Big Ben est le surnom de la grande cloche (elle mesure 4,25 mètres de long) située dans la Tour de l'Horloge (Clock Tower) du Palais de Westminster, le siège du parlement britannique (House of Parliament). Le bâtiment fait face à la Tamise, entre le Pont de Westminster (Westminster Bridge) et l'Abbaye de Westminster (Westminster Abbey). La hauteur de la tour est de 99.98 mètres. Si strictement, "Big Ben" se réfère à la cloche, les Anglais utilisent souvent le terme pour parler de la tour. Depuis de très nombreuses années, ce sont les cloches de Big Ben qui, à minuit le 31 décembre, annoncent dans tous les foyers anglais le début de la nouvelle année. Le son est retransmis sur toutes les chaînes de télévision et de radio du pays. Le créateur de Big Ben est Benjamin Hall, celui-ci a donné son surnom à sa création : son surnom était : Ben, et, comme il était un peu corpulent, on appelait aussi : Big, et c'est à partir de là que sa "grosse horloge" porte maintenant le nom de Big-ben.
The name Big Ben was first given to a 14.5 tonne (16 ton) hour bell, cast on 10 April 1856 in Stockton-on-Tees by Warner's of Cripplegate. The bell was never officially named, but the legend on it records that the commissioner of works, Sir Benjamin Hall, was responsible for the order; another theory is that the bell may have been named after heavyweight boxer Benjamin Caunt who was popular at the time. There's also a story that the bell was to be called "Victoria" in honour of Queen Victoria, but the ceremonial speeches went on so long that some joker shouted out "Oh just call it Big Ben and have done with it!" and the name stuck. It is also believed that the bell was named after the prize boxer Benjamin Brain of late 1700's also nicknamed "Big Ben"
The name Big Ben was first given to a 14.5 tonne (16 ton) hour bell, cast on 10 April 1856 in Stockton-on-Tees by Warner's of Cripplegate. The bell was never officially named, but the legend on it records that the commissioner of works, Sir Benjamin Hall, was responsible for the order; another theory is that the bell may have been named after heavyweight boxer Benjamin Caunt who was popular at the time. There's also a story that the bell was to be called "Victoria" in honour of Queen Victoria, but the ceremonial speeches went on so long that some joker shouted out "Oh just call it Big Ben and have done with it!" and the name stuck. It is also believed that the bell was named after the prize boxer Benjamin Brain of late 1700's also nicknamed "Big Ben"
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