Big Ben, Westminster’s iconic landmark clock and London tourist attraction is in danger of falling over!
Authorities and engineers have noted that Big Ben is leaning more and more each year and is now almost two feet off level center – and the tilt is getting worse each year.
Now, for the first time, the tilt and slight lean can be seen by the naked eye.
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| The Lean in Big Ben is noticeable with the naked eye |
Engineers think that decades of underground construction have allowed the big clock to sink into the soft ground that runs along the river Thames.
While the 315 foot Big Ben is indeed starting to tilt, officials say it would take over 2,000 years before it got as bad as the leaning tower of Pisa – which is over 12 feet off center.
A university professor commented,
‘I’ve heard tourists saying “I don’t think it is quite vertical” and they are right. If it started greater acceleration we would have to look at doing something, but I don’t think we need to do anything for a few years yet.’
However, many Londoners have been quietly chuckling over one report that said,
"If Big Ben were to fall it would crash into the MPs' offices over the road in Portcullis House."
It seems there are lots of people who don’t think would be such a bad thing.
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