Big Ben Tower More Badly Damaged By Nazi Bombs
Big Ben Tower More Badly Damaged By Nazi Bombs
Than First Thought: Experts
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| Big Ben Tower |
LONDON:
Britain's Big Ben
tower at the Houses of Parliament was more badly damaged by German bombs during
World War Two than originally thought, experts said on Thursday, as the bill
for its restoration rose by nearly 20 million pounds.
The
177-year-old tower has been swathed in scaffolding for the past three years as
craftsmen refurbish its stonework and famous 12-tonne clock.
Being able to get
close to the 315-foot (96m) tower has allowed them to spot other problems like
damage caused by pollution and asbestos.
The House of Commons
and House of Lords Commissions said they had been told that to restore the
tower to its previous splendour, the budget would need to rise from 61.1
million to 79.7 million pounds.
Ian Ailles, Director
General of the House of Commons, said the task of restoring the tower had been
more complex than anticipated.
"...
understanding the full extent of the damage to the tower was impossible until
the scaffolding was up," he said in a statement.
Among other problems,
bomb damage inflicted on the tower during the Second World War had been found
to be more extensive than first thought.
Although the tower
survived Nazi bombing, its roof and dials were damaged in a May 1941 air raid
which destroyed the main House of Commons chamber.
The latest
refurbishment of the structure, during which its 13-tonne Big Ben bell has been
largely silenced, is expected to be finished next year.
Work on the structure
- renamed the Elizabeth Tower in 2012 - is separate from the planned full-scale
restoration of the Palace of Westminster which has been estimated to cost 4
billion pounds and is due to start in the mid-2020s.
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