“But it’s the symbolism, the size of the great clock of Westminster, that gives it its importance.” “At the end of the day, you could say it is just a series of concentric stone shafts with a bloody great clock on top,” said Adam Watrobski, chief architect of the tower’s restoration, which cost 80 million pounds, or about $97 million. More than 3,500 parts were removed from the 316-foot tower, including much of its iron roof. Indeed, when Parliament is in session, there is a special illumination above the dials, which Watrobski said represented “the light of freedom and democracy.”(REUTERS/Toby Melville/File Photo)ĭuring the past five years, the clock, which has four dials, was dismantled and serviced for the first time since it started ticking in 1859. But it is the nickname of the biggest bell in the belfry that draws the most name recognition: Big Ben. The clock tower - officially known as the Elizabeth Tower since 2012 when it was renamed in honor of the queen’s diamond jubilee - stands tall over the Palace of Westminster, which houses the British Parliament and is one of the world’s most instantly recognized constructions.
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