Located at the palace of Westminster in London, the big Ben is a historical landmark. Many times travelers presume the clock tower as the big Ben; however Londoner’s refer to the great bell in the clock as the big Ben. The whole structure of the London House of Commons is Victorian in construction which includes the clock tower. There are five clocks in the tower and big Ben is the largest among them.
The tower was built in 1834 following a tragic fire accident which damaged the earlier palace of Westminster. Contractor Charles Barry restored the palace and added many features to it which included the clock tower. It took about 12 years to remodel the palace to its present glory; it now stands 316 feet in height. This makes the tower ideal for visitors to climb and see great views of the city. The clocks around the tower are monumental and have been one of the largest clock mechanisms till date. Right from inside the tower the insides of the clock can be examined. Edmund Beckett Denison had designed the clock which is fully functional after so many years.
The main feature around which the tower was named is the hour bell which was named after the Commissioner for works then, Sir Benjamin Hall. The bell was replaced once after it was damaged due to heavy ringing by the public. Due to its heaviness it broke soon after its inception, it was however not replaced, but was just given a lighter strike. The modern feature of the bell was when BBC wired microphones near the bell and the time was presented to the world viewer. During the night, when the palace is illuminated and facing the famous Thames river, is the ideal time to visit it.