The Hands of Time – London, England *wallpaper 12-15-11

The Hands of Time – London, England – For over a thousand years next to the River Thames, The Houses of Parliament & Big Ben have remained at the center of traditional English grandeur & influence

As far as old historic influential cities of the world go, London is definitely on the list. For about the last millenia, this city has had a major impact on the entire globe in some way. And if the veins of English influence have stretched throughout the globe, then they all lead back to the heart – the iconic Palace of Westminster, or more commonly known as The Houses of Parliament. This remarkable building is as intricate on the inside as it is on the outside. It has over 1,100 rooms, 100 staircases, 3 miles of corridors, and even 19 bars and restaurants for the many thousands of staff who work there everyday.

Here are a few more slightly less known facts about Parliament, the Clock Tower and the real Big Ben.

• The Clock Tower and Big Ben are not the same thing.  ‘Big Ben’ is the nickname of the giant bell inside the tower, named the after the civil engineer Benjamin Hall.
• The bell itself weighs 14.5 tons and is bonged with a 440 lb hammer – thus the big in the term ‘Big Ben’
• Even during the Nazi blitzkrieg of World War 2 the Clock never stopped working
• The oldest surviving part of the Palace of Westminster, is Westminster Hall, which was erected in 1097.
• The Tower leans slightly towards northwest, by 8.66 inches.

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December 15th, 2011 – Standard The Hands of Time - London, England (1280x1024pix) (40)  Wide – The Hands of Time - London, England (1920x1080pix) (41)