London, Big Ben: description, history, interesting facts

The abundance of interesting sights is almost the main reason that makes thousands of tourists from all corners of the world annually rush to London. Big Ben is a historic building, which is rightly proud of the capital of Great Britain. What is known about the huge clock, indicating the time with astonishing accuracy, what is their history?

Big Ben in London: the name

Why did the symbol of the capital of England receive such an unusual name? Initially, this name was given to a huge bell, located in the tower of the Palace of Westminster. The diameter of the base of the product is three meters, the weight goes beyond 13 tons. Gradually, the Clock Tower, in which the bell is located, and the clock with an impressive size, began to be called the same. Already a few decades later the whole world knew that Big Ben was a clock tower in London.

Who invented the uncharacteristic name, which was originally awarded the bell? There are two legends explaining the origin of the name. The most popular of them says that the watch owes its original name to the architect Benjamin Hall, who was responsible for the construction work. It is believed that this man was so called because of an impressive complexion.

A little less popular is the second theory. If you rely on it, then the symbol of London got its name in honor of the famous English heavyweight boxer Benjamin Kaunt.

Building

When was the attraction created, which London deservedly deserved? Big Ben has a long history. It began in 1288, when the Clock Tower was built, which became part of the Palace of Westminster. Unfortunately, the fire that happened in 1834 led to the destruction of this architectural element. Of course, a few years later it was decided to reconstruct it.

Who has developed the project of the famous tower, which even nowadays seeks to see every person visiting London? Big Ben is the brainchild of architect Augustus Pugin, famous for his Neo-Gothic projects. Unfortunately, this man died before his project was implemented. The construction of the tower was completed in 1858, in 1859 the solemn launch of the watch movement took place.

First, gas horns were used to illuminate the building , electricity was only used in 1912.

Technical specifications

The brick tower, which is crowned by a spire cast from cast iron, is installed on a concrete foundation, whose height is 15 meters. For the facing of the architectural element, colored limestone was used. Even without a spire the height of the tower is more than 60 meters, together with it - 96.3 meters. How to understand how great is the attraction, which London is proud of? Big Ben has a height comparable to that of a 16-story building.

Unfortunately, the tower is not intended for mass visits, guests of the capital of Great Britain can see it only from afar, as well as the inhabitants of the metropolis. Not surprisingly, the project did not include lifts or elevators. Those who want to go upstairs must overcome a total of 334 steps.

What is a watch

It is impossible not to dwell on such an element as the Big Ben clock. In London there are no analogues that could compete with them in terms of size. A few decades ago, such was not the case throughout the world. The development of clock dials was also taken over by Pugin. At their manufacture 312 copies of glass opal were used, seven-meter frames from a steel, the gold-plated disks were created.

Outstanding dimensions have arrows. Minutes are 4.2 meters in length, made of copper. For making the hour hands, cast iron was used, their length is 2.7 meters. Hour dials are set at a height of 55 meters. The cumulative weight of the clockwork mechanism tends to 5 tons. The pendulum, weighing about 300 kg, is inside the tower, located under the clock room.

About accuracy

As you know, Big Ben is in London. Inhabitants of this city above all put punctuality. Not surprisingly, the watch, which has established itself as a standard of reliability, has long become a symbol of the capital of Great Britain. The assembly of the clockwork is the responsibility that was assigned to the watchmaker Edward Dent. The master coped with this task by 1854. A unique double three-step stroke was developed, which guarantees high accuracy of the watch.

It is known that the error of the clock mechanism does not exceed 2 seconds per day. It's amazing, but the accuracy of the mechanism is regulated using a one-penny coin, which is then put on the pendulum, then it is removed.

There is an opinion that the majestic clock never stopped counting time. This statement is refuted by the story of Big Ben. In London, they first encountered their damage in 1976, the automatic control mechanism of the movement broke down. The repair of the watch took about 9 months, during which they did not work. The re-launch was solemnly held in May 1977. There were failures in their work later, but the problems were eliminated much faster than it happened at the first breakdown. Interestingly, Big Ben suffered during the Second World War as a result of the bombardment, but the damage to the roof of the tower did not cause the reliable clock mechanism to fail.

What is the bell

Not only does the size provide the Clock Tower with popularity that other London attractions can not compete with. Big Ben is endowed with a huge bell that makes a fight. This product is located inside the tower. It is known that the casting of the bell was entrusted to the master Edmund Beckett Denison. This man decided to create something more grandiose than even the "Great Peter", located in York and weighing ten tons. He created a bell, the total weight of which was 16 tons.

For transporting the product, a wagon was used, which was harnessed by 16 horses. The bell lasted no more than two months, then cracked. As a result, a new version was created, the mass of which did not exceed 13 tons. It is curious that at the same time the weight was reduced by half, which had a hammer, responsible for the blows.

Unfortunately, the second bell also cracked, but it managed to be repaired. It was decided to create a square cut, which does not allow the spreading of cracks. A small turn of Big Ben was also made, as a result of which the hammer stopped touching the damage.

Interesting Facts

For the first time the resonant ringing was heard by the inhabitants of the capital in late May 1859. Big Ben in London has existed for over 150 years. The first contact of the hammer with the bell is made at the first second of the beginning of the new hour. The clock can not be late, since their course is controlled with the help of an English penny by a man acting as a caretaker. It is curious that the inspector wanted to fire, when once the famous watch was delayed for one second. Of course, regular checks are made on the integrity of the mechanism.

It is interesting that it was Big Ben, located in London, that was chosen to proclaim the beginning of the 21st century on the night of December 31, 2000. This watch is an international standard of time. A few decades ago, they had the world's largest dial, but this record managed to beat the clock installed on the building of Allen Bradley, which is located in the US state of Wisconsin.

The symbol of London

Today it's hard to meet a man who does not know which city Big Ben is in - London. The famous clock makes a ringing, under which the people of Great Britain celebrate the New Year. It is used when it is necessary to declare a minute of silence connected with the mournful events that have taken place in the world. Almost all the artistic and documentary paintings dedicated to England, contain in the screen saver image of the magnificent Big Ben. From the pictures of the famous tower, local news programs also begin.