Time froze in London, England, on August 11. That day, a monthlong maintenance project began at Big Ben, the world-famous giant clock. A daring repair team, working more than 300 feet in the air, wound the timepiece's nine-foot-long hour hand and 14-foot-long minute hand to the midnight position. Then, time stood still.
After the initial cleaning and upkeep were done, the colossal clock began keeping time again. But its bells stayed silent. They will likely spring back into action late this month, ringing out the hour and quarter hour, after the maintenance project is complete.
A Clock That Stands the Test of TimeThough everyone calls the tower Big Ben, its official name is the Great Bell. Technically, "Big Ben" refers only to the 13 1/2-ton bell inside the clock tower, which chimes every hour.
Famous for its timekeeping accuracy, the four-faced clock rises high above London's Houses of Parliament. It was built after a fire destroyed most of Parliament in 1834. The construction was long and complicated. Big Ben first rang out in 1859.
The clock faces are cleaned every five years. August marked the first time since 1956 that both the hourly and the quarter-hourly bells fell silent.
Big Ben will celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2009. For now, time marches on--quietly--in London.