London City Tour: A Journey Through History

The Birth of a Clocktower

Look at this world-famous, 96-metre-tall clock tower — always a British icon, always on time. The tower was first conceived by architect Charles Barry as part of the new Houses of Parliament, after the old ones were destroyed by fire in 1834. The plans aimed to match the aesthetics of the nearby medieval buildings still standing — namely, Westminster Hall and Westminster Abbey. For the decorative elements, Barry collaborated with Augustus Welby Pugin, a brilliant young Gothic Revival architect and designer. He was the one who created the now-famous design of a large clock beneath a tall, two-stage spire. Pugin also added symbolic details representing the four parts of the United Kingdom — the leek, thistle, rose, and shamrock — along with Tudor emblems such as the portcullis and fleur-de-lys. Sadly, he did not live to see the tower completed, as he died in 1852.