About bigben1/4/2024 ![]() The clock tower is the focal point of New Year celebrations in the United Kingdom, with radio and television stations airing their chimes to welcome the New Year. The sound of the clock chiming is also used in audio media. It is also known as the iconic film location in London. In a survey done in 2008, it was found to be the most popular landmark in the United Kingdom. When a filmmaker wishes to indicate a generic location in the country, a famous way to do this by showing an image of the tower often with a red double-decker bus or black cab in the foreground. The Clock Tower has become the cultural symbol of the United Kingdom, especially in visual media. The tower oscillates in a direction towards east and west annually due to thermal effects. Experts believed that the tower’s lean would not be a problem for another 4000 to 10000 years. ![]() There is an increase in tilt due to the tunneling action for the Jubilee line extension. This is because of the changes in the ground condition. It gives an inclination of about 1 in 240. It is reported that the tower leans slightly to the north-west by roughly 230 millimeters over 55 meters in height. The tower has no existing lift though one is being installed, so visitors have to climb up the 334 limestone stairs to the top. But residents of the United Kingdom were able to pay a visit through their Member of Parliament before current repair works. Though it is one of the most famous tourists attraction all over the world, the interior portion of the tower is not open to overseas visitors. The volume of the interior portion is about 4650 cubic meters. ![]() It is made of 3-meter thick concrete at a depth of 4 meters below the ground level. The tower stands on a raft foundation having a square size of a dimension of 15.2 meters (50 feet). The remaining portion of the tower’s height is a framed spire of cast iron. 61 meters from the bottom of the tower consists of brickwork with sand-colored limestone cladding. The tower is designed in the art of Gothic Revival style. At the time of completion, the frame and hands were painted as Prussian blue, but in the year 1930, it was painted black to prevent the effect of pollution. At the base of each dial, a Latin inscription was there whose meaning is to pray Lord to keep their Queen Victoria the First. They have been illuminated from dusk until dawn since the year 1876. Originally the dials were backlit by using gas lamps when the Parliament was sitting. The whole frame of the dial contains 315 pieces of opalescent glass. ![]() Each of the dials is made of cast iron sections and bolted together. The dials of the clocks were designed by Augustus Pugin taking inspiration from Benjamin Lewis Vulliamy. The clocks use the original Victorian mechanism and also use an electric motor as a backup. The whole tower consists of a total of 11 floors. The Tower’s 150th anniversary was celebrated on 31st May 2009. All four clocks are having dials of 7 meters (23 feet) in diameter. The whole tower base is square-shaped having 12 meters (39 feet) on each side. One has to climb 334 steps from the ground level to reach the belfry. From that time it was the largest and most accurate four-faced striking and chiming clock in the World.įig 1: Big Ben the Clock Tower in London It is designed in neo-Gothic style and was designed by Augustus Pugin. The name Elizabeth Tower was given to it in the year 2012 to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II, Queen of United Kingdom. It is situated in Westminster, London, England. ![]() Big Ben The famous clock in the World Articles > Big Ben The famous clock in the World ![]()
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