This colossal clock that you hear on every occasion is nearly 200 years old.The construction of Big Ben started in 1844 along with the Clock Tower. Back then, it was considered to be the biggest clock with four clock faces in the world.In 1834, the old Palace of Westminster was destroyed due to fire, and the contract for designing the new Houses of Parliament went to Sir Charles Barry. The initial design for this construction did not include either the Clock Tower or Big Ben. It was in 1844, that the UK Parliament decided to build a remarkable clock tower with a gigantic four-faced clock.The clock mechanism of Big Ben was specified by Astronomer George Airy, and it was designed by Edmund Beckett Denison, then a lawyer and amateur horologist. The chimes of Big Ben were first heard on July 11, 1859.Facts About Big BenA landmark this old and this popular is entitled to have thousands of secrets that are not known to ordinary people. So, let’s learn some facts about Big Ben.The first thing that you should know is that the Clock Tower is not called Big Ben, it is the hour bell that hangs inside it. The name of the Tower is Westminster Clock Tower. However, in 2012 the UK Parliament renamed it to Elizabeth Tower in honor of Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee reign.Initially, it was decided that the hour bell would be named after Queen Victoria. However, it is believed that an MP proposed the name ‘Big Ben’ during a Parliamentary debate, and since then the bell has been called by this name.The first bell designed by Denison could not pass the testing period and ended up having a crack of significant size. After this, a second bell was cast by a different company, which also cracked after three months, but it was repaired later and is in use till today. This second bell is known as Big Ben. After Big Ben cracked, a new lighter hammer replaced the old heavy hammer. Since then it is still in use.Under the clock face of Elizabeth Tower, there are some Latin words that read: ‘DOMINE SALVAM FAC REGINAM NOSTRAM VICTORIAM PRIMAM’. A mere translation of this line would be: ‘O Lord, keep safe our Queen Victoria the First’.During the Second World War (1939-1945), the Clock Tower did not illuminate for a single day, due to the blackout regulation of the British government. It was again re-illuminated in 1945 once the war was over. During this period a bomb hit the Houses of Parliament, but it could neither destroy the Clock Tower nor could it stop Big Ben from chiming on time.The clock dials on the Elizabeth Tower are illuminated every time the Parliament is in session. Each of these dials is made of 312 pieces of glass.Big Ben HistoryBig Ben has a rich history that starts from the second half of the 19th century. Over the years it has become culturally significant and is now considered to be one of the most important landmarks in the United Kingdom.Interestingly the first design for the Houses of Parliament did not include the Clock Tower. It was later added when the UK Parliament passed a bill for constructing a magnificent tower on the northern extremity of the Parliament houses.Big Ben chimes were broadcast all over the UK for the first time in 1923 by BBC Radio. Since then the clock chimes have been broadcast every year to mark the starting of a new year and also on Remembrance Sunday.On July 11, 1859, Big Ben struck for the first time. However, the bell cracked after three months and was out of use till 1962. Then it was repaired again, and the old heavy hammer was replaced by a new lighter one to avoid further damage.Big Ben SizeBig Ben and Elizabeth Tower both are mainly known for their incomparable beauty and gigantic size.It is said that people living thousands of miles away can hear Big Ben chimes on the radio before a person standing below the tower. Such is its size. It is almost 315 ft (96 m) tall, with a long 334-step journey from the ground to the Belfry. Climb another 55 steps and you will reach the Ayrton Light that illuminates the clock faces when the Parliament sits.From a distance, they may seem normal, but the clock dials are almost 23 ft (7 m) in diameter. The clock hands are also gigantic in size and are made of metal sheets. While the minute hands are about 14 ft (4.2 m) long and weigh about 220 lb (99.7 kg), the length of the hour hands are about 9 ft (2.7 m), and they weigh over 661 lb (299.8 kg).The clock mechanism is the most important part of the clock that keeps Big Ben running and striking. It weighs more than 1,1023.1 lb (5,000 kg), is about 15.5 ft (4.7 m) long and 4.6 ft (1.4 m) wide.The pendulum of the Big Ben clock weighs more than 683 lb (309.8 kg) and is about 14.5 ft (4.4 m) long. The tower itself was made of almost 15,892 cu ft (450 cu m) of stone and 91,818 cu ft (2,600 cu m) of brick.Apart from the great bell, Big Ben, the Clock Tower also consists of four quarter bells. These bells chime on different notes, such as G sharp, F sharp, E, and B. Also, the swing and balance of the pendulum are maintained with the help of coins.Big Ben Replica ClocksThe fame of Big Ben and the great clock of the Elizabeth tower has not been restricted to the UK alone. All over the world, there are many replicas of this tower that can be found.One of the most famous replicas of the Clock Tower is situated in Kolkata, India. Kolkata is the third most popular metropolis in India with more than 15 million population. Like the original one, you can also see this one illuminated on New Year’s Eve, and on certain other occasions, especially at night.The next one is in the unofficial gas capital of Russia, Surgut. If you ever go on a tour to Surgut, don’t forget to visit this indisputable replica of the Great Clock Tower.Another very popular replica of the Clock Tower is in one of the oldest cities of China, Ningbo. The history of the city goes back to 6300 BC, and today it is considered to be one of the major industrial powerhouses and urban centers of the country.It is very natural that Orlando, being the American capital of architectural mimicry, will have a replica of the world’s most famous clock tower.Finally, being one of the most significant cities of the 21st century, Dubai also has a replica of the famous Clock Tower.
This colossal clock that you hear on every occasion is nearly 200 years old.
