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How To Visit Big Ben in 2024: Tickets, Access, Tours, And More

Cecilia Rinaldi Last Updated: March 26, 2024

Big Ben is a landmark clock tower in the heart of Westminster, London. It’s an iconic attraction that’s difficult to tour if you’re not a native Brit. If you’re planning a visit, this quick guide on how to visit Big Ben will help you know what to expect.

Pro Tip:  Planning what to do on your trip to London? Bookmark this post in your browser so you can easily find it when you’re in the city. Check out our  guide to London  for more planning resources, our  top London tours  for a memorable trip, and the  top things to do in London .

Visiting Big Ben

According to Britannica, the tower was originally known as St. Stephens Tower. It was renamed Elizabeth Tower in 2012 in honour of the Queen’s 60th Jubilee. Technically, only the bell is nicknamed Big Ben, but if you say “Big Ben,” everyone will know you mean more than just the bell. It has been a pillar of timekeeping for decades.

Great news for travelers: Big Ben is back in action! After a six-year restoration, it reopened to the public in 2023. Now, you can step inside, immerse yourself in history, and experience the timeless charm of this iconic clock tower.  Let’s jump into the most important things you need to know about visiting Big Ben in London.

• Access and tickets
• How long to budget for your visit
• What to see at Big Ben
• Facts and history of Big Ben
• Places to eat nearby

Big Ben Access and Tickets

Big Ben underwent extensive restoration from 2017 to 2023. The Great Bell (nicknamed Big Ben) has just been repaired. And the clock tower (Elizabeth Tower) has recently had all the scaffolding removed and is ready to show off in all your pictures.

Previously, only UK residents had the privilege of touring Big Ben. However, there’s great news! Now, both UK-based and international visitors aged 11 and over are warmly welcomed to experience the magnificence of Big Ben. Here are some important things to know before your visit to Big Ben:

• Get ready for a climb! It’s 334 steps to the top!
• Wear comfortable shoes.
• Be prepared for any weather conditions as you ascend to a height of 62 meters.
• Be aware of the high noise levels from the clock mechanism and bells.
• Remember, no eating or drinking allowed in the Elizabeth Tower, so hydrate beforehand.

The closest metro stations to Big Ben are Westminster Station and Waterloo Station. Both stations are within walking distance of Big Ben.

• Tickets for tours in the first half of 2024 are sold out.
• Next tickets will be available on Wednesday, April 10th, for tours in July.
• Tickets are released every second Wednesday of the month at 10:00 am local time.
• Tour tickets cost £30 for adults and £15 for children aged 11-17.
• UK residents can get a free tour by contacting a Member of the House of Commons or House of Lords.
• Tickets can only be purchased online through the UK Parliament website.
• Each person can book up to eight tickets, depending on availability.

Not ready to book a tour? Check out our article on the best London tours to take and why .

How Long To Spend at Big Ben

In total, you should plan for approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes for your visit to Big Ben, including the 90-minute tour duration. This extra time allows for any necessary preparations before the tour begins and ensures you have ample time to enjoy the experience.

Pro tip: Stand anywhere on Westminster Bridge for great views of Big Ben. Or even better, stand just in front of the statue of Queen Boadicea at the foot of Westminster Bridge, close to Westminster tube station. There you can enjoy unobstructed views as the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben are just across the road.

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What To See at Big Ben

• The Great Bell (Big Ben)
• Four Smaller Bells In The Clock Tower
• The Elizabeth Tower (The Clock Tower)

Facts and History of Big Ben 

Here are some interesting facts about Big Ben from the official Parliament website to help you understand how incredible this timekeeping monument is.

• It’s commonly known as Big Ben but that’s just the nickname for the bell (which isn’t visible from the street). Also, the bell’s real name is the Great Bell and the clock tower is called the Elizabeth Tower.
• It was built in 1848 during the Victorian period.
• Big Ben (the bell) weighs 13.76 tons, and the tower is 96 metres tall.
• The clock tower has 399 steps. Visitors are warned they need to be fit enough to manage the steps.
• Pennies carefully placed on the bell’s pendulum ensure the chiming is always accurate.
• There are four other smaller bells in the clock tower.
• Not even World War II could stop Big Ben’s chimes. It suffered a direct hit during the war but continued its hourly bongs.
• The government planned to use fake Big Ben bongs during World War II to confuse Nazi planes trying to find Westminster.
• There are no credible historical references as to why it is called Big Ben. Some say it honours a 19th-century heavyweight boxing champion called Benjamin Caunt whose nickname was Big Ben.
• It’s not quite the Leaning Tower of Pisa, but Big Ben does lean very slightly by 4 degrees.
• The renovations, which will be completed in 2022, are the most extensive in its history.

Places To Eat Nearby

With Big Ben closed for refurbishments, there is no on-site café or restaurant. However, there are many options nearby, one of which has amazing views. 

Westminster Abbey Kiosk : ££ | Quick Snack —Although it’s not indoors, nonetheless, it’s handy for a quick bite to eat. Light snacks, sandwiches, hotdogs, pastries, and cakes as well as hot and cold drinks. You’ll find it near the Sanctuary at the Westminster Abbey west gates.  

