This essential program of works will safeguard the clock on a long term basis, as well as protecting and preserving its home – the Elizabeth Tower.” As Keeper of the Great Clock I have the great honor of ensuring this beautiful piece of Victorian engineering is in top condition on a daily basis. “Big Ben falling silent is a significant milestone in this crucial conservation project. Steve Jaggs, Keeper of the Great Clock, says: The public will be able to see one working clock face visible at all times throughout the process, though other faces will be covered at certain points. Weighing an impressive 13.7 tons, the custom-built Victoria clockwork mechanism will continue telling time silently after the striking hammers are disconnected. In order to preserve the iconic Victorian engineering of the Great Clock and Great Bell, Big Ben’s famous striking will be paused until 2021.

For the next four years, Big Ben’s bongs will fall silent as a major conservation project begins at Elizabeth Tower on August 21, 2017. New York, New York (August 15, 2017) – For 157 years, the iconic time-keeper of the capital city has rung out every hour to the note of E, accompanied by distinct chiming bells every 15 minutes.

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