Big Ben – History
When the Westminster Palace was destroyed by fire in 1834, it needed a serious reconstruction and huge renovation. Charles Barry was hired to design the Palace’s new look, he decided it to be in neo-Gothic style. He along with Augustus Welby Pugin completed the design and also included a clock tower at the northern end of the Palace. On 28th September 1843, they laid the foundation stone for the clock tower. The tender to the making of the clock tower led to disputes between many famous clockmakers.
So, in 1846, Sir George Airy hosted a competition as a referee to decide who will gain the tender to the clock tower, as a result, Edward John Kent turned out victorious and by 1854 completed the clock mechanism for the clock tower. With the clock mechanism being ready, the clock tower needed a bell which is when they cast a 16 tons bell that was named Big Ben but it was damaged during a test run in 1857 so then it was reshaped with a reduced weight of 13.5 tons.
On 31st May 1859, the tower work was completed and the bell was installed. It was 11 July, the same year, when Big Ben first chimed. By September, it was again damaged and was shut for the next 3 years. During that time, the hour chiming was made with one of the quarter bells. In 1863, To Sir George Airy’s Idea, the size of the striking hammer was reduced and the bell was turned 90˚ so that the hammer strikes the bell in a different spot. Again the Hourly heavy chiming continued this time with a slightly different tone.
Where is Big Ben? – History, Location, Facts
Hola, guys! This year is 2022 and will fade soon same as these past years. The Pandemic turned the world around. These days’ time passes just like water does in one’s palm. Oh well! Talking about the time just made me remember Big Ben. Now if you haven’t heard about it, let me guide you further into the knowledge. Big Ben is the popular striking clock of the North. It stands in London with the dignity of 163 years.
However, the name ‘Big Ben’ was never given to the tower nor the clock but instead to the largest of the five bells behind the clock faces. So, ‘Big ben’ was originally the title for the bell but the vastness of the World and drifting time eventually led to the acknowledgment of the Whole tower as Big Ben. That is why in this article we are going to study both the Bell and the Tower as a whole.
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