Storey’s Gate Café : ££ | Coffee Shop —This building was once the home of King Charles II’s birdkeeper Edward Storey. It now sells healthy snacks and light lunches. Vegans and vegetarians will find it has an attractive selection. 

Riverside Café : ££ | Great Views —There’s an enjoyable walk through the scenic Victoria Tower Gardens, next to Parliament to get to this café. It has the best views of the Houses of Parliament and the River Thames. Moreover, it serves a full English breakfast as well as pizza, paninis, pasta, and sandwiches. You can also buy beverages like tea, lattes, coffee, cappuccinos, mochas, and cold drinks.  

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BIG BEN AND THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT ULTIMATE GUIDE

Out of all the London landmarks scattered throughout the city that can be visited with free walking tours, none are more recognizable or synonymous with London’s culture than the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben.

The Houses of Parliament and its magnificent clock tower (famously nicknamed “Big Ben”) have become iconic symbols of London for centuries, and it’s hard not to imagine these two attractions when an image of London comes to mind.

The Houses of Parliament (also known as the Palace of Westminster – not to be confused with the nearby Westminster Abbey) was originally built as a royal palace and residence during the reign of Henry VIII. In 1547 the building was given to the British Parliament, and it has been its permanent location ever since.

Big Ben (now named The Elizabeth Tower) which is located at the north end of the Palace of Westminster, stands at 96 metres in height and also contains the second largest four-faced chiming clock in the world.

Big Ben and The Houses of Parliament Highlights

Unbeknownst to many visitors admiring its glorious architecture and massive clock tower from the outside, the Palace of Westminster actually serves as a meeting point for British politicians; and if you’re lucky enough, during your visit to London you may even be able to sit in on a House of Commons meeting (for free!)

But that’s not all the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben have to offer. Inside the Palace of Westminster you can see plaques commemorating the trials of William Wallace, Guy Fawkes and Charles I (just to name a few); and the oldest section of the palace (The Hall) is an architectural delight which contains the largest hammer-beamed room in the world.

St. Stephen’s Hall is another famous section inside the Palace of Westminster, which is located at the far end of Westminster Hall. St. Stephen’s Hall was once used as a royal chapel, and some of the most important parliamentary events in British history took place here.

Special Tips

Getting There

Visiting big ben and the houses of parliament.

Visitors are allowed to attend debates, watch committee hearings and take a tour inside the Houses of Parliament, but only UK residents will be allowed to tour the inside of Big Ben.

If you are interested in watching a committee or attending a debate when parliament is in session, make sure you check out the Houses of Parliament’s official website before your visit (The House of Commons usually sits from 2:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.). When Parliament is sitting, the flag outside the Victoria Tower will be flying during the day, and another flag will be flying at the Ayrton Light on the Clock Tower at night.

Visitors are allowed to view the House of Commons Visitors’ Gallery when Parliament is in session, but be aware that the queue may take as long as an hour. Both UK residents and foreign visitors must obtain their tickets during Question Time, and all visitors can get into the Public Galleries for free via the Cromwell Green visitor entrance. Admission is free for any committee session, but you will need to provide proof of identity before entering the building.

UK residents can get tickets from an MP to the Strangers Gallery of the Houses of Commons, or from a Lord for a seat in the gallery of the House of Lords. Foreign visitors, however, must enter a queue to retrieve their tickets at any time of the day (or night) when the House of Commons is in session. (Be aware that due to limited space, there is no guarantee that foreign visitors will be able to get a seat).

Before entering the Houses of Parliament, be prepared to go through an airport-style screening which could take anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes; (or up to 45 minutes on Tuesday or Wednesday afternoons if you want to visit the public galleries). Avoid bringing any large bags as they will be refused at entry and there are no lockers or storage areas; (you can, however, use the luggage facilities at the nearby Charing Cross, Victoria and Waterloo stations).

Ticket prices and Opening hour

The Houses of Parliament guided tours take place every Saturday throughout the year from 9:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m..

During July and August, the are tours every:

• Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 9:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Wednesday from 1:15 to 4:30 p.m.

In September:

• Monday and Friday from 9:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 1:15 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Tickets cost £15 for adults, £37 for families, £10 for students and £6 for children (aged five to 16), however, children under the age of five can get in for free.

Parliament recesses for three months over the summer, as well as over the Easter and Christmas holidays. During this time, there are guided tours to both the chambers and various other historic areas, as well as every Saturday any time of the year. There are also audio tours as well as guided tours, which are ideal for children so you can explore the area at your own pace.

If you are checking out the Houses of Parliament, you might also want to join any of the free London tours  that are available on offer.

Free Tours in Your Language

The Ultimate Guide to Visiting Big Ben & Houses of Parliament

The Complete Guide to London's Big Ben

TangMan Photography/Getty Images

What to See

How to visit, what to do nearby, tips for visiting.

Big Ben is one of London's most iconic sights. Many visitors don't realize that "Big Ben" isn't the name for the ornate clock or the tower but, in fact, the giant bell that rings inside the Elizabeth Tower at the Houses of Parliament. It's over 150 years ago and chimes each hour on the hour, with the sound reverberating through Central London. Big Ben is a memorable attraction for visitors of all ages from countries around the world. It should be included in any London travel itinerary (although it's hard to miss the massive tower and clock when in the British capital). Here's everything you need to know about visiting Big Ben.

