![]() You can also take a boat along the River Thames to get a unique view of the tower from the water. You can take the London Underground to Westminster station, just a short walk from the tower. In addition to taking a bus, there are several other transportation options for getting to Big Ben. Bus RV1: This route runs from Covent Garden to Tower Gateway and passes by Big Ben along the way.Bus 88: This route starts at Clapham Common and ends at Camden Town, passing by Big Ben and other popular tourist destinations such as the London Eye and Trafalgar Square.Bus 11: This route starts at Fulham Broadway and ends at Liverpool Street Station, passing by many of London’s famous landmarks, including Big Ben.If you’re looking to visit Big Ben, there are several buses you can take to get there. The tower is illuminated at night, making it a beautiful sight after the sun goes down. ![]() However, visitors can still view the tower from the outside and take in its stunning architecture and history. Unfortunately, the inside of the Elizabeth Tower is not open to the public for general visits. In addition, the bell ringing on the hour has become a quintessential part of London’s soundscape. ![]() The tower’s striking design and historical significance make it a must-visit destination for anyone traveling to London. Why is Big Ben so Popular Among Tourists Today?īig Ben is one of London’s most popular tourist attractions, with thousands of visitors flocking to the tower each year. The tower is 315 feet tall and has become an iconic symbol of London. It was designed by architect Augustus Pugin and named after Sir Benjamin Hall, the commissioner of works at the time of construction. A light above Big Ben is also lit to let the public know when Parliament is in session.Big Ben was completed in 1859 and is officially known as the Elizabeth Tower. At night, all four of the clock’s faces, each one 23 feet across, are illuminated. Its famously accurate timekeeping is regulated by a stack of coins placed on the clock’s huge pendulum, ensuring a steady movement of the clock hands at all times. Another famous story argues that the bell was named for the popular heavyweight boxer Benjamin Caunt, because it was the largest of its kind.Įven after an incendiary bomb destroyed the chamber of the House of Commons during the Second World War, Elizabeth Tower survived, and Big Ben continued to function. Many claim it was named after the famously long-winded Sir Benjamin Hall, the London commissioner of works at the time it was built. Two main stories exist about how Big Ben got its name. The name “Big Ben” originally just applied to the bell but later came to refer to the clock itself. While many clockmakers dismissed this goal as impossible, Airy counted on the help of Edmund Beckett Denison, a formidable barrister known for his expertise in horology, or the science of measuring time. The royal astronomer, Sir George Airy, wanted the clock to have pinpoint accuracy, including twice-a-day checks with the Royal Greenwich Observatory. The famous tower clock known as Big Ben, located at the top of the 320-foot-high Elizabeth Tower, rings out over the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, London, for the first time on May 31, 1859.Īfter a fire destroyed much of the Palace of Westminster-the headquarters of the British Parliament-in October 1834, a standout feature of the design for the new palace was a large clock atop a tower.
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