Big Ben is the nickname of the Great Bell housed in the clock tower at the north end of the Palace of Westminster in London. The tower's foundation stone was laid on 28 September 1843, as part of the rebuilding of the Houses of Parliament after the fire of 1834. It was designed in a Gothic Revival style by Charles Barry, with detailing by Augustus Pugin, and was completed in 1859, when the clock began to keep time. The name Big Ben is often used for the whole tower, which was officially renamed the Elizabeth Tower in 2012 to mark Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee. The clock is known for its accuracy, and the tower has become one of the best-known symbols of London and the United Kingdom.
Before and after
- 25 April 1843Earthquake in Yezo, Kushiro, Nemuro, Hokkaido, Japan
- 15 June 1843Birth of Edvard Grieg
- 17 June 1843Wairau Affray
- 7 July 1843Birth of Camillo Golgi
- 28 September 1843Construction of Big Ben
- 23 November 1843Discovery of 4P/Faye
- 11 December 1843Birth of Robert Koch
- 19 December 1843Publication of A Christmas Carol
- 1844Discovery of ruthenium
More in Art, literature & culture
- 10 August 1793Construction of Louvre Museum
- 1863Origins of Baháʼí Faith
- 17 November 1869Construction of Suez Canal
- 1886Statue of Liberty
- 31 March 1889Construction of Eiffel Tower
- 1894Radio
The era
This moment belongs to the Industrial era (1760 CE to 1914 CE), steam, factories and revolutions. You can also browse everything in the 19th century.