| (http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/63hbhV5iK75EPBtlP4xE2w--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Y2g9MjY3OTtjcj0xO2N3PTM1NzU7ZHg9MDtkeT0wO2ZpPXVsY3JvcDtoPTQ3MztxPTg1O3c9NjMw/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/gettyimages.com/years-eve-celebrated-london-huge-20111231-173019-917.jpg) | Britain's famed parliament clock tower Big Ben is set to be renamed the Elizabeth Tower in honor of the queen's diamond jubilee, a report said Friday. Prime Minister David Cameron is among 331 lawmakers who have signed up to a campaign to bestow the tribute to Queen Elizabeth to mark her 60th year on the throne, the Daily Mail reported. The Guardian also reported the majority backing for the proposal. It mirrors an honor bestowed on Queen Victoria the first British monarch to celebrate a diamond jubilee, back in 1897 -- after whom the square tower at the other end of the Houses of Parliament was renamed. "It is great news that so many MPs from across the House are backing what would be a fitting tribute to the queen. I hope it will now move ahead," the Mail quoted Cameron as saying. The 316-foot tower is formally known as the Clock Tower, but it is commonly called Big Ben after the huge bell that it holds, whose distinctive "bongs" sound out the hours in central London. Lawmakers accepted that the iconic tower, which looms over the 19-century Gothic revival parliament, would continue to be known colloquially as Big Ben, but said that its formal name should honor Queen Elizabeth. The House of Commons Commission, the governing body of the British parliament, will meet by the end of June and is expected to agree on the renaming of Big Ben, the Daily Mail said. Big Ben was in the news in January this year when the commission discussed how to manage a tilt affecting the tower. The tilt is 0.26 degrees to the northwest and has increased very slightly since 2003, although an expert study found it was unlikely to be a problem for 10,000 years. Britain is holding four days of celebrations beginning on Saturday to mark Elizabeth II's jubilee, including a 1,000-boat river pageant and a star-studded concert. |
The Clocktower's name has never been 'The Big Ben', I believe it was the Clock that bears that name.Indeed. The tower's name is the Palace of Westminster.
The tower's name is the Palace of Westminster.
No it isn't. The Palace of Westminster is the whole building that houses the Houses of Parliament. The towers name it simply "the Clock Tower".Just checked an article and I stand corrected.
Actually it's the Great Westminster Clock... :roll:The Big Ben is the Bell inside the clock. The tower is the Clock Tower and the whole building is the Palace of Westminster.
Could someone give notice to the Parliament that this will cause international hilarity ?...Well said.
The word 'Ben' is in Russian an old synonym for penis.
There for the poosibility of a Big Ben being inside Queen Elizabeth's Tower might cause some laughter....
Could someone give notice to the Parliament that this will cause international hilarity ?
The word 'Ben' is in Russian an old synonym for penis.
There for the poosibility of a Big Ben being inside Queen Elizabeth's Tower might cause some laughter....
Could someone give notice to the Parliament that this will cause international hilarity ?:lol: Theres a big Ben inside queen Elizibeths tower.
The word 'Ben' is in Russian an old synonym for penis.
There for the poosibility of a Big Ben being inside Queen Elizabeth's Tower might cause some laughter....
Could someone give notice to the Parliament that this will cause international hilarity ?The Queen isn't impressed with your comments (http://www.heraldnet.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?NewTbl=1&Site=DH&Date=20120602&Category=NEWS02&ArtNo=602009999&Ref=PH&Item=1&maxW=654&maxH=400&mod=20120602133600)
The word 'Ben' is in Russian an old synonym for penis.
There for the poosibility of a Big Ben being inside Queen Elizabeth's Tower might cause some laughter....
What the names ''Big Ben'' ( for example ) are refering to remains a bit unclear to me because of these discussion above, but I would like to say that changing the name ''Big Ben'' to ''Elizabeth Tower'' seems both extremely unnecessary to me and would probably cause national or even international disappointment.
The Queen isn't impressed with your comments (http://www.heraldnet.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?NewTbl=1&Site=DH&Date=20120602&Category=NEWS02&ArtNo=602009999&Ref=PH&Item=1&maxW=654&maxH=400&mod=20120602133600)You mean 'The Queen, is NOT, amused'
Basically, people reffer to the whole tower as being "Big Ben" - it's just what we do, however, this is actually incorrect, it's formal name is "The Clock Tower". The face that you see in most pictures (This One (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/93/Clock_Tower_-_Palace_of_Westminster%2C_London_-_May_2007.jpg/300px-Clock_Tower_-_Palace_of_Westminster%2C_London_-_May_2007.jpg)) is called the Great Westminster Clock. (More commonly - the Great Clock)Wheter the name will be ''Great Westminster Clock (Tower)'' or ''Queen Elizabeth II Tower'', I predict that people will continue to refer to it as ''Big Ben''. It's actually new to me that the tower its official name isn't ''Big Ben''. Richard Burton refered to it as Big Ben in Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds, which is why I always stuck ( and will be sticking :D ) to the name ''Big Ben''.
The biggest bell inside of it is Big Ben.
So actually, Big Ben isn't being renamed - just the name of the tower is.