How Old is Big Ben?

The Big Ben is the most photographed structure in all of the UK. But, more than that, it is a symbolic representation of the history that it amasses within itself.

The mighty clock has ensured that all of London runs on time and has provided unparalleled service to the city for the last 157 years.

The Elizabeth Tower- which houses the Big Ben, is one of the most iconic structures in the world and its story is equally iconic. In this article, we take a look at the Big Ben history, some Big Ben facts along with answering the question: How old is the Big Ben? Take a look:

How Old Is The Big Ben?

Like we stated above, the iconic clock tower of London has been in service for 157 years now, i.e., the Big Ben was officially named in 1856. But, it was only in 1859 that the bell chimed for the first time.

While Big Ben is the name of a bell, it is placed in what is called the Elizabeth Tower. However, due to popular culture, the name Big Ben has stuck in people’s minds. It is hard to tell from where the name came from as people debate the name has its origin from the actual names of people. 

(Image Courtesy: Trump Era)

How Long Did It Take To Build The Big Ben?

Precisely, it took around 34 years to build the Elizabeth Tower, but why it had to build is the story that is more interesting. Following unrest, a certain rebel named Guy Fawkes burned down the Westminster Palace. As a result, the Parliament needed a new place to meet, and as a result, they built the Clock Tower.

The Big Ben is a mystical structure that makes people fall in love with at the first sight. There are many facts about the Big Ben that you might not know. So, we decided to list a few of them for you. Take a look:

Big Ben Facts

#1. When the bell was first brought to London, it was done so with a huge sense of ceremony. It was on a barge, sailing on the Thames river that the giant bell first entered to London, from where it was taken across the Westminster Bridge on a carriage drawn by 16 white horses.

#2. Theresa May’s government recently shut the iconic bell down for a long spell of four years. This was done as part of a renovation. This is also the longest time that the Big Ben will be out of operation.

#3. The Bell chimed for the first time in 1859, but unfortunately, it didn’t last long. A small crack caused it to fall silent.

(Image Courtesy: Pinterest)

#4. Talking of chimes, we all recognize the iconic melody that is produced by the chimes at every hour. But many people don’t know what the melody exactly is. The tune is called Westminster Quarters, and it's nothing but a combination of four different chords: G sharp, F sharp, E and B.

So, there you have it. All you had to know about the Big Ben. If you found this article informative, let us know in the comments below.

(Featured Image Courtesy: The Register)