Tower Big Ben in London

The clock tower of Westminster Palace also known as the Big Ben is a symbol of Great Britain. It rises 96 meters over the Thames. It is in it that the famous Big Ben bell is located, as well as the clock, the third largest clock in the world. Nowadays, Big Ben became a symbol of London and the whole of great Britain.

The clock tower of Westminster Palace was built in 1858. Originally, it was known just as a clock tower, then it was renamed the Tower of St. Stephen and only in 2011 the Big Ben was given an official name, Elizabeth Tower.

The clock was installed in the tower in 1859. At that time it was the largest clock in the world (the diameter of the clock face is 7 meters). The Big Ben bell, which is behind the clock face, was the largest in Britain at the time of casting. Its weight reaches 13.7 tons, but subsequently the 17-ton Big Paul bell was cast for the Cathedral of St. Paul.