What You Didn’t Know About Big Ben

By | May 31, 2019

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Fireworks light up the London skyline just after midnight on January 1, 2009 in England. Source: (Photo by Oli Scarff gettyimages.com)

Big Ben … that big clock high on a tower is a symbol of London. This 160-year-old landmark keeps Londoners punctual and provides a backdrop for iconic tourist pics, but beyond that, how much do you know about Big Ben? Throughout its history, the world’s best-known clock has had many facelifts, but it remains one of the most recognizable places on the planet. Here is what you probably didn’t know about Big Ben.

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Source: (wornandwound.com)

Big Ben Rose Out of the Ashes

Well, not exactly. But a fire destroyed the headquarters of the British Parliament, located at the Palace of Westminster, in October of 1834. When rebuilding started, the architect included a giant clock to be mounted atop the 320-foot tall St. Stephen’s Tower, which was renamed Elizabeth Tower in 2012 in honor of the Queen’s 50th Jubilee. The clock could be used to call Parliament to order and signal important decisions. It rang for the very first time on May 31, 1859.