Interesting Facts

London has its own leaning tower, the clock tower that contains Big Ben at the Palace of Westminster. (Seemingly, the 96-metre tall clock tower, which houses the bell originally nicknamed Big Ben, leans about 46 cm to the left of its peak. A construction expert said there was nothing to worry about, and it would take 10,000 years to reach an angle of concern. Well at least it's leaning to the left, and not to the right.)

The Clock Tower is the focus of New Year celebrations in the United Kingdom, with radio and TV stations tuning to its chimes to welcome the start of the year, but the unique sound of the bell Big Ben is caused by a patched crack. (Yes, Big Ben isn't the name of the tower, it's the nickname of the main bell in the tower which is part of the Great Clock of Westminster in London. It's officially known as the Great Bell, but is better known by the nickname Big Ben. The original bell was a 16.3-tonne (16 ton) hour bell, cast on 6 August 1856 in Stockton-on-Tees by John Warner & Sons. The bell was named in honour of Sir Benjamin Hall, and his name is inscribed on it. Cast in 1856, the first bell was transported to the tower on a trolley drawn by sixteen horses, with crowds cheering its progress. Unfortunately, it cracked beyond repair while being tested and a replacement had to be made. The bell was recast at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry as a 13.76-tonne (13½ ton) bel...