The neo-Gothic clock tower, designed by Augustus Pugin and part of Charles Barry's plans for the new Houses of Parliament after a fire destroyed the original, was built in 1859, standing at 315 feet tall. It was originally dubbed the Clock Tower and re-named in 2012 during Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee's celebrations to become the Elizabeth Tower. The four-faced clock features five bells, the biggest of which is Big Ben. It's unclear where the name of the bell comes from, although historians speculate that it may be in tribute to Sir Benjamin Hall, who oversaw the bell's installation. In 1970, the clock tower was deemed a Grade I listed building, and in 1987 it was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

In 2017, extensive restoration began on the Elizabeth Tower, which is set to conclude in 2021. The renovations include repairing the tower's roof, adding an elevator into the tower, and updating the clock's lighting. While the bells have been silent during the refurbishment, typically Big Ben chimes every hour on the hour, and the four smaller bells chime on the 15-minute marks. Big Ben is an iconic part of London's New Year's Eve celebrations, with the bell chiming 12 times to bring in the new year. On Remembrance Day, Big Ben's chimes are broadcast nationally to mark the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month and mark the start of two minutes' silence. The bells have also been used historically to mark British monarchs' passing, including King Edward VII.

It's impossible to visit Central London and not see Big Ben and the Elizabeth Tower. It's visible from various points throughout the city and from viewing attractions like the London Eye and Sky Garden. Some of the best glimpses of Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament can be found from Westminster Bridge, Parliament Square, and across the Thames on the Albert Embankment. It's fun to see during the day and at night when the building, clock, and tower are illuminated.

Big Ben is connected to the Houses of Parliament and located across from Westminster Abbey, both of which can be included in your visit to see the massive clock and its bells. Look for the famed statue of Winston Churchill in Parliament Square, and don't miss the quiet Victoria Tower Gardens South around the corner for a respite from the crowds and a nice view of the river.

Sebastian Condrea

Currently, a visit to Big Ben only involves seeing the tower and clock from its exterior. Visits inside the tower have been paused during the four-year refurbishment, although they are set to resume once the works have finished (and you can still tour the Houses of Parliament in the meantime). The best way to see Big Ben is to walk across Westminster Bridge and around to Parliament Square to get a glimpse of all sides of the clock. There are great viewpoints in Parliament Square, including on the north side, where you'll find a few red phone booths that make for great photo opportunities with Big Ben in the background.

Parliament Square and Big Ben can be accessed on several London bus and tube lines. The Westminster Tube station is directly across the road from Big Ben, and visitors can access that station on the Jubilee, District, and Circle lines. Westminster Pier is adjacent to Big Ben, and there are several river tours and boat services that go past the Houses of Parliament and stop at the pier, which can be a unique way to see London's sights. Look for Thames River Boats or City Cruises . The beloved Big Bus Tours also stop in Parliament Square and offer hop-on-hop-off tours of the area.

Ashmieke Creations/Getty Images

Because Big Ben is located smack in the middle of London, there's a lot to see and do nearby. Westminster Abbey, found across Parliament Square, is open to visitors and offers guided tours, and the Houses of Parliament allow people to book guided tours of the government building. The Churchill War Rooms, St. James Park, Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, and The National Gallery are all a short walk from Big Ben, and nearby Covent Garden is filled with restaurants, shops, and cafes. Across Westminster Bridge, travelers can find the London Eye, the SEA LIFE Centre London Aquarium, and the Tate Modern. The Tate Britain, one of London's best museums, is a short walk south of Parliament Square along the Thames' north side.

• Parliament Square can get extremely crowded with tourists during the summer and on holiday weekends, making it difficult to get a good photo. Try to arrive early in the morning on a weekday to avoid the crowds. Crossing the river to the Albert Embankment is also a great way to see Big Ben without throngs of people. Look for benches that overlook the river with amazing views of Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament.
• For an aerial view of Big Ben and the surrounding sights, head to one of London's viewing platforms, which can be found around the city. Sky Garden offers free tickets to its 37th-floor indoor garden, which has 360-views of London, and The Shard has viewing platforms on floors 68, 69, and 72 for paid ticket holders.
• Don't get sucked into one of the touristy restaurants near Parliament Square. Instead, look for iconic diner The Regency Cafe, Indian eatery The Cinnamon Club, or old school pub The Windsor Castle. There is a Starbucks a few blocks west of Parliament Square for those who need a familiar pick-me-up.
• Public toilets can be found in St. James' Park near Horseguards Parade. Some public toilets require an entry fee of 20 pence, which can now be paid with a contactless credit card.

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How Big Ben Works: A Detailed Look Inside London’s Beloved Victorian Clock Tower

in Architecture , History | September 22nd, 2023 1 Comment

If asked to name the best-known tow­er in Lon­don, one could, per­haps, make a fair case for the likes of the Shard or the Gherkin . But what­ev­er their cur­rent promi­nence on the sky­line, those works of twen­ty-first-cen­tu­ry star­chi­tec­ture have yet to devel­op much val­ue as sym­bols of the city. If sheer age were the decid­ing fac­tor, then the Tow­er of Lon­don, the old­est intact build­ing in the cap­i­tal, would take the top spot, but for how many peo­ple out­side Eng­land does its name call a clear image to mind? No, to find Lon­don’s most beloved ver­ti­cal icon, we must look to the Vic­to­ri­an era, the only his­tor­i­cal peri­od that could have giv­en rise to Big Ben.

