It came a step closer to completion on September 6 when the hands of the clock were restored to their original Prussian blue colour - it was only during this project that workers discovered the hands of the clock were blue and not black. The restoration project is expected to be complete by 2021. A lift will be installed for better access for maintenance and emergency services, as well as a toilet and kitchen. In the bustling centre of London, in the midst of a busy working Parliament building, atop the 96m-high Elizabeth Tower, up 11 floors (and 334 steps), is the Great Clock. The 80 million pound ($111 million) restoration project will see the tower being repaired, redecorated, improved for health and safety systems and made energy efficient. Parliament Building and Big Ben clock tower illuminated at night reflecting in Thames River, London, England. So, what is changing? To begin with, the tower suffers from crumbling stones, rusty ironwork, leaking roofs and an aging clock. Big Ben And Parliament, London, England At Night Picture. This is vital to ensure that this iconic building, situated on a UNESCO World Heritage site, is safeguarded for future generations to visit and enjoy,” the government said. “Parliament is restoring the clock tower to its former glory, as well as modernising and upgrading facilities to make it fit for the 21st century. It is the largest and most complex conservation project in the tower’s history. In 2017, the government announced it would undergo a four-year restoration process, “from the gilt cross and orb at its tip to the bottom of its 334-step staircase”. Detail of the clock mechanism (Courtesy: UK Parliament) Why is Big Ben being restored, and what are its new features?
How tall is Big Ben?Įlizabeth Tower stands at more than 96 metres (105yrds) tall, with 334 steps to climb up to the belfry and 399 steps to the Ayrton Light at the very top of the tower.Big Ben has gone silent on several occasions, mostly due to repair work, but also during the World War II when it became a liability. During this time, the tower will be scaffolded and the clock mechanism will be stopped for several months (no chiming or striking), with the exception of some special events including New Year’s Eve and Remembrance Sunday. The tower is part of the Palace of Westminster, commonly referred to as Parliament. Though the name Big Ben generally refers to the tower and clock, it is actually the name of the bell. In August 2017, refurbishment work commenced on Elizabeth Tower and Big Ben. Completed in 1859, the official name of the tower was simply the ‘Clock Tower’ until 2012 when it was renamed Elizabeth Tower. Also known as “Big Ben”, this nickname was commonly bestowed in society to anything that was the heaviest in its class. The second theory is that it was named after a heavyweight boxing champion at that time, Benjamin Caunt.The first is that is was named after Sir Benjamin Hall, the first commissioner of works, a large man who was known affectionately in the house as “Big Ben”.The origin of the name Big Ben is not known, although two different theories exist. From Parliament Square, Whitehall is lined by so many government buildings that its name has become synonymous with the British government. Tours of the parliament buildings offer a unique chance to see real-time debates and lively political discussions.
Below it, stretching along the Thames, are the Houses of Parliament, seat of Britain’s government for many centuries and once the site of the royal Westminster Palace occupied by William the Conqueror. The tolling of Big Ben is known throughout the world as the time signal of BBC radio. It’s as iconic a landmark as Tower Bridge. Nothing says “London” more emphatically than the 318-foot tower housing the giant clock and its resounding bell known as Big Ben.