One of London's most endearing and famous landmarks is the clock tower we commonly refer to as "Big Ben." The tower, with its richly ornamented pinnacles, parapets and spires, is actually part of England's Houses of Parliament; however, Big Ben is actually not the clock tower itself, but the main bell inside the clock! Named after Sir Benjamin Hall, Commissioner of Works at the time the bell was hung in 1858. Each of the clock dials is 23 feet in diameter, the numerals are two feet high, and the hands are 14 feet and 9 feet, respectively. During World War II, Big Ben achieved an almost religious grace, as members of the Big Ben Society would gather in prayer as the immense bell boomed out before the 9 o'clock news.