We must first clar­i­fy that Big Ben is not a tow­er. The build­ing you’re think­ing of has been called the Eliz­a­beth Tow­er since Queen Eliz­a­beth II’s Dia­mond Jubilee in 2012, but before that its name was the Clock Tow­er. That was apt enough, since tow­er’s defin­ing fea­ture has always been the clock at the top — or rather, the four clocks at the top, one for each face.

You can see how they work in the ani­mat­ed video from Youtu­ber Jared Owen above , which pro­vides a detailed visu­al and ver­bal expla­na­tion of both the struc­ture’s con­text and its con­tent, includ­ing a tour of the mech­a­nisms that have kept it run­ning near­ly with­out inter­rup­tion for more than a cen­tu­ry and a half.

Only by look­ing into the tow­er’s bel­fry can you see Big Ben, which, as Owens says, is actu­al­ly the name of the largest of its bells. Its announce­ment of each hour on the hour — as well as the ring­ing of the oth­er, small­er bells — is acti­vat­ed by a sys­tem of gear trains ulti­mate­ly dri­ven by grav­i­ty, har­nessed by the swing­ing of a large pen­du­lum (to which occa­sion­al speed adjust­ments have always been made with the reli­able method of plac­ing pen­nies on top of it). Owens does­n’t clar­i­fy whether or not this is the same pen­du­lum Roger Miller sang about back in the six­ties , but at least now we know that, tech­ni­cal­ly speak­ing, we should inter­pret the fol­low­ing lyrics as not “the tow­er, Big Ben” but “the tow­er; Big Ben.”

Relat­ed con­tent:

The Growth of Lon­don, from the Romans to the 21st Cen­tu­ry, Visu­al­ized in a Time-Lapse Ani­mat­ed Map

3D Scans of 7,500 Famous Sculp­tures, Stat­ues & Art­works: Down­load & 3D Print Rodin’s Thinker, Michelangelo’s David & More

The Old­est Known Footage of Lon­don (1890–1920) Fea­tures the City’s Great Land­marks

Prague Mon­u­ment Dou­bles as Artist’s Can­vas

Based in Seoul,  Col­in M a rshall  writes and broad­cas ts on cities, lan­guage, and cul­ture. His projects include the Sub­stack newslet­ter   Books on Cities ,  the book  The State­less City: a Walk through 21st-Cen­tu­ry Los Ange­les  and the video series  The City in Cin­e­ma . Fol­low him on Twit­ter at  @colinm a rshall  or on  Face­book .

by Colin Marshall | Permalink | Comments (1) |

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Comments (1), 1 comment so far.

As a fan of Roger Miller, it took me a minute to rec­og­nize the dif­fer­ence in what you wrote, but fig­ured it out. Very sub­tle! I will always think of this now when singing the song. Thanks!

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Your personal London travel guide

Suggestions.

The Houses of Parliament and Elizabeth Tower, commonly called Big Ben, are among London’s most iconic landmarks and must-see London attractions. Big Ben is London’s most iconic landmark. The Houses of Parliament and the Clock Tower are commonly called Big Ben.

History of Big Ben

The clock tower was completed in 1859. Big Ben is well known for its accuracy and its colossal bell which weighs more than 13 tons. The clock tower is also known as St. Stephen’s Tower at the northern end of the Houses of Parliament, in the London borough of Westminster. The clock was designed by Edmund Beckett Denison. In 1852 Dent won the commission to make the clock, but he died before completing the project, and it was subsequently finished by his son Frederick Dent. In 1859, the bell cracked and then a lighter hammer was fitted and rotated to the present times ever since. The tourists can take a tour of the Houses of Parliament. The best way to reach there is by Westminster Underground station. The Clock Tower/Big Ben is not open to the general public although residents of the UK can arrange a visit by writing to their MP.

How to Reach Big Ben

Tourists can reach the House of Parliament by hopping off at Westminster tube station . If you are staying in East London you can take the Central and District line to reach Westminster station or the Jubilee Line if coming from North West. Westminster station is also a place made with advanced technology. Be there to believe. Plan your tube travel from the TFL.GOV.UK website.

There had been some predictions going on that after the Queens Jubilee Celebration, in Honour of the Queen Big Ben will be renamed the Elizabeth Tower. This is not confirmed yet. But much is anticipated.

Big Ben and Elizabeth Tower refurbishment work

In August 2017, refurbishment work commenced on Elizabeth Tower and Big Ben. The work is due to last three years. During this time, the tower will be scaffolded and the clock mechanism will be stopped for several months (no chiming or striking), except for some special events including New Year’s Eve and Remembrance Sunday. Find out more about refurbishment . Check out the video below that shows “Inside Big Ben’s Makeover”.

