Big Ben is thenickname for the great bell of the

clock at the north end of the Palace of

Westminster in London

Big Ben was designed by

Charles Barry. The clock

and its dialswere designed

by Augustus Pugin.

The bell of 'Big Ben' weighs 14.5 tones.

It is the huge size of the bell that inspired

Benjamin Hall to give it the name

of Big Ben.

Big Ben was built to replace the Old Palace of Westminster, after it was destroyed by fire in

October 1834.

The tower was completed on 10 April 1858 and has become

one of the most prominent symbols of both

London and England

At the base of each clock face is a Latin inscription, in gilt letters. It reads - DOMINE SALVAM FAC REGINAM

NOSTRAM VICTORIAM PRIMAM, which means "O Lord, keep safe our Queen Victoria the First".

The bell of Clock Tower did not stop working even during World War 2.

The bell was named after the first

commissioner of works, Sir Benjamin

Hall.

The BBC first broadcast the chimes on the 31st December 1923

The clock on the tower is huge. Each of the clock faces is seven

meters wide.

The hour hands are about three meters long and the minute hands are about

four meters long.

The tower is 98 meters high

http://www.parliament.uk/visiting/online-tours/virtualtours/bigben-tour/