Big Ben in London – history, photo, description, how to get there, map
Without what it is impossible to imagine the good old England? The legendary five o'clock 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 value of this seemingly “just a sight” for tourists and local residents is difficult to overestimate.
Symbol of London
Any high school graduate knows exactly where Big Ben is. Which, in general, is not surprising, because it is one of the symbols and visiting card of London. Its importance is great not only for tourists, but also for the British themselves. The image of the famous tower serves as a screensaver for local news programs.
The New Year is celebrated to the sound of the legendary bell. It is also used when you need to declare a moment of silence. And, of course, filmmakers do not leave Big Ben unattended – it has appeared in almost all films about Great Britain and its capital.
Story
Big Ben is the clock tower of the Palace of Westminster, 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 the bell began – in a few years it was rebuilt twice, until, finally, it was erected in its place, where it remains to this day.
Building
The construction of Big Ben was long and complicated. As they would say today – complex. A variety of specialists were involved in it. From renowned architects to astronomers and watchmakers.
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. It was conceived initially or it happened by chance, but the tower stands unevenly. It is deviated from the vertical by 0.2 degrees. True, a small angle does not allow officially classifying it as falling, but still this fact takes place.
For a long time, anyone could climb Big Ben – from above, a dizzying view of the banks of the Thames and the central part of London with its many sights opens up. Today, only high-ranking guests and representatives of the press can overcome the treasured 334 steps, having received special permission.
Dials and clockwork
The Big Ben clock deserves special attention. Today they are among the three largest four-sided striking clocks in the world. The authors of the project were astronomer George Airy, architect Edmund Beckett, and watchmaker Edward John Dent and his son, Frederick Dent, were able to realize the brilliant idea. The work was completed in 1854. True, the solemn 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 its 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 coin of 1 penny on the pendulum, then the move will accelerate by 0.4 seconds per day. As for the entire clock mechanism as a whole, it weighs 5 tons. The diameter of the dial is 7 meters, the small hand is 2.7 meters, 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 neo-Gothic style and is decorated with an inscription in Latin – “Domine Salvam fac Reginam nostram Victoriam primam”, which in Russian means “God save our Queen Victoria the First”.
What is a bell
Another element without which it is impossible to imagine Big Ben is a bell. Its construction was completed only on the second attempt. The first, unsuccessful, weighed 16 tons and did not pass technical tests. After that, it was melted down into a slightly smaller one. 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 the smelting and limit themselves to the manufacture of a light hammer. The bell was turned to him with its whole side – and it sounded again. That was the end of his “adventure”.
About Accuracy
Big Ben is not only one of the symbols of tourist London, but also a standard of reliability. The clock located on the tower checks the time throughout the country, and in the world. Their accuracy is ensured by a unique three-stage mechanism developed by Edward John Dent.
The error of the mechanism is no more than 2 seconds per day. You can “adjust” it with a coin. Even in the age of scientific and technological progress, the caretaker monitors the serviceability and accuracy of watches. This is one of the traditions that good old England is so proud of.
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Interesting Facts
A lot of interesting facts and stories are connected with Big Ben, which some people don't even know about. Even tour guides often do not have time to mention all the unusual and fascinating moments.
1 The world-famous name Big Ben is not official. According to official documents, until 2012 the tower was called the Clock Tower of the Palace of Westminster, and in 2012 it was renamed the Elizabethan Tower. The British themselves often call Big Ben St. Stephen's Tower.
2 The total height of Big Ben, from the base to the end of the spire, is 96.3 meters. So it is even taller 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 features of the structure, 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 scheduled 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. So, for example, Big Ben was “silent” during the funeral of Margaret Thatcher.
6 In 2012, Big Ben “departed from the 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 considered that the minute hands of Big Ben cover a solid path of 190 kilometers in a year.
8 Big Ben has official significance not only for England, but for the whole world. Officially, the New Year on the planet begins with the first strike of the bell on January 1st. Interestingly, those who live in the area of Westminster Abbey hear thirteen of his strokes that night. This is because radio waves travel faster than sound.
9 For some time, the Big Ben tower housed a prison where objectionable members of parliament were imprisoned.
10 In the 21st century, when technological progress reigns, the watchman at Big Ben almost got fired for not noticing a delay of 1 second. Another failure, for as much as 4 minutes, was recorded in 1949. Its cause was the birds that landed on the arrow.
And finally, another interesting fact. Big Ben is the only attraction that has its own Twitter account. The tower does not “talk” 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 Big Ben listener without any problems.
origin of name
About why one of the main symbols of London got such a name, historians are still actively arguing. According to one version, Benjamin Hall, the chief architect in charge of the construction, was called Big Ben for his impressive physique. 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, a special commission listened to this option.
In addition to this, there is another version. If you believe her, then the name of heavyweight boxer Ben Kaant is consonant with Big Ben. True, neither one nor the other option has any documentary evidence, so which one to accept as the truth, everyone decides for himself.
Where is it located and how to get there
Big Ben is located in the very center of London, so it is almost impossible to pass by 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 Parliament Square stop, or the metro. The nearest underground stations are Westminster (District line) or Victoria (Jubilee line).