The Big Ben

by Yoana (Onix) Escamilla Santoyo

This famous tower, best known as The Big Ben clock tower, is located in London. Investigators say that it was called because of its clock’s hour bell, the largest clock bell. The others are used as quarter bells, some others say that Benjamin was the name of the first commissioner of works and it was named in his honor.

The importance of this clock is the largest in Great-Britain and English people see it, as a symbol of London. Everybody trust completely on it, it has rarely failed during its long life, “rarely” because it is said that once, it stopped, this happened during the cleaning and maintenance of the clock, it did not work  about 6 weeks  but after that, it has not stopped .

Indeed, it is one of the first attractions in London, tourists go in there just to admire the structure of this tower, and however the interior of the tower is not opened to visitors.

The engineering of the clock is amazing, it is protected from the different changes of the hard weather and because of that it is so famous and reliable. The dials are beautiful, at the base of each clock dial, it’s an inscription on gilt letters is the Latin inscription: “Domine salvam fac reginam nostram victoriam primam” which means “Oh lord, keep safe our queen Victoria the first”.

The Big Ben is at the north end of the palace of Westminster and believe it or not, the clock you see nowadays it is not the first one.

Long time ago the old palace of Westminster was destroyed after a terrible event, it burnt  completely and  this happened during the kingdom of king Edward I , who after that invited an overall architects in a commission  to select the best to do the new parliament built it in a neo-gothic style.

The Big Ben is also part of the traditions in London, the sounds of its bells are always the entry of the New year. If you live in London you cannot miss it .I would like to go there one day and start a new year with the sound of the bells of The Big Ben.


References:
http://www.parliament.uk/bigben
Big Ben: The Great Clock and the Bells at the Palace of Westminster :By Chris McKay
Publisher:   Oxford University Press, USA Number Of Pages:   288 Publication Date:   2010-06-11 ISBN-10 / ASIN:   0199585695 ISBN-13 / EAN:   9780199585694

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