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• Complete Guide to Big Ben in London

By: Author Emily

Posted on Last updated: November 27, 2023

Picture London and you’ll probably picture the famous clocktower known as Big Ben. In this brief but thorough guide, we’ll explain everything you never knew you didn’t know about Big Ben. Then we’ll share some practical information for visiting Big Ben during your trip to London.

Before I go too far in this post, I want to clarify that Big Ben technically refers to only the large bell inside the clocktower.  By extension, many people use the nickname Big Ben for the entire tower. In this post, I too will use the term Big Ben to refer to the whole clocktower.

Let’s get started!

What is Big Ben?

Big Ben is the nickname given to an iconic gothic clocktower in Central London. The clocktower is one of the three main towers at the Palace of Westminster.

The chiming clocktower has four clock faces and houses five bells. The largest bell (known as Big Ben) chimes every hour, while the smaller bells chime every 15 minutes. It is currently the third tallest clocktower in the UK.

The clock itself is renowned for being one of the most accurate clocks in the world, especially notable at the time it was built. In fact, an entirely new mechanism was invented and built for the clock inside Big Ben. This new technology quickly became the gold standard for future clocktowers around the world.

Big Ben is one of the most iconic film locations in UK and is often seen in establishing scenes of films and tv shows set in London.

So what is Elizabeth Tower?

The official name of Big Ben is actually Elizabeth Tower. The clocktower itself was previously named “Clock Tower” or “St. Stephen’s tower.” It was renamed Elizabeth Tower in 2012 for the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II. It was a fitting honor given that the largest tower is already called Victoria Tower after Queen Victoria.

Why is it called Big Ben?

The nickname Big Ben originally referred to just the largest bell, the Great Bell, which is housed inside clocktower. The bell weighs over 13 tons and was the largest bell in the UK when it was built.

That explains the “Big” but the “Ben” part is open to interpretation. The two most likely Bens for which the bell earned its nickname are Sir Benjamin Hall (an engineer who oversaw the installation of the clocktower) or Benjamin Caunt (a famous boxer at the time).

No one can say for sure how it got its nickname, but the words Big Ben are now known worldwide and associated with this specific, iconic clocktower in London.

When was Big Ben built?

The construction of Big Ben was completed in 1859. The clock first chimed on May 31, 1859.

What is Big Ben used for?

Big Ben was designed for both looks and function. The tower was immaculately designed as an important symbol of the country and democracy itself. But it was also built at time when not everyone was carrying an iPhone, so it served a practical purpose of telling the time as well.

In addition to just displaying the time, Big Ben also indicates when Parliament is in session. In 1873, a light (originally a lantern) was added and it shines when the House of Commons is in session after dark. It could be seen by the Queen in Buckingham palace so she could know when they were at work.

The clock face itself used to also only be lit when Parliament was sitting, but has been illuminated all night since 1876.

What is inside Big Ben?

The inside of Big Ben is primarily utilitarian and just used for clock and chime functions. There is a spiral staircase leading up to the belfry, where the bells and the clock’s mechanical workings can be accessed.

There is one room inside of Big Ben called the Prison Room. It was last used for a prisoner in 1880, and is now used by the Petitions Committee.

How tall is Big Ben?

The clocktower known as Big Ben is 316 feet high. There are 334 steps from the ground to the belfry. It is #22 on the list of tallest clocktowers in the world and the third tallest in the UK.

How long did it take to build Big Ben?

It took about 16 years to build Big Ben. Construction on the clocktower began in 1843 and was not completed until 1859. If you account for the years of planning and design, it was almost 25 years in the making.

How much did it cost to build Big Ben?

Construction of the original Big Ben clocktower was surprisingly cheap, costing only about £22,000 in 1859. If you adjust that for inflation, that is roughly the equivalent of £259,600 today. That’s nothing considering the recent renovation cost a cool £69 million, double the city’s original estimate.

Is Big Ben a UNESCO World Heritage Site?

Yes. Big Ben is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was added in 1987.

Is there a Little Ben?

Sure is! There is a miniature version of Big Ben near Victoria Station called Little Ben. It’s not worth going out of our way for, but if you find yourself near Victoria Station, you should definitely pop over and take a peek.

Visiting Big Ben in London

Ready to see Big Ben for yourself? Here are a few things to know to plan a perfect visit to Big Ben.

Where is Big Ben in London?

Big Ben is located in the Westminster area of Central London. The clocktower is part of the Palace of Westminster, which is the meeting place for both houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It’s right across the Thames from the famous London Eye and just east of Westminster Abbey and St. James’s Park.

The official address of Big Ben is London SW1A 0AA, United Kingdom .

How to get to Big Ben

Big Ben is located in Central London near many of the city’s most famous tourist attractions. For that reason, it’s incredibly easy to get to on public transportation.

Big Ben is closest to Westminster station which serves the Circle, District and Jubilee lines of the London Underground train. It’s also walkable from Waterloo and Embankment stations. Several bus lines also converge and stop near Big Ben.

Lastly, the Westminster Pier is nearby and serves the river bus, which stops at several piers along the Thames.

Can you go inside Big Ben?

If you are not a UK resident, you can not go inside Big Ben. There are no tours of Big Ben, no matter how much you’re willing to pay, available to anyone who is not a UK resident.

