Big Ben in Westminster, it is located in the northern bank of the River Thames. The biggest clock that was made, there are many speculations that happen before this big chiming clock was built. In 1844, Parliament determined that the new buildings for the Houses of Parliament, by then underneath building, should incorporate a tower and clock. The fee for this work was awarded to the architect Charles Barry, who initially invited just one clockmaker to provide a design and quotation. The rest of the trade objected to this, demanding the job be put out to competitive tender. The Astronomer Royal, George Airy was appointed to draft a specification for the clock. Certainly, one of his necessities was that: “the primary stroke of the hour bell should register the time, right to inside one second per day. Furthermore, that it should send its performance twice a day to Greenwich Observatory, the place a file would be kept.”

At 9′ 0″ diameter, 7′ 6″ high, and weighing in at 13 tons 10 cwts 3 qtrs 15lbs (thirteen, 760 Kg), the hour bell of the Nice Clock of Westminster identified worldwide as “Big Ben.” Large Ben was cast on Saturday of 10th April 1858, but its story begins more than 20 years earlier. Those few bits of the Old Palace that survived the hearth – most notably Westminster Hall, which was built between 1097 and 1099 by William Rufus – were integrated into the new buildings we know at present, together with many new features. However, this clock was still closed for those visitors from the overseas. You can see and take some photo the chiming clock, but you are not able to climb up to the tower. Only the folks of UK have the permission to visit inside the tower because of their security matters. Others were banned from taking the tour due to mounting fears over terrorism. House of Commoners answered the question about the notice, but their spokesperson said that the house needs not to involve about the security of the tower. Nevertheless, the security personnel of the tower said, “We don’t do public tours, but you can write to your MP with a reason for wanting to see it, and they can arrange a tour for you.”

There is news that says; the giant clock was leaning already and to the reports; one-and-a-half foot of the top-level position of the tower was tilting. Naked eyes won’t see it. It is said to be because of the deep underground excavation in the banks of Thames. The famous clock will be the second leaning tower just like the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy. The structure of the clock tower was over the subterranean that have some establishments like sewers, Jubilee line station and underground car parks. What was happened to be another piece of attraction that makes the Big Ben more popular these days, even though they still ban the visitors of the great Ben this time? Hope that soon they will open it again to public visitations.