Akunakwenzeka ukutyelela-okanye nokucinga ngeLondon-ngaphandle kokufanisa inqaba yeewashi eziphakamileyo ezingama-316 ezichaze isibhakabhaka sesixeko kangangeenkulungwane. Kudala ngaphambi kokuba uShard wamva nje kunye neGherkin anyuke ngaphezulu koMlambo iThames, yayinguBig Ben kuphela.

Kwaye phambi koko, kwakukho iWestminster Palace-kodwa indawo yokuhlala ephawulekayo ukususela kwiminyaka yoo-1600 yatshatyalaliswa ngomlilo ngo-1834. Ngenxa yoko, isixeko sabhengeza ukhuphiswano loyilo lwezindlu ezitsha zePalamente eziza kuthatha indawo yeBhotwe. Ungeniso olwenziwe nguMnumzana Charles Barry (inani lama-64 phantse kwayi-100) lakhethwa.

Idibeneyo: Iimfihlelo zeSikhumbuzo seLincoln

Ngethamsanqa, uBarry entsha into okanye ezimbini malunga nendawo. Emva kwayo yonke loo nto, wakhulela ngaphesheya kwesitalato ukusuka apho uBig Ben wayeza kuma khona ekugqibeleni. Kuthathe iminyaka engama-34 — kunye nobomi bonke bukaBarry — ukugqibezela inqaba kunye newotshi yayo, neyayitshisa okwesihlandlo sokuqala ngo-1859.

Akukho nto malunga nokwakhiwa kukaBig Ben kwakuqhelekileyo, okanye kulula. Iinjini zomphunga zazisetyenziselwa ukuhambisa izinto zokwakha zinyuse kumbindi wenqaba eqhubela phambili, kwaye izandla zokuqala zemizuzu emibini kwafuneka ukuba zitshintshwe (zazinzima kakhulu ukuba zisebenze kwaye kwafuneka kutshintshwe iziqwenga zobhedu).

Inxulumene: Isikhokelo esikhawulezileyo (esikhulu) kwiGrand Canyon

Ngaphandle kokuqhekeka kwentsimbi, iBig Ben iye yaqhubeka ukukhala ngeyure, ngaphandle kwekhefu (gcina ukophuka kweenyanga ezilithoba ngo-1976 kunye neeveki ezisixhenxe ngo-2007 xa yayithulekile ukuze igcinwe) kuzo zonke iintambo zeenkosi ezintandathu. Yade yavakala ngeebhombu ngexesha leMfazwe yesibini (II) yeHlabathi.

Ngaba ucinga ukuba yayikukuphela kokwazi malunga newotshi edumileyo emhlabeni? Funda ezinye iimfihlo ezimangalisayo zeBig Ben.

Idibeneyo: Iimfihlo zoMqondiso waseHollywood

NgamaBrits kuphela anokuthatha ukhenketho

Nabani na onokubona iBig Ben, kodwa ukhenketho lwangaphakathi lweBig Ben lukhawulelwe ngokungaqhelekanga, luvuleleke kuphela kubahlali base-United Kingdom. Olu tyelelo alubhatalwa simahla, kodwa undwendwe ngalunye kufuneka luxhaswe lilungu lePalamente leLungu leNdlu yeeNkosi-inkuthazo entle kuye nawuphi na umntu waseBritane ukuba afumane imali kunye nomnye wabameli belizwe. Yiza u-2017, umtsalane uza kuvala iprojekthi yokulungisa iminyaka emininzi; ukhenketho lucwangciselwe ukuqhubeka ngo-2020.

Idibeneyo: Iimfihlo zeBuckingham Palace