Big Ben

“Big Ben” Is the Bell, Not the Tower. The Tower’s Correct Name Is Elizabeth Tower.

The name “Big Ben” technically refers to the Great Bell inside the tower, not the tower itself. The 13.7-tonne bell was cast in 1858 – the second attempt after an earlier bell cracked under testing – and the tower was renamed Elizabeth Tower in 2012 to mark the Diamond Jubilee. None of this changes anything about the view from Westminster Bridge, where the 96-metre clock tower rising above the Houses of Parliament remains one of the most instantly recognisable skylines in the world. The E-natural chime is broadcast live on BBC Radio 4 every hour.

The tower was designed by Charles Barry as part of the rebuilding of the Houses of Parliament after the fire of 1834. The clock mechanism was engineered by Edmund Beckett Denison and George Airy. After the Great Bell cracked twice, the current version was hung in 1859 with a softer hammer and a 45-degree turn from the original position – which is why one face of the bell is more struck than the others. The tower underwent a major restoration between 2017 and 2022 and emerged in full working condition.

Where to See It

Parliament Square in front of the Houses of Parliament gives the clearest unobstructed view. The statues around the square include Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela, and Mahatma Gandhi.

Westminster Bridge, crossing the Thames directly south, offers the strongest side-on view and the frame most commonly used in photographs of London. The view from the bridge looking north-west toward the tower over the river is the classic one. Early morning light is good and the crowds are manageable before 9am.

The South Bank walking east from Lambeth Bridge toward Waterloo gives several angles on the tower across the river. The river view from water level, on any Thames cruise passing Westminster, is the one no street photograph captures.

The Surrounding Area

Westminster Abbey (10 minutes’ walk) has been the coronation church for British monarchs since 1066 and contains Poets’ Corner, the Coronation Chair, and some of the finest medieval architecture in England. Timed entry tickets are available online.

The Churchill War Rooms (a short walk along King Charles Street) is the underground complex that served as the nerve centre of British wartime operations in World War II. The rooms are preserved as they were in 1945. Allow two hours.

St James’s Park, immediately west of the Houses of Parliament, has resident pelicans – a tradition maintained since a Russian ambassador gave a pair to Charles II in 1664. The park is a reasonable place to decompress after the crowds around Parliament Square.

Getting There

Westminster Underground station (Circle and District lines) exits directly onto Bridge Street beside the Elizabeth Tower. The view from Westminster Bridge at night – with the illuminated clock faces reflected in the Thames – is worth staying for.