大笨鐘在那裏?

位於-倫敦。倫敦鍾塔Big Ben，又暱稱大笨鐘。位於西敏宮北端的鐘塔高98公尺，塔內的第一個巨鐘，即大鐘，是1856年鑄於Stockton-on-Tees，再以船沿河運到倫敦。次年，此鐘出現裂痕，因此在1858由白禮拜堂鑄造廠 (Whitechapel Foundry）另鑄重達13,716公斤、高2公尺的巨鐘取代。大鐘的名字Benjamin，也許是從當時著名的拳擊手考特 (Benjamin Caunt）而來，或隨大鐘的建造者霍爾 (Benjamin Hall）而命名。當議會開會時，大鐘上方的燈就會點亮。

塔上的時鐘在117年的期間內，運轉無誤，直到1976年進行大修為止。皇家天文學家愛里 (G.B. Airy）於1846年被指派監看新時鐘的準確性。他要求每一個鐘點的第一響，誤差只能在一秒之內，時鐘的準確性要與格林威治的皇家天文台，每天以電報核對兩次。當1941年，西敏宮遭到大轟炸時，時鐘曾短暫的出現一秒半的誤差。戰爭期間，時鐘停過三次，一次是有隻鐵槌意外卡在內部機械內，另一次是在1945年，有根彈簧斷裂，第三次是一個撞擊構造在寒冬中凍結。時鐘於每個鐘點的撞擊聲，乃仿自劍橋的聖瑪麗教堂，悠揚的鐘聲配合了如下的詞句：「願這個鐘頭的分分秒秒，上帝導我前行，以主之能，佑吾民平安。」

England ----London

Big Ben and Parliament


The British Parliament
Parliament: is legislative assembly of GREAT BRITAIN.
It has evolved into the nation's sovereign power, while the monarchy remains sovereign in name only.

Technically, it consists of the monarch, the House of Commons, and the House of Lords, but the term usually refers only to Commons, a democratically elected body of 651 members.

The House of Lords is composed of peers and Anglican prelates. Since 1911 its powers have been negligible.

The House of Commons is presided over by a nonpartisan speaker elected by Commons, which also elects the PRIME MINISTER; the executive head of government, by modern tradition, must be a member of Commons.

The rest of the government's ministers, the CABINET, may be selected from either house. Thus, the executive branch is, in effect, a committee of the legislature. Elections must be held every five years; the prime minister may call elections earlier, If the party in power fails to obtain a parliamentary majority on an important issue, it may call a general election.

The major parties in Parliament are Conservative, Labor, and the coalition of Social Democrats and Liberals.

The origins of Parliament go back to the medieval Curia Regis, or great council, a body of noble and ecclesiastical advisers to the monarch that evolved into the House of Lords.

Quasi-legislative, it was primarily a judicial and executive body. In the 13th cent. representatives of the knights and burgesses were also assembled to approve royal of the monarchy.

During the ENGLISH CIVIL WAR (1642-48) and its aftermath Parliament gained legislative supremacy over taxation and expenditures.

Parliamentary sovereignty was permanently affirmed by the GLORIOUS REVOLUTION (1688). Demands for representation by the new classes created by the INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION led in the 19th century to passage of REFORM BILLS which greatly extended suffrage; universal male and female suffrage was granted in the 20th century.
Purchase tickets


Ben: This 316ft clock-tower was completed between 1858-59.Big Ben is named, probably, after Sir Benjamin Hall, the First Commissioner of Works.

Big Ben was first broadcast on New Year's Eve in 1923. The light above the clock is lit while the Commons is sitting. Big Ben weighs over 13 tons.

The clock mechanism, alone, weights about 5 tons. The figures on the clock face are about 2 feet long, the minute spaces are 1 ft. square; and the copper minute hands are14 ft. Long.

Whitechapel Bell Foundry - Makers of Big Ben and the Liberty Bell. Also hand bells, tower bells, clock bells, carillons, and turret bells.



House Of Commons Chamber


大笨鐘的故事

倫敦鍾塔Big Ben，又暱稱大笨鐘。位於西敏宮北端的鐘塔高98公尺，塔內的第一個巨鐘，即大鐘，是1856年鑄於Stockton-on-Tees，再以船沿河運到倫敦。次年，此鐘出現裂痕，因此在1858由白禮拜堂鑄造廠 (Whitechapel Foundry）另鑄重達13,716公斤、高2公尺的巨鐘取代。大鐘的名字Benjamin，也許是從當時著名的拳擊手考特 (Benjamin Caunt）而來，或隨大鐘的建造者霍爾 (Benjamin Hall）而命名。當議會開會時，大鐘上方的燈就會點亮。

塔上的時鐘在117年的期間內，運轉無誤，直到1976年進行大修為止。皇家天文學家愛里 (G.B. Airy）於1846年被指派監看新時鐘的準確性。他要求每一個鐘點的第一響，誤差只能在一秒之內，時鐘的準確性要與格林威治的皇家天文台，每天以電報核對兩次。當1941年，西敏宮遭到大轟炸時，時鐘曾短暫的出現一秒半的誤差。戰爭期間，時鐘停過三次，一次是有隻鐵槌意外卡在內部機械內，另一次是在1945年，有根彈簧斷裂，第三次是一個撞擊構造在寒冬中凍結。時鐘於每個鐘點的撞擊聲，乃仿自劍橋的聖瑪麗教堂，悠揚的鐘聲配合了如下的詞句：「願這個鐘頭的分分秒秒，上帝導我前行，以主之能，佑吾民平安。」

大笨鐘在英國~~