![]() ![]() ![]() For the bulk of its life, the landmark was known simply as the Clock Tower, but it was commonly referenced (especially by the Victorian press) as St. Big Ben's clock tower has gone by several names.Įven though it has assumed the Big Ben moniker, the tower has its own official name. The E-natural behemoth leads a team of four quarter bells, which chime B-natural, E-natural, F-sharp, and G-sharp tones. Also known as the Great Bell, Big Ben stands more than 7 feet tall, measures 9 feet in diameter, and weighs nearly 14 tons. ![]() The name "Big Ben" refers to the clock tower's largest bell, not the Clock or the tower itself.Īt some point, London’s superstar clock tower acquired the nickname Big Ben-a name originally given not to the tower itself or even its clock, but to the largest of the clock’s five bells. Francis de Sales for decades.You may have snapped a photo of England’s most iconic clock or seen it in footage of London, but how well do you really know the United Kingdom’s towering timepiece-which rang out for the first time on May 31, 1859. The Verdin Company has provided the service and maintenance for BIG JOE and the peal of bells at St. Four smaller bells are mounted on the floor above and join in on the ringing. At 6:00 a.m., 12:00 noon, and 6:00 p.m., BIG JOE rings The Angelus, the Westminster chimes and hour strikes, and funeral tolls. Albeit more quietly, BIG JOE still does his job. Now, a Verdin foot hammer strikes the edge of the bell, just as it has for the past century. The earth trembled, windows nearby broke from the concussion, and tiny bits of cement were seen falling from between the stones of the church tower.”Īfter just one ringing, the story goes, it was decided that BIG JOE must never swing again, so the Church immobilized the bell. Alvin Harlow, a Cincinnati historian, said: “It was installed, it swung, and all of Walnut Hills nearly jumped out of its collective skin. It rattled nearby buildings, shattering windows in the neighborhood. People say its E-flat peal could be heard for a 15-mile radius. Legend has it that BIG JOE was rung for the first time in early January, 1896. Francis de Sales Parishįrom there, the story of BIG JOE remains somewhat of a mystery. When completed, it required 14 horses to haul BIG JOE up Gilbert Avenue to St. The bell measures seven feet from rim to crown, with a diameter of nine feet at the base. On October 30, 1895, the largest church bell in America was cast. VanDuzen Company, a well-known foundry on Second Street at Broadway in Cincinnati. The awesome task of casting BIG JOE was bestowed upon the E.W. BIG JOE was raised into the belfry by horses. The only difference between the two bells is that BIG BEN never did swing. BIG JOE was intended to be equal in size and a replication of BIG BEN in London. The cost of the project was between $12,000 and $15,000 (a very large sum in 1895). ![]() Francis de Sales parishioner who was the largest donor towards its casting and installation. The largest swinging bell ever cast in the United States, BIG JOE occupies an entire floor of the Church’s 230-foot stone steeple. Francis de Sales in Cincinnati, Ohio for nearly 120 years. Francis de Sales Roman Catholic Church in Cincinnati, Ohio, and when installed was the largest swinging church bell in the world.īIG JOE has been tolling the hours and calling parishioners to St. The clapper alone weighs 640 pounds. The weight of the bell itself is 27,390 pounds the weight of the mountings takes the total weight to 35,000 pounds. The bell hangs in the tower of St. On October 30, 1895, the largest bell in America was cast. ![]()
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