If you are a UK resident, free tours are usually available but require some work and some waiting. You must first request a tour from a member of Parliament or the House of Lords, and then book your tour for a specific date and time. Tours are usually booked at least six months in advance.

That said, as of this update in April 2023, tours are not currently running at all. Tours were halted in 2017 for the renovation project and have not yet resumed.

How much does it cost to go inside Big Ben?

Tours of Big Ben are technically free, but only available to UK residents. Tours have not yet resumed after construction.

Can you see Big Ben from the street?

The good news is that you don’t need to go inside Big Ben or even inside the Palace of Westminster to have a great view of Big Ben. You can see the exterior of Big Ben for free from the ground. There are great views of Big Ben from the streets, sidewalks and parks around the clocktower.

Best views of Big Ben

• Westminster Bridge
• Parliament Square Garden
• Red telephone booths on George Street
• Queen’s Walk between Westminster Bridge and the London Eye

Big Ben as seen from the London Eye

Best time to visit Big Ben

Big Ben is beautiful anytime of day. However, the clocktower is best viewed just before dusk during golden hour. At that time, you can see tower light up but will have enough daylight to see the gold sparkle.

Is Big Ben still under construction?

No. The renovation project on Big Ben that began in August 2017 was completed in April 2022. All of the scaffolding surrounding the exterior of the clocktower has since been removed. She’s a beauty.

How long to spend at Big Ben?

You only need to budget about 15 minutes to see Big Ben. The tower is beautiful, but you don’t need that much time to appreciate it. We suggest gazing at Big Ben after a spin around the London Eye as you walk to St. James’s Park.

Things to do near Big Ben

• Visit Westminster Abbey
• Get a cask ale at St Stephen’s Tavern
• See the guards in front of Buckingham Palace
• Watch the birds on the Serpentine at Hyde Park
• Stroll through St. James’s Park
• Take a spin on the London Eye
• Walk down the Queen’s Walk on the south bank of the Thames from Westminster Bridge to Waterloo Bridge
• Board the River Bus from Westminster Pier and ride to Greenwich

Closing Thoughts

Big Ben is something you have to see once while you’re in London. Fortunately, based on its convenient and prominent location in London, it is kind of hard to miss even if you tried.

It’s definitely worth a stop if you’re visiting London with kids . It was surprisingly my toddler’s favorite thing in London and they made us go back three times.

Have you been to Big Ben? What’s your favorite thing to do before or after a viewing of Big Ben? Let me know if the comments.

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London Travel Guide

Officially Elizabeth Tower but more commonly known as Big Ben, the clock tower of Westminster Palace is a world-famous landmark

Big Ben is the name most commonly used to refer to the clock tower at the northern end of the Westminster Palace, whose official name since 2012 is actually Elizabeth Tower. The Big Ben tower, thanks to its beauty, size, and precision (at least at the time of its making), has become one of the most - if not the most - recognisable symbols of London, making it one of the most famous clocks in the world.

Although the term Big Ben is interchangeably used to refer to the tower, its clock, and its biggest bell, it originally was a nickname given to the Great Bell of the Great Clock of Westminster. This bell is the largest of the five inside the tower, and tradition has it that it was nicknamed after Benjamin Hall, the engineer who oversaw the bell’s installation.

The clock tower was built as an addition to the new Palace of Westminster, after the destruction of the old one in 1834. As such, it was designed in Neo-Gothic style, to match the rest of the building. At the time of its making, it was the tallest clock tower in the UK. Inside it, the bell known as Big Ben was so big that it had to be recast several times. Finally, in 1863, the manufacturers figured out a way to avoid it cracking every so often.

The Great Bell’s strikes were heard for the first time on the 11th of July 1859, just a few months after the Great Clock had started ticking. Although the clock tower’s stonework and decorations were damaged in 1941 during World War II, the damages were fixed and the construction has not suffered substantial damage since.

Interesting facts about Big Ben

• The Big Ben bell weighs around 13.7 tonnes, with a diameter of 8.9 feet (2.7 m). The hammer inside the bell weighs 441 pounds (200 kg). The tower itself is 316 feet (96 m) tall, with sides measuring 40 feet (12 m) each. The four clocks visible from the outside all have a diameter of 23 feet (7 m), with minute hands that weigh around 220 pounds (100 kg).
• 28 85-watt bulbs are needed to light up the faces of the Big Ben clocks. Additionally, when Parliament is in session, a special light above the faces is illuminated.
• The gold decorations on top of the Big Ben clock are made out of real gold. This is because of the material’s resistance, which makes it cheaper than having to replace the ornaments every few years.
• It is said that a flock of birds once nested on the minute hand in 1944. Apparently, the nest weighed the hand enough that it caused the clock to run too slowly and thus needed to be removed.
• Although it is no Tower of Pisa, the Elizabeth Tower actually leans at a slight angle of 0.04 degrees. The inclination is barely noticeable, but it’s there.
• The swinging of the Big Ben pendulum is regulated by a stack of coins. It is said that, if the pendulum runs too fast, a penny is added, and if it runs too slow, a penny is taken off.

How can you go inside Big Ben?

