Elizabeth Tower, originally named the Clock Tower, and popularly known as "Big Ben", was built as a part of Charles Barry's design for a new Palace of Westminster after the old palace was largely destroyed by fire on 16 October 1834.
Big Ben is a tower clock known for its accuracy and for its massive hour bell. Strictly speaking, the name refers only to the bell, which weighs 15.1 tons (13.7 metric tons), but it is commonly associated with the whole clock tower at the northern end of the Houses of Parliament, in the London borough of Westminster.
Think of Britain's capital and the first image that springs to mind is Big Ben, the iconic London clock tower of the Houses of Parliament in Westminster. Originally the site of the royal palace of London, Westminster is now the seat of governance and the bastion of British democracy.
What nickname is given to the clock located in London?
Big Ben is the nickname for the great bell of the clock at the north end of the Palace of Westminster and is generally extended to refer to the clock or the clock tower as well. It is the largest four-faced chiming clock and the third-tallest free-standing clock tower in the world.
Officially renamed the Elizabeth Tower to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee (prior to 2012 it was known as simply the 'Clock Tower') it stands 315 feet high (96 meters) and holds the second largest four-faced chiming clock in the world (Minneapolis City Hall has the first).
What is Big Ben? The Houses of Parliament and Elizabeth Tower, commonly called Big Ben, are among London's most iconic landmarks and must-see London attractions. Technically, Big Ben is the name given to the massive bell inside the clock tower, which weighs more than 13 tons (13,760 kg).
Big Ben is probably the world's most famous clock. That iconic silhouette is instantly recognisable and is one of the most Instagrammed landmarks on the planet. Six monarchs and 41 prime ministers have come and gone since the bells first struck their now familiar music across Westminster.
Prior to 1972, this time was called Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) but is now referred to as Coordinated Universal Time or Universal Time Coordinated (UTC). It is a coordinated time scale, maintained by the Bureau International des Poids et Mesures (BIPM).
American “street” or “post” clocks were an early form of advertisement adapted from popular public clocks of Victorian England. They first appeared in the eastern United States about 1870.
2012: The Clock Tower is renamed the Elizabeth Tower to honour HM Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee. 2017: The largest and most extensive conservation of the Elizabeth Tower begins to preserve the clock tower for future generations.
The tower itself was previously known as 'The Clock Tower', but in 2012 it was renamed Elizabeth Tower to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee.
Visitors must be aged 11 and over and be comfortable climbing 334 steps and experiencing high noise levels from the clock mechanism and bells - earplugs will be provided. The total tour duration is 90 minutes and toilet facilities are available at the beginning and end of the tour only.
Explore the history of one of the most iconic buildings in the world: the Elizabeth Tower – or as you probably know it: Big Ben. Find out which clock tower in the north of England inspired its design, and what all the different symbols found on the tower mean.
In the UK, once summer is over the clocks change back in order to revert to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). A campaign at the beginning of the 20th century successfully argued in favour of changing the clocks during the summer months to avoid wasting time in the morning.
Opposite the Banqueting House the archway of Horse Guards Parade carries a clock. On this face at 2 pm is a black mark, which, it is said, commemorates the death of Charles I. The time of execution had been set for early in the morning but a delay meant it actually took place at 2 pm.
The Abbey bells are rung for major church festivals, saints' days, Royal and Abbey anniversaries, civic events and for special services. Ringing takes place at the end of a service except when the Monarch attends when the bells are also rung beforehand.
The London cathedral's bronze bell, weighing over 16 tons, is the largest bell ever cast in the British Isles. LONDON — The history of Great Paul, the St. Paul's Cathedral bell that was rung for a service commemorating Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee celebration on Friday, is one of toil and grandeur.
There were two main reasons for the choice. The first was the fact that the USA had already chosen Greenwich as the basis for its own national time zone system. The second was that in the late 19th century, 72% of the world's commerce depended on sea-charts which used Greenwich as the Prime Meridian.
The recommendation was based on the argument that naming Greenwich as Longitude 0º would be of advantage to the largest number of people. As the reference for GMT, the Prime Meridian at Greenwich therefore became the centre of world time and the basis for the global system of time zones.
Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), the name for mean solar time of the longitude (0°) of the Royal Greenwich Observatory in England. The meridian at this longitude is called the prime meridian or Greenwich meridian.
Eastgate and Eastgate Clock in Chester, Cheshire, England, stand on the site of the original entrance to the Roman fortress of Deva Victrix. It is a prominent landmark in the city of Chester and is said to be the most photographed clock in England after Big Ben.
The clock, which is located in Salisbury Cathedral in southern England, was commissioned by Bishop Erghum and dates from about 1386. There was apparently a mechanical clock already working in Milan, Italy, by 1335, but the Salisbury clock is the oldest of its kind known to still be working.
