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Big Ben

- Big Ben is one of London’s best – known landmarks.
- It looks most spectacular at night, when the clock faces are illuminated.
- The name Big Ben actually does not refer to the clock tower itself, but to the thirteen ton bell.
- The bell was named after the first commissioned of work, Sir Benjamin Bell.
- You can know when parliament is in Session, because a light shines about the clock face.
- There are five bells in the clock tower about 200 feet from the ground. The most famous is the great bell Big Ben.
- In 1844, Parliament decided that the new buildings for the Houses of Parliament should have a tower and a clock.
- 1851 a designer was found who could fulfil this task. This was Edmund Dennison.
- On Saturday 10th April 1958, Big Ben was cast.
- The bells of the Great Clock of Westminster rang across London the first time there on 31st May 1859.
- Parliament had a special meeting, to decide on a suitably name for the great hour bell.
- At the end of this very long meeting, Sir Benjamin Hall, Chief Lord of the woods forests, sank lunch into his seat . The Members of parliament laughed : “ Why not call it Big Ben ?
- Two months after it went went into service, Big Ben cracked Big Ben was than out of service and for the next three years the larges of the quarter bells was stuck.
- A lighter hammer was put in. This is the bell as we hear it today.
- The tower is not open to the general public, but for those with special interest it can be arranged to visit the clock tower.

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