Big Ben

London · clocks · history

A Giant Bell. Big Ben is the nickname for an enormous bell inside the clock tower at the Palace of Westminster in London. The bell is so huge and heavy that it takes serious engineering to make it ring.

Tells Time Perfectly. The Great Clock of Westminster is a striking clock with five bells that works together to chime the time. People have relied on Big Ben to know what time it is for over 150 years.

Named After a Queen. The clock tower was originally just called the Clock Tower, but in 2012 it was renamed Elizabeth Tower to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee, which means she had been queen for 60 years.

Part of Parliament. The tower stands at the north end of the Palace of Westminster, which is where the British government meets. It's one of the most recognizable buildings in the world.