#London Guide

[presidentialapartmentslondon]

How Big Ben Became London's Landmark? Explore 8 Fascinating Facts about Big Ben in London

Big Ben is perhaps one of the world’s most iconic landmarks, truly reflecting the grandeur of the United Kingdom and its capital, London. Overlooking the River Thames, this opulent clock, standing at more than 96 meters, lies in the Elizabeth Tower in Westminster’s House of Parliament. 

Looking to explore London's historic charm without breaking the bank? Opt for budget-friendly holiday apartments in London and get ready to unravel the story behind the iconic Big Ben.

Since its creation in 1859, people can only speculate the reasoning behind its name. The two theories that stand out are that it was named after Sir Benjamin Hall, a politician who overlooked its installation, or after a boxing champion at the time named Benjamin Caunt. 

1. Its Magnitude is a Wonder

It is no surprise that the clock tower took 15 years to be built. The Big Ben itself is the bell that chimes inside the clock and weighs almost 13 tons.

Its height can be judged by the fact that to get to the top of the tower, one has to climb a total of 399 steps. The dials on the clock have a 7-meter-long diameter, while the minute hand is 4.2 meters long, weighing over 100 kilos. 

You can read also: How to Experience The Sherlock Holmes Walking Tour: Your Ultimate Guide!

2. The Engineering Was Outstanding

Although it is the world's largest four-faced clock, it comes as a surprise that Big Ben tells the time accurately within a second.

To protect the clock from any rain or snow that may hamper it, the engineers invented the double three-legged gravity escapement. Moreover, its pendulum has a stack of pre-decimal penny coins to modify the clock's pace.

3. The Clock Survived the Second World War

Big Ben has been through a lot! It was standing during the Second World War and was a visible target for the enemy planes. 

On 10th May 1941, it was struck by German bombs, which damaged the windows and severely burnt the building. The Elizabeth Tower, too, underwent some damage. Surprisingly, the clock continued to function without a problem. 

4. There is a Mysterious Prison room

One of the oddest things in the clock tower is the ancient, oak-paneled prison room last used in 1880 to hold the atheist MP Charles Bradlaugh. The prison room, accessible from The House of Commons, has since not been used as a holding cell and is currently used by the Petitions Committee. 

5. The Bell Does Not Swing!

You will be surprised to see that the bell itself does not swing. It is struck from the outside to make it chime.

The bell is surrounded by 4 other smaller bells that ring together every hour with the main bell to make its unique melody, “the Westminister Quarters.” 

Every 15 minutes, the smaller “quarter bells” chime with their different musical notes, B, F, G, and E. 

6. Big Ben Went Silent For Four Years

The English weather was taking a heavy toll on the magnificent tower of Big Ben. This is why, after many decades of performing its duty, the clock was given four years to rest in 2017, when it was closed for renovation work. 

7. It Was Renamed in Honor of Queen Elizabeth in 2012

In 2012, Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her Diamond Jubilee, and this occasion was marked by the renaming of the tower in her honor. The tower is now called “the Elizabeth Tower” after a unanimous vote in Parliament approved this move.

8. Big Ben is Regularly Featured in Films

Big Ben is our favorite movie character! 

The tower has been featured in films and shows for years and now holds the title of London’s most iconic film location. It was featured in iconic films such as Mary Poppins, V for Vendetta, London Has Fallen, and many more. 

The tower was blown a whopping 7 times in films, making use of special effects and CGI technology. 

No trip to London is complete without walking up to this majestic tower overlooking the Thames and absorbing its formidable presence!

Conclusion:

As you plan your visit to London, immerse yourself in the city's history by exploring the iconic Big Ben. And for a comfortable stay in London, consider Presidential Serviced Apartments in Kensington. Enjoy the convenience of a central location and comfortable accommodations, making your London experience truly memorable.

[skeletour2025]

The O2 Arena London 2025

[travelguidearticle]

Travel Guide London England

[hollywocd]

asha banks like/reblog ✨

[starryeyed-seer]

me: I'm not a bat

Mr pages: (stuffing novels under its robe): I must abscond

[geraldofallon]

Fallen London Travel Guide:

The Missing Candle

The Missing Candle is a reliably quiet pub in Veilgarden - the drinks are cheap, the food is... extant.

[szilverer]

it only took me uhhh six months (i did slack off for a bit in the middle admittedly) but guess who can Finally proceed to the next path of her quest for vengeance? :3c

this little stressed flower.

the neath really hasnt been kind to her.

mini liveblogging time

this is also the First Time my girl zails on her own as a Captain of sorts. (her quick jaunt by Hunter's Keep doesn't count. that place was yet another punch in the gut btw but after half a year she has accepted that everything down here hurts.)

frankly, she thought she'd be more nervous, but all the latest Correspondence studying day and night kinda burned her out. lol

the voyage was uneventful, but this dream was a welcome surprise tool that i will use to torture her later

THIS HEADER IS THE COOLEST SHIT EVER OMG??

i fw with this place immediately. cinthe, however, does Not.

the literal first thing is a COMMITTED CHECK. fbg put that one SPECIFICALLY to torture Loved One nemplayers???? hey???

immediately failed, as expected.

[fails check][fails check][FAILS CHECK] GODDAMMIT also this place is so strange she is NOT having a good time AT ALL. this manages to be worse than parabola

oh. [nightmares straight to 6] im scared

[wounds straight to 6] IM SCARED

...is that. the ambitious barrister. ?

