Big Ben: One of the Most Renowned Landmarks in London

Take a tour in England that you are sure to remember. London is rightly regarded as a veritable hub of activity, an intensely captivating world capital. On any tour of the UK, London undoubtedly makes for an exquisite highlight. London tours are in themselves innumerable; however, one landmark that quite possibly symbolizes London more than any other is Big Ben. Ensure you visit Big Ben; you will certainly be left amazed by its grandeur. It is nigh impossible to argue against the fact that the Houses of Parliament and the clock tower, eponymous called Big Ben, are among London's most eminent landmarks.

The actual source of the name Big Ben is not known; however, two diverse theories exist. One is that is was named after Sir Benjamin Hall, the first commissioner of works, a man affectionately referred to as ‘Big Ben’ in the Houses of Parliament. The other theory, however, is that it was named after a heavyweight boxing champion in that era, Benjamin Caunt – who was unsurprisingly also known as ‘Big Ben’.

Work on Big Ben first began on 31 May 1859. to this day the clock is celebrated the world over for its exceptional accuracy – it is always within 2 seconds of the correct time. Its impressive cast iron dials cover just over 7 metres in diameter, and the clock mechanism is driven by gravity. Interestingly enough, the Clock Tower was constructed from the inside out, so that no scaffolding materials were to be seen externally. Big Ben is actually the name given to the massive bell inside the clock tower, which weighs more than 13 tons (13,760 kg). As such, it is erroneous to call the landmark ‘Big Ben,’ yet this has passed into popular currency as the name for the tower itself. Big Ben's timekeeping is exactingly synchronized by a stack of coins placed on the vast pendulum. Big Ben has only very seldom stopped.

The most severe breakdown happened on the night of 10 August 1976, when part of the chiming mechanism fell apart through metal fatigue. The clock tower has, indeed, taken on legendary significance as, during the Second World War, it survived intact and continued to strike even after a bomb obliterated the Commons. Big Ben is a truly impressive and imposing landmark, an exceptional attraction which will not fail to ensnare your senses. Also ensure you spend some time exploring the momentous Houses of Parliament and striking Westminster Abbey, as they are illustrious edifices you cannot go without seeing. Take a London tour to remember.

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