How to fill Big Ben’s long silence
Big Ben, the bell that rings above Britain’s Parliament, tolled last on Aug. 21. It’s temporarily silenced — with a few exceptions — until 2021, when workers will finish a $37-million refurbishment. It will ring on special occasions. You can still see it from afar, but here are some ways to keep the bell close to your heart.
Find another bell to love. If you’re visiting London, Big Ben certainly isn’t the only bell in town. Go to St. Paul’s Cathedral on Ludgate Hill, which lays claim to Great Tom. Or seek out St. Maryle-Bow in Cheapside and listen to the bells that once defined whether people were true Cockneys.
Listen to the final ringing
(over and over, if you like). In case you missed it, you can hear the bell’s final bongs from Aug. 21 at lat.ms/ BenChimesItsLast.
Enjoy silly tweets. There seems to be more than one unofficial Big Ben account on Twitter, each delighting in bringing you the bell’s bongs in a series of timely tweets. @big_ben_clock, which has gathered almost half a million followers since it began in 2009, keeps the bell ringing in social media (sort of).
Take a quiz about it. Parliament’s website has devised a 10-question quiz to keep folks interested in trivia about the Elizabeth Tower, Big Ben and the Great Clock. Find out how well you know it at lat.ms/BigBenQuiz.
Make your own Big Ben. There are all kinds of YouTube videos about making a replica of Big Ben out of Legos, paper or other materials. One time-lapse sketch of the clock tower was done over four days and posted by Veni Arts. You can see it at lat.ms/ BenReplica.