lunedì 28 aprile 2014

My favourite  monument is:
               
                                            The Big Ben

Big Ben is the nickname for the great bell of the clock at the north end of thePalace of Westminster in London,[1] and often extended to refer to the clock and theclock tower.[2] The tower is officially known as the Elizabeth Tower (prior to being renamed in 2012 it was known as simply "Clock Tower") to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II. The tower holds the largest four-faced chiming clock in the world and is the third-tallest free-standing clock tower.[3] The tower was completed in 1858 and had its 150th anniversary on 31 May 2009,[4] during which celebratory events took place.[5][6] The tower has become one of the most prominent symbols of the United Kingdom and is often in the establishing shot of films set in London.

Clock:The clock and dials were designed by Augustus Pugin. The clock dials are set in an iron frame 23 feet (7.0 m) in diameter, supporting 312 pieces of opal glass, rather like a stained-glass window. Some of the glass pieces may be removed for inspection of the hands. The surround of the dials is gilded. At the base of each clock dial in gilt letters is the Latin inscription:

                        
DOMINE SALVAM FAC REGINAM NOSTRAM VICTORIAM PRIMAM
The origin of the nickname Big Ben is the subject of some debate. The nickname was applied first to the Great Bell; it may have been named after Sir Benjamin Hall, who oversaw the installation of the Great Bell, or after boxing's English Heavyweight Champion Benjamin Caunt.[1][33][35] Now Big Ben is often used, by extension, to refer to the clock, the tower and the bell collectively, although the nickname is not universally accepted as referring to the clock and tower.[2][45][46][47] Some authors of works about the tower, clock and bell sidestep the issue by using the words Big Ben first in the title, then going on to clarify that the subject of the book is the clock and tower as well as the bell.[48][49]








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