In the UK， Big Ben is the focus of the local people to celebrate the New Year. Radio and TV will broadcast the bell to greet the New Year.
1837年，维多利亚女王登基时建造了一座钟楼。它原来并没有镶嵌大本钟，1834年，因有人在议会大厦炉子里大量焚烧政府文件而引起火灾，把大厦夷为平地。
1840年，议会大厦开始重建。大本钟1859年建于议会大厦主体的东北角，耗资2.7万英镑，为了纪念他的功绩，取名为大本钟。大本钟被视为伦敦的象征，凡到伦敦观光的人，无不想到大本钟，站在桥上欣赏伦敦这个独具一格的建筑。
在2009年5月31日，大本钟度过了它150岁的生日。据负责大本钟的英国钟表师说，大本钟每三天就会失去动力，所以他们每周必须爬上去三次，为它上弦。同时他们可以通过调整钟摆上方放置的小钱币，调整大本钟走时的快慢。
在英国，大本钟是人们庆祝新年的重点地方，收音机和电视都会播放它的钟声来迎接新一年的开始。
Westminster Cathedral：Holy Land of England 威斯敏斯特大教堂——英国的圣地
Westminster Cathedral is located in north of the River Thames in London， the southwest side of Parliament Square in London， formally known as the “St. Peter’s United Church”. It is one of the world’s most majestic and magnificent churches.
Westminster Cathedral was originally from the religious King， the“Confessor” Edward I in 1050 ordered the building， and it was completed in 1065. The existing church was rebuilt by Henry III in 1245. Then the following dynasties have additions， until the late 15th century it was completed.
Westminster Cathedral was composed by a church and a monastery. If people came into the dome arches of the church， through dark and solemn channel， the eyes suddenly light up， then people came into the luxurious splendor of the inner hall.
The lofty dome within the church is decorated beautiful， the ornate chandelier hanging down from the dome is bright and colorful. The ground is covered with the red carpet until the magnificent altar， which is the place of the royal coronation and royal wedding.
There is a chair in front of the altar for the throne of the crowned emperors. Placed in the throne is a holy stone from Scotland. The British throne and the Sacred Stone are the national treasure of the country. It can be said that the highest statues of Church of England. In addition to the royal family， a lot of great figures in many areas were also buried here. Thus the British called it “the spire of honor pagoda”.
Every day， the believers and tourists around the world come to visit the cathedral. On weekends and holidays， long lines of visitors are waiting outside. A constant stream of people come here to pay tribute to portrait of the ancestors， watch the magnificent Royal Church and feel the history and splendid culture of the United Kingdom.
威斯敏斯特大教堂坐落在伦敦泰晤士河北岸的伦敦议会广场西南侧，正式名称为“圣彼得联合教堂”。它是世界上最巍峨壮丽的教堂之一。
威斯敏斯特大教堂最初由笃信宗教的国王“忏悔者”爱德华一世于1050年下令修建，1065年建成。现存的教堂为？1245年亨利三世时重建，以后历代都有增建，直到15世纪末才告竣工。
威斯敏斯特教堂主要由教堂及修道院两大部分组成。进入教堂的拱门圆顶，走过庄严却灰暗的通道，眼前豁然一亮，进入到豪华绚丽的内厅。
教堂内高大的穹顶被装点得美轮美奂，由穹顶挂下来的大吊灯华丽璀璨，流光溢彩。地上铺的是华贵富丽的红毯，一直通向金碧辉煌的祭坛，这就是举行王室加冕礼和皇家婚礼的圣地。
祭坛前面有一座靠椅，这是历代帝王在加冕时坐的宝座，宝座下面摆放着一块来自苏格兰的圣石。宝座和圣石都是英国的镇国之宝。可以说它是英国地位最高的教堂。除了王室成员，英国许多领域的伟大人物也埋葬在此。英国人因此把威斯敏斯特教堂称为“荣誉的宝塔尖”。
每天，世界各地的信徒和游客前来参观大教堂。周末和节假日，门外等候参观的游客排成长队。人们络绎不绝地来到这里，瞻仰先人的遗像，观赏宏伟的皇家教堂，感受英国灿烂的历史与文化。
13. Eiffel Tower：In Mars Square 战神广场上的塔——法国埃菲尔铁塔
Eiffel Tower is an important attraction in Paris and France， and also a masterpiece of world architectural history. Eiffel is its designer’s name.
埃菲尔铁塔是法国和巴黎的重要景点，也是世界建筑史上的杰作，埃菲尔是其设计师的名字。
The Observatory of the Capital 法国首都的瞭望台
Eiffel Tower built in 1889 in Paris， France. It is a hollow structural steel tower of the Mars Square. Eiffel Tower is named by its bridge design engineer Gustave Eiffel. The design is novel and unique. It is the masterpieces of the architectural history is also the important symbol of France. The French call it “Iron Lady”. It is one of the three well-known buildings in the west as well as the the Empire State Building in New York and TV Tower in Tokyo.
Eiffel Tower， a one-hectare， stands on the Seine River’s Mars Square， Paris. In addition to four feet used， the whole body made up of steel， the total tower weight 7000 tons. Tower was divided into three parts， each layer has a bar and restaurant for tourists to have a rest or have a dinner.
The Tower is staggered structure， 300 meters high by four into a 75 degree angle with the ground， and thick with cement concrete pedestal of the pillar supporting the high-rise tower， which is spent by the 17months， 250 workers to build at a cost of 7.4 million gold francs， paint once every 7 years， 52 tons one time.
The Tower represented the specific period from the European classical tradition to modernism. It summed up a set of scientific， economic and effective method in the process of building， and showed the French romantic fun whimsical style， artistic quality， innovation， courage and sense of humor.
The French say， the Eiffel Tower is the “capital of the observation deck”. It has three observation decks： the upper， middle and lower， which can accommodate thousands of people and three observation decks have the different vision. People can enjoy the unique style of Paris urban panorama， and also bring a different taste. In sunny day， you can see the beautiful scenery within 70 kilometers.
In the recent years， the government of Paris offered Eiffel Tower a great service. Since the Christmas in 1985， the tower has used tungsten lighting， at night it presented the golden tower， saving electricity， and more beautiful.
On January 16， 2004， in order to apply for the 2012 Summer Olympics， the government of Paris deliberately introduced its preparations for the Olympic bid， whereas the Eiffel Tower in France bid to become a “natural advertisement”.
埃菲尔铁塔是法国巴黎战神广场上的镂空结构铁塔，它建于1889年。埃菲尔铁塔得名于设计它的桥梁工程师居斯塔夫·埃菲尔。铁塔设计新颖独特，是世界建筑史上的技术杰作，也是法国的一个重要标志，被法国人称为“铁娘子”。它和纽约的帝国大厦、东京的电视塔同被誉为西方三大著名建筑。
埃菲尔铁塔占地一公顷，耸立在巴黎市区赛纳河畔的战神广场上。除了四个脚是用钢筋水泥之外，全身都用钢铁构成，塔身总重量7，000吨。塔分三层，每一层都设有酒吧和饭馆，供游客小憩和就餐。
铁塔采用交错式结构，高300米，由四条与地面成75度角的、粗大的、带有混凝土水泥台基的铁柱支撑着高耸入云的塔身，它是由250个工人花了17个月建成，造价为740万金法郎，每隔7年油漆一次，每次用漆52吨。
铁塔代表着当时欧洲古典主义传统向现代主义过渡与转换的特定时期。它在建筑过程中，总结出一套科学、经济而有效的方法，同时也显示出法国人异想天开式的浪漫情趣、艺术品位、创新魄力和幽默感。
