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Big Ben Clock

Click here for fullscreen Big Ben virtual tour

The Big Ben Clock, is actually a misnomer; it is the bell inside structure that is named

Big Ben. What many people call Big Ben Clock Tower was actually named the ClockTower or Saint Stephens Tower. Nonetheless, most people know the entire structure asBig Ben in London. To mark the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II's 60 year reign as

Queen, the tower was renamedElizabeth Towerin 2012.

Big Ben

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Big Ben HotelsBig Ben History

Famous around the world for keeping impeccable time, the Big Ben Clock became fully

operational on September 7, 1859. Ben Ben in London is used to ring in the city'sNew

Yearand is a rallying point for the New Year's celebration of the entire country of

England. The BBC also broadcasts the chiming of the bells on Remembrance Day tomark the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, which was the time

and date of the Armistice that ended World War I. A famous symbol ofParliamentandall things English throughout the world, the Big Ben Clock Tower is visible from many

locations inLondonand just about all visitors return home with at least one photograph

of the landmark.

As stated, Big Ben in London refers to the bell housed within the tower. The bell itself

weighs almost 14 tons, and probably takes its name from the man who first ordered it

cast, Sir Benjamin Hall. The four faces of the Big Ben Clock are each 23 feet in diameter,and the clock was biggest of its kind when it was constructed. It remains the largest clock

in Great Britain. The hour hands are nine feet long, and the minute hands are 14 feet long.The entire tower is 316 feet high. Certain pieces of the clock face have been designed foreasy removal, to allow for cleaning and maintenance of the hands. Remarkably durable,

the clock continued to chime and to run accurately during World War II - even after

Parliament was nearly destroyed by the bombs of the Blitz.

At the base of each clock face of Big Ben in London is a Latin inscription meaning,

"Lord save our Queen Victoria I," since the Big Ben Clock Tower and the adjoiningWestminster Palacewere constructed during that Queen's reign. Today, the Palace of

Westminster houses British Parliament sessions, and tourists can even view a session of

Parliament for free. Over the years,Big Ben historyhas also come to include the

changing of the tower itself. Due to ground conditions, the Big Ben Clock Tower nowleans slightly to the Northwest, and also moves back and forth by a few millimeters each

year. Though the clock has experienced slowing at various times through its history, the

clock's legendary accuracy is maintained by placing pennies on the pendulum. Theengineering of the clock is such that the actual mechanisms of the clock itself are well

protected from climate changes and harsh weather.

UK citizens can climb the tower (all 334 steps) only by having advance reservations

arranged by their Member of Parliament. Non UK citizens are only allowed to visit the

Houses of Parliament - not climb the tower. The very best views of the Big Ben Clock

Tower are from a boat on a Thames Rivercruiseor from atop theLondon EyeMillennium Wheelacross the river.

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Big Ben

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New:Photos of Big Ben

When most people heat the words "Big Ben" they immediately conjure

up an image of the striking Victorian Gothic structure of the clock

tower of the Palace of Westminster (the Houses of Parliament). Let's

clear up a common misconception first; technically speaking, the name"Big Ben" does not refer to the famous tower, nor to the four huge

clock faces of this London landmark; instead, it refers to the largest ofthe five bells inside the clock tower, whose chimes are such a familiar

sound to listeners to BBC radio over the years.

The tower was begun following the disastrous fire which destroyed the old Palace of

Westminster in 1834. Charles Barry was given the contract to rebuild the Palace, and his

designs included a clock tower.

The Tower

The clock tower of the Palace of Westminster took 13 years to build, and was completedin 1856. The tower is 316 feet high. The spire that rises above the belfry is built with an

iron frame, and it is this frame which supports the weight of the bells. A staircase rises up

inside the tower, and a climb is rewarded by excellent views from the belfry level.

Several small rooms are built into the lower part of the tower, including a small prisoncell.

The ClocksThe cast iron frame of the clock face was designed byAW Pugin, who was responsible

for much of the Gothic decorative elements of the Palace of Westminster. The dials are

23 feet in diameter and the faces themselves are not solid, but is composed of many small

pieces of opal glass, assembled like a stained glass window. Several of the central piecesof glass can be removed to allow inspection of the hands from inside the clock tower. The

numbers on the clock faces are each two feet high. An inscription in Latin below each

clock face translates as "God save our Queen Victoria I".

At the time of its construction the clock mechanism was easily the largest in the world,and it is still among the largest today. The clock mechanism, designed by Edmund

Beckett Denison, has proven to be remarkably accurate over the years, allowing small

adjustments to the clock's rate to be made by placing pennies on a small shoulder of theclock's pendulum!

The Hour Bell

Big Ben - the hour bell - is said to have been named after Sir Benjamin Hall,Commissioner of Works, who was known for his bulk, as is the bell! The first Big Ben

hour bell was complete before the tower, so the bell was hung in New Palace Yard. After

repeated public ringing the bell cracked, and had to be replaced by the current bell.

Facts and figuresThe hour bell of Big Ben is 8 feet in diameter, weighs 13.5 tons, and

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was cast in 1858 by George Mears of the Whitechapel Bell foundry.

The bell had to be placed in a special wooden frame, turned on its side, and hoisted up thecentre of the tower to the belfry. So heavy was Big Ben that the process took over 36

hours to complete. The bell began ringing the hours in July of 1859, but it cracked afteronly two months of use. Instead of recasting the bell, it was simply given a quarter turn,

and a lighter hammer was used to strike the hours.

The ChimesThe first BBC radio broadcast of the Big Ben chimes was on New Year's Eve, 1923.

Later, permanent microphones were placed in the tower, and the sound of Big Ben

became a familiar one to listeners, assuming great significance during WWII, when thechimes became a symbol of hope and home to BBC World Service listeners around theworld.

The best time to see Big Ben may be at night, when the clock faces are illuminated, as isthe facade of the Palace of Westminster facing the Thames. The effect from Westminster

Bridge or the far bank of the Thames can be breathtaking.

Tours

For information on availability of tours of the Clock Tower and of Parliament, see the

officialParliament UK website.

Location

Palace of WestminsterHouse of Commons

LondonSW1A 0AA

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