Bell tolls for Big Ben as four-year silence begins

Londons Elizabeth Tower looms over the Houses of Parliament and is one of Britains most popular tourist attractions

London , AFP, 21 August 2017 - London landmark Big Ben fell silent for four years in front of a reverential crowd on Monday amid an outcry over the temporary loss of a cherished symbol of stability at a time of national uncertainty.

At midday, 12 bongs from the famous bell rang out in front of around 1,000 local residents, tourists, and MPs who came out to mark Big Ben's longest silence in its 157-year history for extensive repair work.
The atmosphere was somber as the hour chimes heralded the final bongs.

The 12th and final bong were followed by sustained applause and cheering.

'I can see it from where I live. I do live my life by it,' said Denise Wiand, one of the spectators, who lives across the River Thames.

'I'm 72 and I'm worried it might be the last time I actually hear them!' she said.

Thomas Moser, a 54-year-old German tourist, said: 'The crowd was really listening. We are here, we want to hear every single sound.'

The bongs are a venerated marker of British life, used at the start of radio and television newscasts, and a focus for national occasions and the midnight countdown to New Year's Day.

The sound is also familiar beyond Britain, as it is broadcast on the BBC World Service.

The bell is housed in the Elizabeth Tower, which looms over the Houses of Parliament and is one of Britain's most popular tourist attractions.

The bells are being stopped due to fears that prolonged exposure to the 118-decibel bongs from the 13.7-tonne Big Ben could damage the hearing of renovation workers.

The decision to stop the chimes from London's Big Ben bell has silenced an emblem of continuity as Britain grapples with Brexit negotiations.

But the decision has silenced an emblem of continuity as Britain grapples with Brexit negotiations.

Politicians have claimed that when they agreed to the work, they did not know the chimes would be silenced for four years.

Prime Minister Theresa May is among those unhappy with the shutdown and the House of Commons has now said it will reconsider how long the bells will stay silent.

The 96-metre (315-foot) tower is the most photographed building in Britain. The renovation is estimated to cost £29 million ($37 million, 32 million euros).