BIG BEN

Description

Essentials about Big Ben in brief

Big Ben is probably London’s most famous landmark and stands out in the truest sense of the word from the abundance of London’s sights. The 96 metre high clock tower, built in 1858, is visible from many directions. Big Ben is part of the Palace of Westminster, which together with Westminster Abbey and St. Margaret’s Church is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The name “Big Ben”

The name “Big Ben” for the clock tower is actually wrong, because in fact the name refers only to the largest and heaviest of the five bells, 2.2 meters in diameter and 13.8 tons in weight. But land up, land down “Big Ben” came to mean the whole tower. Until 2012 the clock tower was officially called “The Clock Tower”, but was renamed “Elizabeth Tower” on the occasion of Queen Elizabeth II’s diamond throne anniversary.

For the origin of the name “Big Ben” two theories exist. The first claims that the tower was named after Sir Benjamin Hall, the First commissioner of works. Because of his impressive size, Hall was nicknamed “Big Ben”. The second theory says that the name derives from the heavyweight boxing champion Benjamin Caunt, who was commonly referred to as “Big Ben”, like generally all things, which were heaviest in their class. Chances are slim that the mystery of the origin of Big Ben’s name will ever be solved.

The carillon of Big Ben

Not only the tower itself is a celebrity, but also its carillon is world-famous. Previously, a melody from Handel’s opera Messiah sounded every quarter of an hour, which was traditionally broadcast twice a day by the BBC. Big Ben is also beautiful to watch at night, because like many sights in London, the Elizabeth Tower and the whole Westminster Palace are illuminated in the darkness. An evening walk along the river Thames is rewarded with one of the most beautiful views in the world.