

On December 31, 1923, the chimes of Big Ben were broadcast for the first time by BBC.

When the parliament is in session, a special light above the clock’s face is switched on. The minute hands are 4.2 meters long (14 feet) and weigh about 100 kg.Įach dial of the clock has 312 pieces of glass and the numbers are approximately 23 inches long. Each dial of this massive clock tower is seven meters in diameter. This bell is famous for its accuracy.Īt night, all the four faces of the clocks are illuminated and the clock looks radiant and beautiful. Big Ben is actually the name given to the massive bell inside the clock tower and this clock weighs more than 13 tons (13,760 kg). The Big Ben clock tower is one of the most famous attractions in London. It was in the 14th century that the mechanical clocks were invented and in 1656, the pendulum clock was invented, which was then used as the standard timekeeping device.

It was in the middle ages that the mechanical clocks started appearing and the popular pendulum clock is still considered a timepiece and will continue to do so in the years to come. However, these methods were not as accurate as the clock. This word entered english language in the 14th century and this was mainly the time when clocks started coming into the limelight.īefore clocks existed, people used to keep a track of time using shadows from the sun and water clocks. The word clock has originated from the French word cloche which means bell. In fact, keeping a track of time was one of the very first things that humans learned and since then, it has come a long way. The history of clocks dates back millions of years ago.
