Big+Ben

By Jack Lohman & Danielle Dennis Big Ben is one of the most famous landmarks in all of Europe. And while that name is often used to describe the tower, you may not realize that Big Ben is actually just the name of the bell in the tower. The tower, a part of the Palace of Westminster, was built in 1859. The bell, weighing around 14 tons, was added later.

In September, two weeks after the bell was unveiled to the public, it cracked. The bell tower was closed for three years and a lighter hammer was installed. The bell, Big Ben, was actually finished before the tower. While construction of the tower continued, the bell was put on display in New Palace Yard. When it was pulled by a lot of horses to the tower after it was finished, it was put to the test, and it was cracked beyond repair, so it took about three years to fix it and get it back in the tower again, and it has been there ever since because they had a smaller hammer so it wouldn't break.

The largest bell before Big Ben was built was Great Peter, and that was at York Minster. Great Peter weighed 10 ¾ tons, and Big Ben weighs 14 tons. Big Ben was known as the largest bell in the world when it was made, and that’s part of the reason why it’s a large attraction and why the bell and tower are so famous.

The bell has had a few malfunctions and shutdowns, including two years of silence during WWI, because they wanted to prevent the attacks by German Zeppelins. The first major breakdown was when the brake speed regulator broke after 100 years, causing a lot of damage to the bell. It was closed for 26 days over nine months, and was working again in the next year.

Today, Big Ben and the tower are among the most recognizable landmarks in the world.