. These tours are only available to UK citizens, who need to contact their MPs for visitor permits. Foreign citizens are not allowed to visit Big Ben.

Touring the tower involves a 334-step climb up a narrow spiral staircase. For this reason, the tour is not suitable for most visitors with physical disabilities, heart and respiratory conditions, as well as high blood pressure. Furthermore, visitors who are pregnant (especially in the later stages) or with conditions that might affect balance are advised against this tour.

Guide dogs are not permitted inside the tower due to the bells chiming. Visits from people with hearing or visual impairments can be accommodated, but it is advised to contact the Big Ben Office. Sensible footwear is required , meaning that open-toed sandals with no straps, flip-flops, and high heels are not permitted.

Big Ben closed for restoration

London SW1A 0AA, Westminster area.

The Big Ben is located in London’s Westminster area, along the River Thames’ northern bank. The Westminster district is known for its numerous landmarks: just south of the clock tower is the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Palace , while Westminster Abbey is just west of the two.

Crossing Westminster Bridge and walking a few minutes north you’ll find the London Eye . If instead, you head west, beyond Westminster Abbey is St James’s Park , which leads to Buckingham Palace .

Entries and price

UK visitors can visit the Big Ben clock tower by booking a tour which does not have an entry fee. However, prior booking is required. If you want to visit the tower, we recommend you book well in advance, as seats are limited and often sold-out months ahead.

Big Ben is normally only open for scheduled tours. These take place on Saturdays at 9:00 am, 11:00 am, and 2:00 pm.

Being in one of the most central areas of London, Big Ben is easily reachable with several means of transport. The most popular one is certainly the Underground . If you get off at Westminster , which is right in front of Big Ben, you can use the Circle , District , or Jubilee lines.

If you prefer to go by bus , the closest stop is right in front of Big Ben. Lines 148 and 211 can both drop you off there. Alternatively, routes 3, 11, 12, 87, 88, 159, and 453 will also leave you not far from the monument.

You can find a summary of the public transport options in the table below.

Of course, you can also decide to go by cab , but we don’t recommend it. This is because of the high London taxi fares and heavy traffic in the inner city.

Nearby sights

Westminster Palace - right next to Big Ben.

Westminster Abbey - right behind Big Ben and Westminster Palace, just a little to the west.

St James’s Park - 450 m (0.3 miles) west, 6-minute walk.

London Eye - 600 m (0.4 miles) northeast, 8-min walk just across the river.

Trafalgar Square - 1 km (0.6 miles) north, 12-minute walk.

National Gallery - 1 km (0.6 miles) north, 13-minute walk.

National Portrait Gallery - 1.1 km (0.6 miles) north, 14-minute walk.

Buckingham Palace - 1.3 km (0.8 miles) west, 16-minute walk.

More related activities...

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Meet hundreds of international celebrities and famous personalities at Madame Tussauds, London’s wax museum, founded almost 200 years ago.

Legoland Windsor is the UK’s only Lego-themed park, perfect for a family trip with young children.

Although quite small, London Stansted is one of the busiest airports in the UK, serving as the main airport for European flights in London.

Glass walkways and a feat of Victorian engineering wait for you inside London's most iconic landmark, Tower Bridge.

The IWM London is the first Imperial War Museum to open among the five currently active. A space dedicated to the history of conflicts in which the British armed forces participated.

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Bong! You’ll once again be able to go inside Big Ben from July

Tours of the tower are back after a six-year hiatus

After what feels like eons, Big Ben is officially back and bonging. Soon, visitors will be able to book tickets to climb the 334 steps inside the Elizabeth Tower again. In the hour-long tour, you’ll get up close and personal with the world-famous massive clock as it strikes the hour.

Set those alarms, because tickets for tours in July, August and September will be released on the Parliament website at 10am on Wednesday June 14. Tickets cost £25 for adults and a tenner for 11-17 year olds. As before, there will be a limited number of free tours available to UK residents that can be booked through local MPs. 

Big Ben reopens after being closed in 2017 for vital conservation and repair work to the Elizabeth Tower. This included repairing cracks in the masonry, leaks, erosion, and severe rusting of the metalwork. The entire clock mechanism was also taken apart and restored by specialists in Cumbria. 

Sir Lindsay Hoyle, speaker of the House of Commons, said: ‘For more than 160 years, the Elizabeth Tower has been a beloved cultural icon of the United Kingdom, a symbol of our Parliamentary democracy that is recognisable around the world. 

‘So, it gives me great pleasure that we are once again able to welcome back visitors – eager to climb the 334 steps from ground level to the belfry – to hear Big Ben and the quarter bells ring out their famous Westminster chimes.’

Bing, bong indeed. 

Big Ben tours. Booking opens 10am Jun 14. £25. 

A secret windmill in Croydon will reopen to the public for the first time in three years.

A new café is opening in a London cabmen’s shelter .

