Possibly one of the most famous time-keeping devices in the world is, apart from the damenuhren of course, Big Ben. Located at the north end of London’s Palace of Westminster, it is the largest quadruple-faced chiming clock in the world! It is also the third tallest clock that is free-standing in the entire world! The tower was erected in 1858, completed on April 10th.
Built as part of Charles Barry’s design for the new palace following the destruction of the old Palace of Westminster by fire in 1934, the clock tower itself was designed by Augustus Pugin. In fact, the design for the Clock Tower was to be Pugin’s final design before he sadly descended into madness and finally death. Of the last time Barry visited him to collect the drawings, Pugin wrote; “I never worked so hard in my life for Mr. Barry for tomorrow I render all the designs for finishing his bell tower and it is beautiful.” Designed in Pugin’s famous Gothic Revival style, the Clock Tower integrates well with the rest of Westminster Palace as Barry designed it in a Neo-Gothic style.