Big Ben to Fall Silent for Maintenance

Big Ben will fall silent after 157 years.

Situated in London, Big Ben was built 157 years ago and now is in need of refurbishment. The renovations will cost £29.

The Elizabeth Tower, the tower that houses Big Ben, will also have renovations done. The tower was renamed the Elizabeth Tower in 2012 in honor of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. The project will begin next year and will last for a span of three years, although the clock will not be silenced for all three years.

In order to perform necessary maintenance, the clock will be silenced for a smaller time span within the three year period. Parliament says that, if the clock does not receive the proper maintenance, then there is a possibility that the clock will fall. This is pushing the urgency of the project.

The Ayrton Light, which tops the tower and shines to indicate that Parliament is sitting, also needs to be fully dismantled and restored. Once these repairs are done, there is supposed to be a long-term maintenance plan put in place for continued restoration and preservation.

Big Ben’s nickname originally referred to the 13.5 tonne Great Bell within the tower.  It had previously been known as The Clock Tower or St. Stephen’s Tower. Big Ben was built as a result of a fire that destroyed the old Palace of Westminster.