As part of the ongoing conservation work, a lift will be installed to improve accessibility to some areas of the clock tower. There are 334 steps in the Queen Elizabeth clock tower which take you up to view the clock, the mechanism and the bell.
#COOL FACTS ABOUT BIG BEN CRACKED#
July 1859 Bell chimes for the first time but it becomes cracked in September and repairs meant it did not ring out regularly until 1862.1859 Construction of the clock tower completed, the bell having been winched into the belfry in October 1858.August 1856 Big Ben bell cast in Stockton-on-Tees by Warners of Norton and shipped to London by sea.September 1843 Foundation for the new clock tower laid.The clock tower is leaning, though not quite like the one at Pisa, as it is at about 0.26 degrees and no problems from this are foreseen for the tower for thousands of years.In August 1949 a flock of starlings landed and perched on one of the minute hands, making the clock lose nearly five minutes of time.The bell weighs a whopping 13.7 tons and is 2.2 meters tall and 2.7 meters in diameter.It is believed the bell is named after the first Commissioner of Public Works Sir Benjamin Hall, or after a champion heavyweight boxer called Benjamin Caunt.Although known everywhere as Big Ben the original official name for the bell was the Great Bell.
See the debating chambers and lobbies as well as St Stephen’s Hall, before heading on to the historic Westminster Hall with its incredible hammer-beam roof. The seat of British Government, the Houses of Parliament are steeped in history and audio and guided tours will lead you around some of the most important areas in these famous buildings. The clock tower housing Big Ben is located at the north end of the Houses of Parliament. Note the light bulbs on the wall behind each clock face which allow for the spectacular lighting effect at night. You can visit each of the four clock faces you only usually get to see see from afar down on the London streets. Before heading to the belfry you can walk around the inside perimeter of the tower. In 2012 the clock tower housing Big Ben changed name to the Queen Elizabeth tower to mark the Queen’s Diamond jubilee. As you walk around the belfry the views across London are spectacular. The main Big Ben bell chimes only on the hour and with ear protectors to hand you can enjoy the thrill of hearing its famous sound from just a few feet away. By heading up to the belfry you will have the unique chance of seeing this famous bell up close. Although the whole clock tower has come to be called Big Ben, it was originally the bell which was given this name.
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