commission listened to this option.

In addition to this, there is another version. If you believe her, then Big Ben is consonant with the name of heavyweight boxer Ben Kaant. True, neither one nor the other option has any documentary evidence, so which one to take as the truth, everyone decides for himself.

Where is it and how to get there

Big Ben is located in the very center of London, so it's almost impossible to walk past it. For those who are still afraid of getting lost, the exact address is: Palace of Westminster, Old Palace Yard, London SW1. You can get to the legendary tower by any city bus that goes to the Parliamentary Square stop, or the metro. The closest tube stations are Westminster (District Line) or Victoria (Jubilee Line).

Video: History of Big Ben

Big Ben in London on the map