Queen's Tower (London)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Queen's Tower is situated in the South Kensington campus of Imperial College London. It is 287 feet tall with a copper covered dome at its top. To reach the base of the dome from the ground on foot, one must ascend a series of narrow, spiral staircases which comprise 325 steps in total.
The Tower used to be the central tower of the Imperial Institute, and is now its sole remaining building. The Institute was founded on Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee in 1887, and its demolition began in 1957. In 1966, the tower was repaired to enable it to stand on its own. There are also two stone lions near the foot of the tower, which were once set at the entrance to the Imperial Institute.
There are 10 bells in the belfry of the tower, about two thirds of the way up. These bells, known collectively as the Alexandra Peal, were a gift from Mrs Elizabeth M. Millar of Australia in 1892, and are named after Queen Victoria - the tenor (largest) bell - and members of her family. They are rung on Royal Anniversaries and on the dates of the Imperial College degree ceremonies.
Below the dome at the top of the building there is a viewing gallery. Being one of the tallest towers west of London, the Queen's Tower enjoys an uninterrupted view in all directions. However, the viewing gallery is closed to the public.
The Queen's Tower is now in the custody of Imperial College. It is floodlit at night.
