Big Ben is one of the most famous and favorite spots in all of London. It was built to honor Queen Victoria in the mid-19th century. It still serves its purpose to this day, with its bells tolling each 15 minutes. The Big Ben stands tall and proud as a part of the Palace of Westminster. The tower was built in gothic style, standing at 96 meters tall, with the top having four clocks on each side of the tower.Construction of the tower ended in 1856, the design being the idea of Charles Barry and Augustus Pugin. Construction efforts lasted for 13 years, with 2600 square meters of brick and 850 square meters of stone being used for the tower’s completion. The clock started moving on 31st May, 1859.
When we think of Big Ben, we imagine the tall tower of the British parliament building. However, Big Ben is actually the name of the huge bell inside the clock, weighing in at 13.7 tons, while the hammer that hits it is 441 kilograms heavy. There are four clocks on each side of the tower’s top.
The clock on the tower is one of the most reliable in the world, not stopping for rain, wind or snow. It even kept tolling during the bombing raids of World War Two. Although it is rare for the clock mechanism to stop, the inhabitants of London still remember the year 1962, when at New Year’s Eve the clock was 10 minutes late, postponing the celebration of the coming of the new year.
Ticket price for Big Ben and Elizabeth Tower
The Tower and Big Ben are currently under construction. It should be open to the public again at the end of 2021.
Visitors should keep in mind that they must book a visit to Big Ben in advance. It is also important that visitors are in good physical condition because it is necessary to climb 350 steps.
