Clock Tower

This is a picture of the Clock Tower taken from the Thames. The Clock Tower is connected to the Parilment Buildings which are the Palace of Westminister. The orginial palace that was on this site was a residence of the Royal Family until it was destroyed by fire in 1512. After this, it became the meeting place of Parilment and has been ever since.

The Clock Tower is often called Big Ben. Big Ben is actually the nickname for the largest bell in the tower. The bell weighs over 13 tonnes. The nickname is often used to refer not just to this bell, but also the clock and the tower.

The first Clock Tower on this site was built in 1288. The present tower was built in 1834. When it was built, it was the largest four faced clock in the world. On the clock faces, in Latin, are the words, "O Lord, keep safe our Queen Victoria the First."