Watch the next part of the video. Then read and learn about Big Ben and the Palace of Westminster.
(Noskaties nākamo video daļu! Tad lasi un mācies par Bigbenu un Vestminsteras pili!)
- Big Ben
Big Ben is the nickname for the Great Bell of the striking clock at the north end of the Palace of Westminster in London and is usually extended to refer to both the clock and the clock tower. The official name of the tower in which Big Ben is located was originally the Clock Tower, but it was renamed Elizabeth Tower in 2012 to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II. When completed in 1859, its clock was the largest and most accurate four-faced striking and chiming clock in the world. The tower stands 96 m tall, and the climb from ground level to the belfry is 334 steps.
Big Ben is the largest of the tower's five bells and weighs 13.7 tonnes. It was the largest bell in the United Kingdom for 23 years. The origin of the bell's nickname is open to question; it may be named after Sir Benjamin Hall, who oversaw its installation, or heavyweight boxing champion Benjamin Caunt. The clock uses its original Victorian mechanism, but an electric motor can be used as a backup.
The tower is a British cultural icon recognised all over the world.
Big Ben — [ˈbɪɡ.ben] — Bigbens
the Elizabeth Tower — [iˌlɪz.əˈbiː.θˌ taʊər] — Elizabetes tornis
- The Palace of Westminster
The Palace of Westminster serves as the meeting place for both the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Commonly known as the Houses of Parliament after its occupants, the Palace lies on the north bank of the River Thames in the City of Westminster, in central London.
The first royal palace constructed on the site dated from the 11th century, and Westminster became the primary residence of the Kings of England until fire destroyed much of the complex in 1512. After that, it served as the home of the Parliament of England. In 1834 an even greater fire destroyed the heavily rebuilt Houses of Parliament, and the only significant medieval structures to survive were Westminster Hall, the Cloisters of St Stephen's, the Chapel of St Mary Undercroft, and the Jewel Tower.
The reconstruction started in 1840 and lasted for 30 years, works for the interior decoration continued intermittently well into the 20th century.
the Palace of Westminster — [ ˈpæl.ɪsˌɒvˌwestˈmɪn.stər] — Vestminsteras pils
the Houses of Parliament — [haʊ.zɪzˌɒvˈpɑː.lɪ.mənt] — Parlamenta Palātas