Near Westminster Abbey my cousin and I wandered through Parliament Square in order to get a non packed view of the Elizabeth Tower and a closer look at the statues in Parliament Square.
Big Ben is actually not the name of the tower or even the official name of any part of the tower. Big Ben is the nickname for the Great Bell within the tower while the tower’s name is the Elizabeth Tower and it was completed in 1858. It tilts ever so slightly in a north west direction and each year it continues to tilt that way. It’s known for it’s accuracy as well as being the largest chiming clock tower with four clock faces in the world. It’s the third largest free standing clock tower in the world.
Parliament Square is a beautiful green space across from the Elizabeth Tower. Surrounding the square are 10 statues of famous political statesmen. These include not only ones well known to London but all over the world. The photo above is of the statue of Winston Churchill. Outside of prime ministers and a foreign secretary, statues of Abraham Lincoln and Nelson Mandela can also be found in the square.