I’m wearing earplugs to protect my hearing, as I view the large crack in Big Ben. Big Ben, the greatest bell at 13.5 long tons, strikes the hour with an E flat. This 315 feet symbol of Britain is exposed to the elements masonry damage, cracks and rust are evident. It’s a gusty day and the sounds of London echo on the wings of the breeze. O Lord, make safe our Queen Victoria, the First, Praise be to GodĪs I reach the top of the Tower, there is a grand view of central London and the five bells. Beneath each clock dial, a Latin inscription reads: In this section, the Christian themes of the clock and Tower come alive. The much-needed restoration is presently making progress.
Paint is peeling and the walls are crumbling. The wind blows at the clock hands, but heavy weights restrain them from blowing out of time. A glimpse of the copper minute hand outside reveals its size, a large 14 feet long. My heart now believes what my mind knows I’m inside the Elizabeth Tower of Big Ben and viewing the famous clock. A tiny window opens in the ornate clock face and the wind rushes in below is Westminster Bridge and people like ants walking, as red buses manoeuvre. It’s rather similar to a white stained-glass window in design and the walkway beside is thin. The four faces are 23 feet in diameter, each supporting 324 pieces of opal glass.
My senses awaken when I first view the inside of the famous white dials of the clock. For a moment it’s just another set of steps with doors opening to secretive rooms. The Elizabeth Tower has 11 floors and as one ascends each of the 334 steps, you lose sense of your location. Walking underneath Bridge Street, I turn left and enter a small doorway to access the building formally known as St Stephen’s Tower. I head down to the tunnel which connects the new building with the Victorian Houses of Parliament. Once through the security checks, I walk into the majestic light-filled atrium of Portcullis House, looking for a glimpse of the prime minister. My journey to Big Ben begins at Portcullis House. It resides at the north end of the Palace of Westminster and at its heart are some intriguing Christian themes. The Clock Tower known throughout the nations by its crowd-pleasing name Big Ben derides from the Great Bell. However, between 20 the clock fell silent (except for special occasions such as New Year's Eve and Remembrance Sunday) while work was carried out on the clock mechanism itself, ensuring that Big Ben will continue to work smoothly well into the future.Big Ben is the most recognised timepiece in the world. It even kept chiming during the bombing attacks of World War II.Īlthough there are few occasions when Big Ben has suffered punctuality incidents, Londoners will never forget 1962 New Year’s Eve, when the clock chimed the new year 10 minutes late due to the harsh weather conditions. It is one of the world’s most reliable clocks, withstanding rain, wind and snow. It has become one of the most recognisable British icons and its chimes are broadcasted by BBC radio every day. British punctualityīig Ben’s four-faced clock is set in a 23 feet (7m) frame on all sides of the Tower and was completed in May 1859. However, Big Ben is actually the clock’s Great Bell, which weighs 14 tons and is found inside the tower called Elizabeth Tower. When we envisage Big Ben, we normally think of the Parliament’s clock tower. The gothic-styled tower standing 315 feet (96 m) high holds a four-faced clock and was built in 1858 at the far end of the Parliament.
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