Big Ben
London
Big Ben is the nickname for the Great Bell of the Great Clock of Westminster, and, by extension, for the clock tower itself, which stands at the north end of the Palace of Westminster in London, England. Originally named the Clock Tower, it was renamed Elizabeth Tower in 2012 to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. The clock is a striking clock with five bells.
It was designed by Sir Charles Barry and Augustus Pugin in the Perpendicular Gothic and Gothic Revival styles and was completed in 1859. It is elaborately decorated with stone carvings and features symbols related to the four countries of the United Kingdom and the Tudor dynasty. A Latin inscription celebrates Queen Victoria, under whose reign the palace was built. It stands 316 feet (96 m) tall, and the climb from ground level to the belfry is 334 steps. Its base is square, measuring 40 feet (12 m) on each side. The dials of the clock are 22.5 feet (6.9 m) in diameter.
Photo: Dave Bezaire (CC BY-SA 2.0); Terry Ott from Washington, DC Metro Area, United States of America (CC BY 2.0); Morn; original photo by JSilv99 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
It was designed by Sir Charles Barry and Augustus Pugin in the Perpendicular Gothic and Gothic Revival styles and was completed in 1859. It is elaborately decorated with stone carvings and features symbols related to the four countries of the United Kingdom and the Tudor dynasty. A Latin inscription celebrates Queen Victoria, under whose reign the palace was built. It stands 316 feet (96 m) tall, and the climb from ground level to the belfry is 334 steps. Its base is square, measuring 40 feet (12 m) on each side. The dials of the clock are 22.5 feet (6.9 m) in diameter.
Photo: Dave Bezaire (CC BY-SA 2.0); Terry Ott from Washington, DC Metro Area, United States of America (CC BY 2.0); Morn; original photo by JSilv99 (CC BY-SA 4.0)