Big Ben (born Big Ben) - bell in the clock tower clock in London. Broadly called Big Ben are also called clock and tower entirely.
There are two theories about the origin of the name. The first is that Big Ben (Big Ben) was named after Sir Benjamin Hall, who supervised the casting of the bell.
According to another, the most difficult at the time the bell - 13.7 tons - received its name in honor of Benjamin Count, very popular at the time the boxer in the heavyweight division.
The tower was built by English architect Augustus design Pyudzhina in 1858, the clock tower is set in motion 31 May 1859. The official name - "Clock Tower of Westminster Palace" (sometimes erroneously referred to as the "Tower of St. Stephen" [1]).
The tower is 96.3 meters (with a spike), the clock starts at a height of 55 m above the ground. When the diameter of the dial to 7 meters and a length of the arrows in the 2.7 and 4.2 meters, hours were long considered the greatest in the world. Accuracy of the five-ton clock mechanism is achieved by using a coin weighing 1.5 grams, when the clock starts to lag, the pendulum putting old English penny accelerates its motion for 2.5 seconds per day.
At present tower - one of the most recognizable symbols of the UK, often used in advertising, movies, etc.
Inscription «Domine Salvam fac Reginam nostram Victoriam primam» and «Laus Deo»
At the base of each of the four clock faces is the Latin inscription «Domine Salvam fac Reginam nostram Victoriam primam» («God save our Queen Victoria I»).
On the perimeter of the tower, on the right and left of the clock, there is another phrase in Latin - «Laus Deo» («Glory to God" or "Praise the Lord")
in 1504, Big Ben was used as a prison for prisoners.