Big Ben's First Chimes
Big Ben, the iconic bell located in the clock tower of the Palace of Westminster in London, first chimed on May 31, 1859. The bell, which is often mistakenly referred to as the entire clock tower, was part of a significant construction project that resulted in the New Palace of Westminster in the mid-19th century. The structure is officially known as St. Stephen's Tower, while the clock itself, featuring dials on all four sides, was designed by Edmund Beckett Denison and constructed by the queen's clockmaker, Frederick Dent. Big Ben weighs nearly 14 tons and was cast at the Whitechapel Foundry in 1858, requiring 16 horses to transport it to its location.
Since its inaugural chimes, Big Ben has become a symbol of London, regularly signaling the hour, although it faced a three-year silence due to a crack that was repaired in 1862. Remarkably, the clock has maintained its reliability through various challenges, including World War II and mechanical issues. The BBC has broadcasted the chimes since 1923, further embedding Big Ben in the cultural fabric of British life and making it a beloved landmark for both locals and visitors alike.
Big Ben's First Chimes
Big Ben's First Chimes
The famous bell known as Big Ben, housed in the clock tower of part of the massive New Palace of Westminster where the British parliament meets, first rang on May 31, 1859. The clock tower itself is called St. Stephen's Tower or the Great Clocktower of the Palace of Westminster; strictly speaking, only the bell itself is Big Ben. However, the bell has become so famous that the entire structure— tower, clock, and bell—is often thought of as Big Ben.
Big Ben was built as part of the massive New Palace of Westminster construction project in the middle of the 19th century. Its most impressive aspect is the large clock at the top, with dials facing in all four directions. Named for Sir Benjamin Hall, the commissioner of works under Queen Victoria, it was designed by Edmund Beckett Denison and built by the queen's clockmaker, Frederick Dent. The hour hand of the clock is 9 feet long, while the minute hand is 14 feet. A special counterweight system utilizing old pennies enables the clock to keep almost perfect time. The bell, weighing nearly 14 tons, was cast at the Whitechapel Foundry on April 10, 1858, and was so massive that it took 16 horses to pull it to the palace.
The ringing of Big Ben to signal the turn of the hour has been a regular feature of metropolitan London since the first chimes rang out in May 1859, although a crack did keep the bell silent for three years until it was repaired in 1862. Since then, it has tolled the time for one of the most reliable clocks in the world. Not even bombardment of the Palace of Westminster during World War II stopped it, although heavy snow, cold, birds, and a commonplace breakdown in machinery have disrupted its accurate time-keeping four different times over the years. The BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) has maintained a microphone in the turret in order to broadcast Big Ben's chimes since December 31, 1923.