One of the shadows of international students in recent years
Came to Big Ben but couldn't see his face
Ten thousand years do not see the day, a repair will be 4 years!
Thousands of calls began to come out! This time
The legendary Big Ben is finally going to be fixed!!
Next year it will return with a new face
Recently, Reuters released the news that the restoration of the "Big Ben" tower, britain's iconic parliament building, has entered the final stage! As you can see in the picture, the outer periphery of the clock face on the east side facing the River Thames is completely revealed!!
Image credit: MyLondon
So what did Big Ben repair for so long?
What has changed in the whole tower?
Today's neck length will take you to unveil the mystery of Big Ben!
<h1 class="pgc-h-decimal" data-index="01" data-track="14" > a brief history of Big Ben's History</h1>
Big Ben is a landmark in London and the UK, built in 1858 and has stood by the River Thames for 163 years!
The bell tower is 320 feet tall and weighs 13.5 metric tons, making it the third tallest bell tower in the world. The façade has four huge clocks facing the southeast, northwest and four directions, and the minute hand is 14 feet long (about 4.27 meters), which is the largest clock in Britain.
Image credit: GettyImages
In fact, Big Ben is not his real name, but only the nickname of the great Bell used in the tower to announce the time, and this source is to commemorate Sir Benjamin Hauer, who was responsible for the construction of the Palace of Westminster.
In 2012, Tobias Ewood, a Member of the Conservative Party of the United Kingdom, proposed to rename Big Ben to The Elizabeth Tower to mark the sixtieth anniversary of the Queen's accession to the throne.
<h1 class="pgc-h-decimal" data-index="02" data-track="67" > Repair Process and Changes</h1>
Big Ben has accompanied Britain for a century
There is an urgent need to be injected with vitality
So maintenance is indispensable!
Since 2017
The British government spent £80 million on its repairs!
Image credits
Why do I need repairs?
Big Ben has always been known for its chime accuracy, even during World War II. In the face of Nazi Germany's bombing, it was also fearless, and still gave strong spiritual support to the government and people at that time, so it was regarded as a symbol of great Britain's national strength and spirit.
Image credit CNN
As for why maintenance is needed, the surface of Big Ben that has not been repaired for a long time has long been covered with thick dust, and the internal parts have not been repaired for many years, so in order to continue to love and dedicate to work in the future, it is time to repair it!
What changes during the repair process?
It is not difficult to find that after underwent repairs, Big Ben's dial returned from black to the original Prussian blue colour, and chief designer Adam Watrobski said that this color scheme refers to the original design of the 1930s and is a tribute to history!
Many people may think that the black dial is caused by long-term dust cover, but in fact, due to the painful pollution smoke in London at that time, the dial was difficult to clean and nursed, and it was painted black in the 1930s.
Image credit: Metro
Inside Big Ben, nearly 700 stone artifacts carved with letters, angels and other stones will be restored. A total of 3,433 parts on the roof were replaced with new products. The 324 pieces of glass after the 4-hour face will also be replaced by new glass that is hand-blown and cut.
Image credit: GettyImages/MyLondon
In addition, the maintenance team also inspects each Electronically Archived Big Ben part and decides whether it needs to be repaired or replaced based on their status. In addition, climbing the spiral staircase to the bell tower is part of the experience of visiting Big Ben, and this repair will also keep pace with the times to install an elevator inside to make it easier to climb to the top floor!
Image credit: MyLondon/Twoeggz
Finally, Big Ben has one of the most important changes, and that is the shield hanging from the bell tower. Scotland's independence is well known, and they will not compromise on Big Ben! In fact, this is because at the beginning of the maintenance of Big Ben, the decoration on the bell tower was only a flag representing England.
This was opposed by numerous Scottish nationalists, who argued that the act represented "England's domination of the whole of Britain", and some even added that "the position of the flag seems to clearly indicate England's dominance in Britain." ”
Image source express
Due to the pressure of all sides of society, Big Ben's decorative shield has also been replaced by a combination of symbols of three kingdoms: the red and white rose of the Tudor Dynasty in England, the thistle in Scotland and the clover in Ireland, which also adds beauty and is more conducive to harmony between the peoples!
Image credit ezgif
<h1 class="pgc-h-decimal" data-index="03" data-track="71" > Repair Fun Facts</h1>
In order to protect the safety of the maintenance team workers, Big Ben has been silent during the maintenance period, and when important times and festivals such as New Year's Day, Peace Anniversary, etc., Big Ben will ring a calm bell to tell people about the arrival of the festival.
Image source BBC
But the bell ringing at 23:00 on 31 January 2020 is a bit unusual because it represents the UK's official departure from the EU. This seemingly ordinary bell is not so simple, and if all the costs are evenly shared, the average price of each "bang" is 45,000 pounds!
In addition, just laying a temporary platform, reinstalling the bell parts cost 120,000 pounds, and the delay of the restoration project costs nearly 100,000 pounds a week, which can only show that the government is very determined in the national matter of Brexit!
For big Ben like this
Are you full of expectations
Waiting to feel its rich historical heritage!