Big Ben

"El lenguaje es el vestido de los pensamientos" (Samuel Johnson)


Hi! I'm Samira Medellin. Today we're going to talk about: The Big Ben. A cultural symbol of the United Kingdom.

Big Ben

Big Ben is the nickname for the Great Bell of the clock at the north end of the Palace of Westminsterin London and is usually extended to refer to both the clock and the clock tower as well. The tower is officially known as Elizabeth Tower, renamed to celebrate the Diamonds Jubilee of Elizabeth II in 2012; previously, it was known simply as the Clock Tower.

Big Ben is situated on the banks of the River Thames on the north side of the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, London.

The tower had its 150th anniversary on 31 May 2009.

On 21 August 2017, the tower began a four-year period of renovation.

In 2008 a survey of 2,000 people found that the tower was the most popular landmark in the United Kingdom. It has also been named as the most iconic film location in London.

The original tower was built in 1288-90 during the reign of King Edward I. It was located on the north side of New Palace Yard and contained a bell and clock. The bell, first named 'Great Edward' and later known as 'Great Tom', struck on the hour.

A second tower replaced the original in 1367. This was the first public chiming clock in England. By 1707, this tower had fallen into disrepair and was demolished. A sundial was put up in its place.

A terrible fire destroyed most of the Palace of Westminster in 1834. Architects were invited to submit their designs for the new Palace and a commission was set up to select the best. Out of 97 designs submitted, the architect Sir Charles Barry's was successful. However, his winning design did not feature a clock tower. He added this to his design in 1836.

Construction of the Clock Tower began in September 1843. This is the iconic tower which stands today in the Houses of Parliament.