The prime candidate for the handle’s inspiration is Sir Benjamin Hall, a 19th century engineer and politician who was also a famously large man. The original “Ben” who lent his name to the bell is a bit of mystery. The bell took its name from one of two famous Bens. Additionally, the clock itself is named the Great Clock of Westminster. In 2012, the structure took on a new name- Elizabeth Tower-as part of the celebration of Queen Elizabeth II’s 60-year reign. For the bulk of its life, the landmark was known simply as the Clock Tower, but it was commonly referenced (especially by the Victorian press) as St. Big Ben's clock tower has gone by several names.Įven though it has assumed the Big Ben moniker, the tower has its own official name. The E-natural behemoth leads a team of four quarter bells, which chime B-natural, E-natural, F-sharp, and G-sharp tones. Also known as the Great Bell, Big Ben stands more than 7 feet tall, measures 9 feet in diameter, and weighs nearly 14 tons. The name "Big Ben" refers to the clock tower's largest bell, not the Clock or the tower itself.Īt some point, London’s superstar clock tower acquired the nickname Big Ben-a name originally given not to the tower itself or even its clock, but to the largest of the clock’s five bells. You may have snapped a photo of England’s most iconic clock or seen it in footage of London, but how well do you really know the United Kingdom’s towering timepiece-which rang out for the first time on May 31, 1859.
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