21013 Big Ben

21013 Big Ben is an Architecture set released on June 1 2012. It includes a model of Big Ben, the famous clock tower in London.
== Description ==
The set includes a model of Big Ben, built in sand and grey colours, and. It is nearly 20 centimeters tall. It has four clock face pieces, all of which have the time set at nearly quarter to 12. The vertical effect on the sides of the building is done using vent pieces, placed at a 90 degree angle.
== Background ==
Big Ben is the nickname for the Great Bell of the clock at the north end of the Palace of Westminster in London and is usually extended to refer to both the clock and the clock tower.
The tower was designed by Augustus Pugin in a neo-gothic style. When completed in 1859, its clock was the largest and most accurate four-faced striking and chiming clock in the world. The tower stands 315 feet (96 m) tall, and the climb from ground level to the belfry is 334 steps. Its base is square, measuring 39 feet (12 m) on each side. Dials of the clock are 23 feet (7.0 m) in diameter. On 31 May 2009, celebrations were held to mark the tower's 150th anniversary.
Big Ben is the largest of five bells and weighs 13.5 long tons (13.7 tonnes; 15.1 short tons). It was the largest bell in the United Kingdom for 23 years. The origin of the bell's nickname is open to question; it may be named after Sir Benjamin Hall, who oversaw its installation, or heavyweight boxing champion Benjamin Caunt. Four quarter bells chime at 15, 30 and 45 minutes past the hour and just before Big Ben tolls on the hour. The clock uses its original Victorian mechanism, but an electric motor can be used as a backup.
On 21 August 2017, a four-year schedule of renovation works began on the tower, which are to include the addition of a lift. There are also plans to re-glaze and repaint the clock dials. With a few exceptions, such as New Year's Eve and Remembrance Sunday, the bells are to be silent until the work has been completed in the 2020s.
== Notes ==
* The instructions include a section containing information on Big Ben's architecture and history.
* This is the first UK-based Architecture set.
== Description from LEGO.Com ==
== Gallery ==
21013.png
21013_alt2.png
21013_alt3.png
21013.jpg|The box art
== Source ==
* Flickr
* Toys "R" Us
==External Links==
* Big Ben on LEGO.com
Category:Architecture
Category:20000 sets
Category:2012 sets
Category:21000 sets