Torre Cepsa vs Big Ben

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The Torre Cepsa (renamed in June 2014, before was Torre Bankia)(English: Cepsa Tower) is a skyscraper located in the Cuatro Torres Business Area in Madrid, Spain.

With a height of 248.3 m (815 ft) and 45 floors, it is the second tallest of the four structures at the Cuatro Torres Business Area complex, surpassed by Torre de Cristal by less than a metre. It's the second tallest building in Spain and the 4th tallest building in the European Union. Designed by Lord Foster, it was initially known as Torre Repsol and would have served as headquarters for Repsol YPF oil and gas company. During the building of the tower, Repsol decided to change the location of its future headquarters and the financial institution Caja Madrid purchased the building for $815 million in August 2007.



In 2016 it was bought by Amancio Ortega, Europe's richest man and founder of global fashion group and Zara proprietor Inditex (ITX.MC), for $490 million euros through his property investment arm, Pontegadea Inmobiliaria, among the biggest property companies in Spain. He purchased the tower from Abu Dhabi tycoon Khadem al-Qubaisi, whose fund had exercised a last-minute buy option from Spanish lender Bankia (BKIA.MC), its previous owner.It was built by a joint venture of Dragados and Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas.

Source: Wikipedia

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Big Ben is the nickname for the Great Bell of the striking clock in the north end of the Palace of Westminster in London; the name is often extended to refer to both the clock and the clock tower. The official name of this tower in which Big Ben is located was originally the Clock Tower; it was renamed Elizabeth Tower in 2012 to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II, Queen of the uk. The tower was designed by Augustus Pugin at a neo-Gothic style. When completed in 1859, its clock was the largest and most accurate four-faced striking and chiming clock on the planet. The tower stands 315 ft (96 m) tall, and the climb from ground level to the belfry is 334 steps. Its foundation is square, measuring 39 ft (12 m) on each side. Dials of the clock are 23 feet (7.0 m) in diameter. On 31 May 2009, celebrations were held to mark the tower's 150th anniversary.Big Ben is the biggest of the tower's five bells and weighs 13.5 long tons (13.7 tonnes; 15.1 short tons). It was the biggest bell in the United Kingdom for 23 years. The origin of this bell's nickname is open to question; it might be named after Sir Benjamin Hall, who oversaw its own installation, or heavyweight boxing champion Benjamin Caunt. Four quarter bells chime at 15, 30 and 45 minutes past the hour and just before Big Ben tolls on the hour. The clock uses its first Victorian mechanics, but an electric motor can be applied as a backup. The tower is a British cultural icon recognised all over the world. It is among the most prominent symbols of the uk and parliamentary democracy, and it is often used in the establishing shot of films set in London. The clock tower has been a part of a Grade I listed building since 1970 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987. On 21 August 2017, a four-year schedule of renovation works began on the tower, which are to include the addition of a lift. In addition, there are plans to re-glaze and repaint the clock dials. With a few exceptions, such as New Year's Eve and Remembrance Sunday, the bells should be silent until the work is completed in 2021.

Source: Wikipedia