On This Day in History May 31, 1859: The bell that was installed into the clock atop the 320-foot ta

On This Day in History May 31, 1859: The bell that was installed into the clock atop the 320-foot tall Elizabeth Tower known as “Big Ben” rings out for the first time. Why is it called Big Ben? According to History.com: “The name “Big Ben” originally just applied to the bell but later came to refer to the clock itself. Two main stories exist about how Big Ben got its name. Many claim it was named after the famously long-winded Sir Benjamin Hall, the London commissioner of works at the time it was built. Another famous story argues that the bell was named for the popular heavyweight boxer Benjamin Caunt, because it was the largest of its kind.” Big Ben has withstood the elements and incendiary bombs during World War II to become on of the icons of the landscape of London. #BigBen #HousesofParliament #BritishHistory #LondonHistory #ArchitecturalHistory #EngineeringHistory #History #Historia #Histoire #Geschichte #HistorySisco https://www.instagram.com/p/CeOr3WUOhJm/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI= -- source link

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