Big Ben's clock tower was designed by Pugin shortly before his death, after a fire destroyed the old palace

historyWikipedia1840s–1850s · London, England

Big Ben's clock tower was designed by Pugin shortly before his death, after a fire destroyed the old palace

the gist

The tower known as Big Ben, officially Elizabeth Tower, was built as part of Charles Barry's design for a new Palace of Westminster after a fire largely destroyed the old palace in October 1834. Barry turned to Augustus Pugin for the clock tower's design, which resembled earlier Pugin work. Construction began in September 1843 under contractors Thomas Grissell and Morton Peto. It was Pugin's last design before he fell into mental illness and died in 1852.

so what

The tower became one of the most recognized landmarks in the world, symbolizing British parliamentary life. It is a result of the Gothic Revival style, which was used to tie the modern British state to medieval roots. The fire that sparked the rebuilding also shaped the Parliament's architecture.

the bigger pattern

Major buildings often arise from disasters, as the Palace of Westminster did after its fire. Architects in the 19th century also rebuilt cities in historic styles, as with the Gothic Revival wave across Europe and America.

fun fact

The name Big Ben technically refers to the great bell inside the tower, not the tower itself.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia · text CC BY-SA 4.0

Image: Wikimedia Commons

source: Wikipedia ↗

historyWikipediaclassic1336–1565 · Karnataka, India

Hampi was once one of the world's largest cities, until its Vijayanagara capital was destroyed in 1565

the gist

Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Karnataka, India, with more than 1,600 surviving remains spread over 4,100 hectares. It was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire from 1336 to 1565. Travellers from Persia and Portugal described it as a prosperous, wealthy and grand city with temples, markets and farms along the Tungabhadra River. By 1500 it was estimated to be the world's second-largest city after Beijing, and probably India's richest at the time. In 1565 a coalition of Muslim sultanates defeated the Vijayanagara Empire, its capital was conquered and destroyed, and the city was left in ruins. Hampi remains a religious centre, with the active Virupaksha Temple at its heart.

how it works

The city was built around a fortified core with temples, markets and water structures along the river, supplied by an extensive network of roads and waterworks. When the empire fell, the city was not rebuilt, so its stone monuments were left standing.

so what

Hampi shows how quickly a great city can vanish after a military defeat, and how a ruined capital can remain sacred. Its ruins give historians a view of medieval South Asia that few other sites can match.

fun fact

The name Hampi comes from Pampa, an old name for the Tungabhadra River.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia · text CC BY-SA 4.0

Image: Wikimedia Commons

source: Wikipedia ↗

2 min

politicsshortCNA2:01

False allegations about Singapore’s hand in Indonesia’s markets and a made-up meeting

from CNA

CNA Verify has found close to 400 posts pushing falsehoods tying Singapore to Indonesia’s stock market rout and to a secret meeting that never took place. Together, they drew nearly 12 million views, and some were circulated by accounts that appeared to be working in concert, across multiple social media platforms.

Here’s how the disinformation campaign targeting Singapore was uncovered.

on YouTube: CNA ↗