Big Ben is such an integral part of England, London that to think of one without the other is virtually impossible. Affectionately called ‘Big Ben’ – this is actually the name of the clock’s main bell. Big Ben rose like a phoenix out of the ashes of a fire that destroyed the better part of the Parliament in 1834. After ninety seven designs were submitted, it was Charles Barry who was successful, with a plan where a clock tower dominated. It was in 1859 that Big Ben began its illustrious and precise journey. Since the chimes first sounded, they have become extremely familiar to BBC listeners, not just in London, but all across the globe.
Address : Palace of Westminster, House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA . http://www.parliament.uk/
There is a staircase in the 316 feet tower and from the belfry level, there is an excellent view all around. In the lower segment of the tower there are a number of small rooms, including a small prison. It was AW Pugin who designed the cast iron frame of the clock. In diameter the dials are twenty three feet, but the faces are not solid. It consists of a number of bits of opal glass, which are assembled – rather in the manner of a stained glass window. The numbers are each two feet high. A Latin inscription at the bottom of each clock reads ‘God Save our Queen Victoria I’.
Sir Benjamin Hall is the person after whom the hour bell – the Big Ben is supposed to have been named. He was the Commissioner of Works, who was renowned for his bulk, just like the bell! The hour bell of Big Ben is 8 feet in diameter, weighs 13.5 tons, and was cast in 1858 by George Mears of the Whitechapel Bell foundry.
The only major breakdown of the clock was in 1976. The chiming mechanism broke due to metal fatigue on 5 August 1976, and was reactivated again on 9th May 1977. In spite of the heavy bombing that took place, throughout the Blitz strict accuracy was maintained as regards the timing. In 2005, in a terrorist manual, Big Ben was mentioned as one of the possible targets of a terrorist attack.
In the UK, Big Ben is a focal point in New Year celebrations. All TV and radio stations tune in to the chimes. The visual media makes frequent use of the Big Ben if they want to a generic location in Britain to a non U.K resident. This is often done with a hackney carriage and a Routemaster bus in the foreground.
A visitor to London can divest himself of a lot of worries about where to stay by accessing our website, which is London based. Bookings can be made in any central hotel of your choice and you are at liberty to take your pick from Blakemore Hotel, Elizabeth Hotel, the Comfort Inn or even the City Inn. There are a number of good and cheap hotels in central london to choose from; for your convenience we have categorized them as cheap hotels, discount hotels, bed and breakfast and luxury hotels. It is your vacation — you can opt for a package deal or pamper yourself like a visiting royal. Whether you choose to go for a look at the national monuments, shop at one of the hotel boutiques or relax in the very comfortable ambience of your room – our online hotel booking service spares you all the rigueur. What you have to do is just enjoy yourself or move according to your schedule — this is the web site that makes sure you are thoroughly comfortable in the environment of your choice – and within the financial limit you have set. Just get in touch with us for your online booking right now and be prepared to be pampered and cosseted on your UK holiday.
We also have seperate listings for London districts, including Paddington, Bayswater, Kings Cross, Victoria, Earls Court, Marylebone, South Kensington.
