TRAVEL
JUNE 15, 2021
History And Tour Of Big Ben
When you visit London, United Kingdom, history and tour of Big Ben is a must-do for tourists among other places in the city.
Big Ben itself is the nickname given to the Great Bell of the clock. It is located at the north end of the Palace of Westminster in London and one of the most iconic landmarks in the world.
The four-faced chiming clock is the largest in the world and is just a few minutes walk from other major historic sights like Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament.
The Clock Tower itself was formally known as St. Stephen’s Tower. In 2012 the tower was officially renamed Elizabeth Tower to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II, celebrating 60 years on the British throne.
The story of Big Ben began when the original palace of Westminster was destroyed by a fire in 1834. A commission was set up to select the best designs from architects who submitted their designs for the new palace.Sir Charles Barry’s design was chosen but it did not feature a clock tower.
Augustus Pugin then designed the tower and it was added to the plan in 1836. A competition was held in 1846 to find a suitable design for the tower’s clock and Edward John was appointed. The clock following the design of a clock maker, Edmund Beckett Denison.
The clock was completed in 1854 and installed in the tower in April 1859. The overall construction of the 320 foot high clock tower was completed in 1859, five years behind the schedule. The tower’s clock began ticking on May 31, 1859 and the bell first rang out on July 11, 1859.
Actually, the main bell is officially known as the Great Bell but more famous as the Big Ben. Origin of the name is unclear but it may have been named after Sir Benjamin Hall that oversaw the installation of the Great Bell at the time. His name is inscribed on the bell hanging in the clock tower.
Hall was a Welsh civil engineer who served as a member of the House of Commons for nearly three decades. As First Commissioner of Works, he oversaw the latter stages of the rebuilding of the Houses of Parliament. The nickname is given in honour of him as the president of the board of works.
Today, the tower and the bell can be visited by UK residents. The tours are free of charge, but must be sponsored by a Member of Parliament or a Member of the House.
Taken from Free Tours By Foot website, all guests must meet all the criteria listed below :
- All visitors allowed on Elizabeth Tower/Big Ben tours must be UK residents. There are no exceptions to this.
- Visitors must be over 11 years old.
- Visitors must be able to climb all 334 steps unaided without assistance.
- Visitors with heart-related illness or who are in the later stages of pregnancy will not be allowed.
- Visitors must arrive with sensible footwear, or they will be declined their position on the tour.
Tours tend to be sold out for up to 6 months in advance so be prepared to wait a while! More information can be found on the UK parliament official website.
Big Ben is located in the City of Westminster in the heart of London. The nearest Underground Station is Westminster (Circle, District, and Jubilee lines).
You can also access Big Ben from Waterloo Station (Bakerloo, Northern, Waterloo, City, and Jubilee lines).
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