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Nelson’s Column
Big Ben
The 169 ft. (51.6 m) column stands in front of the National
Gallery in Trafalgar Square and was erected between 1840
and 1843 to commemorate the British naval hero Admiral
Horatio Nelson, who died at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.
The pedestal upon which the column stands is decorated
with four bronze reliefs; each one is 18 ft. (5.5 m) square and
cast from captured French guns.
Big Ben (the Great Bell), officially known as the Elizabeth
Tower (formerly known as the Clock Tower and renamed in
2012 in honor of Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee), has
stood at the northeastern corner of the Palace of Westminster
for over 150 years. The 316 ft. (96.3 m) neo-gothic styled tower
is one of the most recognized and photographed landmarks
in London today and an integral part of the city’s skyline.
The tower’s clock mechanism is wound by hand three
times a week and is still as accurate today as when it was
constructed over 150 years ago.
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