Big Ben

Big Ben is the nickname of a bell that hangs in the clock tower at the northern end of the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, London, England.^[1] Officially, the tower itself is called Elizabeth Tower. It was previously known as just the Clock Tower, but was renamed in September 2012 as a tribute to the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II.^[2] However, most people, including those that live in London, call the tower "Big Ben" because it is very large.

Designed by Edmund Beckett Denison, the clock took 13 years to build and it was completed in 1859.^[3] It has worked continuously since then except for a few months in 1976 when it broke down and had to be fixed.

Big Ben is one of England’s best-known landmarks. Some believe it got its name from Sir Benjamin Hall.^[1] The Elizabeth Tower which it is located in has become one of the most prominent symbols of the United Kingdom and is often in the establishing shot of films set in London.

In August 2017, repair work commenced on the clock, which was intended to take four years. However, Big Ben did not resume regular service until November 2022.^[4] For the safety of those doing the repair work, Big Ben no longer rang out every hour during construction. It was still heard on special occasions, such as the New Year and Remembrance Day.^[5]

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} "The story of Big Ben". whitechapelbellfoundry. Retrieved 19 May 2010.
2. ↑ Clock Tower renamed Elizabeth Tower for Jubilee (BBC News)
3. ↑ "MSN | Outlook, Office, Skype, Bing, Breaking News, and Latest Videos". MSNBC. Retrieved 19 May 2010.
4. ↑ "Big Ben returns to regular service". UK Parliament. 15 November 2022. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
5. ↑ Powell, Tom (13 October 2017). "Big Ben almost entirely covered in scaffolding as repair work gathers pace". Evening Standard. Retrieved 4 November 2017.