I could only look on and weep with joy as two dapper devils bought silk for cravats.'

yeah shes. shes aight mentally guys she doin fine

MY GOD FINALLY. i can only read this as her becoming insane enough to just lose it and stop trying to do things the proper way, like a proper person. this is not a proper place.

...

oof. okay. that's fitting for her, somehow. her life was, and seems like it is still, but a series of people not taking her seriously. surely there'll be m--

HUH?????????????????????????????

I GOTTA DO THIS THING MULTIPLE TIMES?

...

my poor cinthe CANNOT catch a break. nothing ever goes right for her. local failgirl keeps getting subjected to traumatic experience after traumatic experience for NO reason and she'll have to do it again and again because what else is there for her. what else but this one path of pain. WOE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[crow-caller]

Btw now is a great time to check out fallen london if you're interested (its free and browser based) (gothic victorian horror-comedy esoteric weirdness) (the worldbuilding is so so unique and expansive and cool) .

The winter holiday season is coming soon, which has a lot of cool bonus stuff, including a daily advent calendar

[bebemoon]

look for the name NOVEMBER (requested by @clownov) | jody t of california black corduroy and red plaid long-sleeved maxi dress (c. 197o's), london underground black leather wooden heel and platform boots, laura benson "temptation" earrings, fort & manlé "late harvest" eau de parfum (cherry tobacco, rosewood, cedarwood, leather, rose, vanilla), a fifth edition of mrs. william starr dana's "how to know the wild flowers: a guide to the names, haunts and habits of our common wildflower" (1894 edition)

[presidentialapartmentslondon]

Explore London's Top 8 Museums in London

Unlock the cultural treasures of London with our guide to the Top 8 Must-See Museums in the city! 🏛️ From ancient artifacts to modern masterpieces, this video takes you on a virtual tour of London's vibrant museum scene.

And after a day of exploration, unwind in style with accommodations near Kensington at Presidential Serviced Apartments Kensington. Plan your cultural escape now! 🌆

Book directly with us and enjoy a 30% discount. Visit: www.presidentialapartmentslondon.com

Contact No: +44 20 7373 4040

[thewolvesof1998]

Unless Chris coming to LA was preplanned (which it wasn’t) after the fight with Buck, Eddie called his parents and told them what? I need Chris to get on a plane to LA right now? Gods I know they would have kicked up a fuss at that. What reasoning did he give them? Oh because I was a dick to Buck and I need to cheer him up? The fuck no he didn’t, so what was it!?!?? I need to be a fly on the wall for the phone call. Also totally possible Eddie just told Chris to get an Uber to the airport and he’ll pick him up on the other side.

[ismahanescorner]

My Fault: London | Movie Review

Platform: Prime Video

Release Date: 13/02/2025

Rating: 7.5/10

Review:

tw//: violence, assault.

i’ll start this review with a little story on how i caved in and watched this version. so, like most people i watched the spanish og version, and while it wasn’t good by any measure, it was entertaining. but, then again, i watched “culpa mia” around the same time as “the tearsmith” cuz of tiktok recommendations and “the tearsmith” was so god awful that i might have an eschewed opinion on “culpa mia” being entertaining! 😬 anyways, a month or so ago, i watched the sequel “culpa tuya” and i was pretty disappointed with how disjointed and non-cohesive the plot line was! hence, when i saw the trailer for a london version i thought “meh, i ain’t watching!” anyways, yesterday, while on tiktok, i come to find out that the actor who plays nick in the london version is matt broome from “the buccaneers” *aaahhh! my racing heart beat still* and so i decided to check out this version to see him and i was NOT disappointed!!

after watching the movie, i immediately hurried back to tiktok to bask in the edits and gush with the girlies over how perfect matt broome and asha banks were for these roles. that’s when i was hit by the “haters brigade” ie; defenders of the og version. they kept whining in the comments about “culpa mia” being a better adaptation cuz it adhered to the books and yada yada. babes, the books are wattpad fics (not even AO3), they are shite paraliterature for us girlies to brainrot over, that’s it. the og script writers should’ve changed stuff here and there in “culpa mia” to make a good adaptation but they didn’t. well, the “my fault london” script writers learned from that mistake and changed loads and gave the audience an entertaining movie and a decent guy/relationship to lust after/root for!!

as i said “my fault london” is so much better than “culpa mia” cuz of those script changes. the plotline in this version feels like a cohesive story instead of just bad boy clichés and spicy scenes strung up together. the events flowed seamlessly one after the other, and the relationships’ bonds between the characters felt deep and better established. additionally, the acting was just better! the chemistry between the leads was off the charts even though they had fewer spicy scenes. the “london nick and noah” talked more and connected better and so when they took that step over the redline it felt proper scandalous. it literally, had me blushing, kicking my feet, looking at my walls with how hot those scenes felt!

so yeah, i quite enjoyed this version and i’m excited to see how they will subvert the storyline if they get the green-light to make a sequel. i’m also beyond happy that cuz of the leads’ good acting, more people will finally be tuning into “the buccaneers” and “a good girl’s guide to murder” our little british shows that deserve more love.

[hollywocd]

asha banks like/reblog ✨

[garloc-zoup]

Art I made cause I'm cool like that

27th of July - 3rd of Nov ‼️

[geraldofallon]

Fallen London Travel Guide:

Gaider’s Mourn

The Mourn is a stalagmite vast as a crag, a pirate haven defiantly perched on the centre of the Zee like a vast spider in its web. Step carefully.

[esteemed-excellency]

Word around Parabola is that the Red Court has a new champion🩸🩸🩸