Big Ben
A Chiming Adventure: Exploring London’s Iconic Big Ben
Big Ben is one of the most recognised landmarks in the world. Technically, “Big Ben” is the nickname for the Great Bell housed inside the Elizabeth Tower – the tower’s official name since 2012 – but the name has come to stand for the whole structure. Rising 96 metres above the north end of the Palace of Westminster, it has kept time for Londoners since May 1859. Its four illuminated clock faces, each over seven metres in diameter, are visible from much of central London, and its E-natural chime is broadcast live on BBC Radio 4 every hour.
Understanding a little of the history makes a visit more rewarding. The original tower was designed by architect 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 Donison and George Airy. The great bell cracked twice before the current version was hung in 1859. The tower underwent a major restoration programme between 2017 and 2022, during which the clock was largely silenced and the scaffolding became a familiar part of the Westminster skyline.
Where to See Big Ben
Parliament Square The open square in front of the Houses of Parliament gives a clear, unobstructed view of the tower. It is one of the most photographed spots in London. The square itself contains statues of several notable figures including Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela, and Mahatma Gandhi, making it worth a slow walk around before you move on.
Westminster Bridge Crossing the Thames directly south of the tower, Westminster Bridge offers a strong side-on view and is a good spot for photographs at any time of day. The view looking north-west from the bridge – with the tower framed against the sky above the river – is the one most commonly seen in films and photographs of London. Early morning light is particularly good here before the crowds arrive.
Lambeth Bridge and the South Bank Walking east along the South Bank from Lambeth Bridge towards Waterloo gives several angles on the tower across the river. The elevated walkway near the Tate Modern and the benches near the OXO Tower provide comfortable spots to sit and look back upriver towards Westminster.
River Thames Cruise A cruise along the Thames between Westminster Pier and Tower Bridge passes close to the Elizabeth Tower and lets you see it from water level, alongside Lambeth Palace, the Tate Modern, Shakespeare’s Globe, and Tower Bridge. Several operators run scheduled services and hop-on, hop-off routes; tickets are available at Westminster Pier.
Nearby Attractions
Houses of Parliament (Palace of Westminster) Guided tours run on Saturdays year-round and on weekdays during parliamentary recesses. The tour covers the House of Commons, the House of Lords, Westminster Hall – which dates to 1097 – and several state rooms. It is worth booking tickets well in advance through the UK Parliament website, as tours sell out quickly, especially in summer.
Westminster Abbey A ten-minute walk from Parliament Square, Westminster Abbey has been the coronation church for English and British monarchs since 1066. It contains the graves and memorials of monarchs, poets, scientists, and military figures. The Poets’ Corner alone – with memorials to Chaucer, Shakespeare, Dickens, and many others – repays a long visit. Timed entry tickets are available online.
Churchill War Rooms Located a short walk along King Charles Street, this underground complex served as the nerve centre of British wartime operations during World War II. The rooms have been preserved largely as they were in 1945. The adjacent Churchill Museum provides a detailed account of his life and political career. Allow two hours.
Tate Britain A ten-minute walk south along Millbank from Parliament Square, Tate Britain holds the national collection of British art from 1500 to the present day. Entry to the permanent collection is free. The annual Turner Prize exhibition is held here each autumn.
St. James’s Park The park immediately west of the Houses of Parliament is one of the oldest Royal Parks in London, and its central lake, resident pelicans, and views back towards the tower make it a good place to pause. The pelicans have been resident since a Russian ambassador presented a pair to Charles II in 1664.
Eating Near Westminster
The area around Westminster and the South Bank offers a wide range of options. The following are established venues well-known to locals and visitors.
The Cinnamon Club Housed in the former Westminster Library on Great Smith Street, the Cinnamon Club serves modern Indian cuisine in a formal dining room with high ceilings and original bookshelves. It is one of the best-regarded restaurants in the area and a frequent choice for political and business lunches. Booking is advisable.
Regency Cafe A short walk from Parliament Square on Regency Street, this traditional British cafe has been serving breakfast and lunch since 1946. The interior – tiled walls, high ceilings, a counter with a handwritten menu board – is largely unchanged. It is popular with workers from the surrounding offices and fills up quickly at lunchtime.
Cafe in the Crypt, St. Martin-in-the-Fields Located in the crypt beneath St. Martin-in-the-Fields church on Trafalgar Square (a fifteen-minute walk from Westminster), this cafe serves good-quality hot food in an atmospheric vaulted space. It is an affordable option in an otherwise expensive part of the city.
Borough Market A twenty-minute walk or a short tube ride (to London Bridge) from Westminster, Borough Market is one of London’s oldest and most substantial food markets. It operates Thursday to Saturday and is well-suited to a long lunch, with permanent stalls and vendors selling bread, cheese, meat, fish, produce, and prepared food from across Britain and Europe.
Where to Stay
The Westminster London, Curio Collection by Hilton On John Islip Street, a short walk from Tate Britain and the Houses of Parliament. Several rooms have direct views of the Elizabeth Tower. The hotel is well placed for both Westminster and the South Bank.
The Goring On Beeston Place near Victoria station, the Goring is a family-owned hotel that has operated since 1910. It holds a Royal Warrant and is known for formal service and traditional British cooking in its dining room. It is one of the few hotels in London that combines proximity to Westminster with a quieter residential setting.
Premier Inn London County Hall On the South Bank directly opposite the Houses of Parliament, this hotel is one of the better-value options for central London. The location on the river gives some rooms a clear view of Big Ben and the Palace of Westminster. The London Eye is adjacent.
Z Hotel Victoria A compact, well-designed budget hotel on Buckingham Gate, a ten-minute walk from Parliament Square. Rooms are small but well fitted. A practical base for exploring Westminster, Chelsea, and the West End without a high nightly rate.
Practical Tips
Getting there Westminster Underground station (Circle and District lines) is directly below Parliament Square and exits onto Bridge Street beside the Elizabeth Tower. Waterloo station (National Rail and Underground) is a fifteen-minute walk across Waterloo Bridge and provides connections from much of southern England.
When to visit The area around Parliament Square is busiest between 10am and 4pm in summer. Arriving before 9am or after 5pm significantly reduces the crowds. The tower is lit at night, and the view from Westminster Bridge after dark – with the illuminated clock faces reflected in the Thames – is worth staying for.
Accessibility Parliament Square and Westminster Bridge are fully accessible by wheelchair. The Houses of Parliament tour involves uneven historic surfaces in some areas; accessibility details are listed on the UK Parliament website. Westminster Underground station has no step-free access from street to platform as of 2024; the nearest step-free stations are Victoria and Waterloo.
Photographs The best light for photographs of the tower is in the morning when shooting from the south (Westminster Bridge or the South Bank), and in the late afternoon when shooting from Parliament Square. In summer, both positions are often crowded; a monopod or good image stabilisation helps when shooting in lower light after sunset.
Combining with nearby sites Parliament Square, Westminster Abbey, the Churchill War Rooms, and St. James’s Park can all be covered comfortably on foot in a single day. Adding Tate Britain extends the walk by about twenty minutes south along Millbank. The South Bank from Lambeth Bridge to Tate Modern makes a good half-day addition, with the two areas connected by Westminster Bridge.
London’s Elizabeth Tower is one of those landmarks that rewards more than a passing glance. The history embedded in the surrounding streets – parliament, coronation church, wartime command centre, royal parks – gives a visit real depth, and the tower itself, with its four faces turning above the Thames, remains one of the most satisfying pieces of Victorian civic architecture in the world.