Seeing the Big Ben

Who hasn’t heard of the Big Ben — that famous clock tower in London? It was recently in news as Londoners celebrated its 150th anniversary. The tower is a ‘must see’ destination for tourists.

The name Big Ben refers to the bell of the clock at the north-eastern end of the Palace of Westminster. Since we do not see the bell itself, the name is extended to the tower. The tower, designed by Augustus Pugin, is equivalent of 16 stories in height and has the largest four-faced chiming clock in the world. It is most famous for its reliability and accuracy. The Big Ben produces “dongs” at the stroke of each hour and the sounds are heard across the heart of London city. The bell strikes thirteen times on New Year’s Eve and has chimed through the bombings of WorldWar 11.

Overlooking the Thames, Big Ben presents to the tourist, one of the facets of London that the city is famous for.