Intermediate Big Ben

Big Ben

by Simply English

​Questions

• ​What is Big Ben?

• ​Where is big Ben located?

• ​Have you seen this Landmark?​

• ​What major tourist attractions have you seen around the world?

• ​What famous Landmarks do you have in your country?

​Big Ben Paragraphs One and Two

​Elizabeth Tower (sometimes called St. Stephen's Tower) is the UK's most famous landmark. Formerly called Clock Tower, it was renamed in 2012 for Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee. It overlooks the River Thames at the palace of Westminster in Central London. The giant bell inside the tower is know as "Big Ben." The bell's nickname is so famous the many refer to the whole tower by this name.

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On October 16, 1834, the palace of Westminster (home of the British Parliament) caught on fire. The fire broke out when two careless workmen overloaded some furnaces. Thousands of people watched as firefighters and volunteers tried to put out the flames.

​Big Ben Paragraphs Three and Four

​Only a few parts of the complex survived the fire. In 1836 the government held a competition to design a replacement palace with a clock tower. The structure was completed in 1854. The tower was 315 feet (96 meters) high, and the bell inside it weighed over 13 tons.

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The first bell cracked during the testing phase, so the metal was melted down to make a replacement bell. The replacement bell chimed for the first time on July 11, 1859. Two months later, this bell cracked too. Engineers replaced the hammer with a lighter one and repositioned the damaged bell.

​Big Ben Paragraphs Five and Six

​Big Ben chimes from the tower's belfry at the top of every hour. Four smaller bell's chime at every quarter. Great Westminster Clock always keeps perfect time from the top of the tower. It has four faces that illuminate at night. Another light shines when Parliament is in session.

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​During World War II, the clock went dark due to blackout regulations. Big Ben has also been silenced three times in history for repairs. The most recent closure was on August 21, 2017. Reconstruction is scheduled to last four years. During this time, the clock will not function and Big Ben will not chime.

​Big Ben Paragraph Seven

​Though Big Ben attracts thousands of tourists each year, the inside of the clock tower is not open to the public. Residents of the UK can make special arrangements for a tour.