Big Ben
London’s Clock Tower is often referred to as Big Ben.  Technically, however, Big Ben is the nickname of the Great Bell of Westminster, within the clock.  The clock is celebrated for its consistency.  It did not even skip a beat during the Blitz of World War II.  The structure is named after Sir Benjamin Hall, chief commissioner of construction at the time the bell was hung in 1858.  The Great Bell of today is actually the second one of its kind; the first was cracked during a test ringing.

Fun Fact

• The Tower reigns high at 320 feet and Ben weighs in at 13 tons.

• The clock has four dials. It is 23 feet in diameter and the minute hand is 14 feet long, made of light weight hollow copper.

• Westminster means “west of the monastery.”

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Big Ben