• India Lawrence Contributing writer

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Big Ben, Houses of Parliament – Clock tower tour

Good for kids? ★ ★ ★ Value for money? n/a Worth a visit? ★ ★ ★

“For having lived in Westminster—how many years now? over twenty—one feels even in the midst of the traffic a particular hush, or solemnity; an indescribable pause; a suspense before Big Ben strikes. There! Out it boomed. First a warning, musical; then the hour, irrevocable.” Virginia Woolf, writer (1925)

Craig ’s review… Apparently Big Ben has started leaning two feet to the west because of all the tube trains rumbling under his feet, so I always picture him as a cantankerous old grandad stooping on his arthritic knees, bellowing at the tourists whilst they’re standing there staring at him. If I were him I’d start whizzing my hands around at 100 mph just for the sheer hell of it, just to break the monotony and let everybody know that I was still there. I’d hammer my ten-tonne bells until the MPs came charging out of Parliament demanding that I shut up.

Guided tour of Big Ben

It’s not as easy to get into Big Ben as it is to get into Parliament itself, which is a bit weird. You can’t just turn up and ask for a tour. You have to write a letter to your local MP first and ask for an invite. I did that way back in May and was given a tour date four months later – so that shows you how far in advance you have to plan it (or maybe I just have a lousy MP).

When you finally get the acceptance letter they make it sound a lot scarier than it actually is. First of all they make you fill in a spreadsheet with all your personal details so the security people can check you’re not a terrorist, and then they insist that you bring along two forms of ID (like a passport, driving license or utility bill) and if you turn up one minute late you won’t be allowed in (no exceptions!).

On the next page they start talking about the stairs: no one with a heart complaint, no one with breathing problems or vertigo can go, and pregnant women shouldn’t even think about it. It’s 334 spiral steps to the top which is twenty more than The Monument , and I remember having problems climbing those with my dodgy knees, so you can imagine how much I was looking forward to Big Ben after reading that letter. I was seriously starting to have second thoughts.

MPs’ offices in Portcullis House

The meeting point for the tour is across the road in Portcullis House where most of the MPs have their day-to-day offices. It’s quite an interesting place to begin because it lets you have a quick nose around a normally inaccessible building – and you can see those notorious trees in the atrium. (So that’s where all of our taxes are going – the MPs are planting trees indoors!) After that you get led through an underground tunnel that takes you below the road towards Big Ben.

The tour doesn’t include any part of Parliament other than the clock tower itself, so it’s strictly about Big Ben. And the first part is by far the hardest – 115 steps to the first room. So rest assured that you don’t have to climb all 334 steps in one go, which was certainly a big relief to me. So when you get that scary letter warning you to write your will beforehand, just ignore it – if you’ve ever managed to climb to the top of The Monument or St. Paul’s Cathedral then you will find this easy-peasy.

The clock mechanism

The first part of the talk was all about the history of the bell: who designed it, who built it, and who installed it. Our guide was pretty good and he went into plenty of detail, but there wasn’t a lot to actually see in this first room, just a big poster on the wall and some seats were we could rest and catch our breath. After that he took us up another flight of stairs to the clock mechanism. This room looked more like a mini-factory with pulleys, pendulums, cogs and whirring wheels all over the place. Just before it struck half-past nine he warned us of a coming cacophony of noise and he wasn’t joking. When the whole thing whirred into action it scared the living daylights out of us. Imagine the sound of a factory gone wrong: long levers banging up and down, cogs clanking round and round, and heavy hammers bashing the bells tens of meters above your head.

The clock tower belfry and Big Ben bell

After that bit of excitement we headed up to the belfry to see Big Ben himself. Incredibly, the guide even let us stand inside the bell room whilst it chimed ten. This was such a deep and visceral thrill that words can never do it justice. One minute the big bell was sleeping peacefully and then it was as if he’d suddenly become rage and thunder. There really was no escape from his anger. The guide had given us some earplugs beforehand which we were obliged to wedge into our lugs, but it was still astonishingly loud – loud enough to make my bones vibrate. It made my vision shake. I think a few of my teeth crumbled into dust as well. And it wasn’t just Big Ben chiming because there were several bells all around us (one for each note of the tune), all pounding out the sound into our vibrating skulls.

When we had recovered from that experience he took us back down the stairs and stopped off behind the huge clock faces, where we could see the shadow of the gigantic hands pass in front of the glass.

And that was it, sadly. All that remained was for us to walk back down, still shaking our heads and banging our ears with our palms, trying to make our hearing came back.

We also recommend… If you enjoy this then try Downing Street (you can walk it in 6 mins) and Houses of Parliament (you can walk it in less than 2 mins) . How about watching the politicians inside the House of Commons and House of Lords? If you send a letter to your local MP then you might be able to get a ticket to PMQs as well. Read my complete guide to political events in London for lots more ideas

Big Ben is ★ 1 in the Top 10 London landmarks and ★ 1 in the Top 10 places to take a photo . Big Ben also appears in our London one day itinerary , two day itinerary , three day itinerary , four day itinerary , five day itinerary , six day itinerary and one week itinerary

Your comments and questions

Hap Do you have to pay to get into Big Ben

Craig You don't have to pay, but you do need to write a letter to your local MP to get an invite ticket, which will probably take a couple of months at least.

Hap What should you write in your letter?

Craig Just tell them you'd like an invite to the 'Big Ben and Elizabeth Tower Tour'. Give them a range of dates that you can do, at least three or four months in the future. Don't just give them one date, because it books up ages in advance. Give them your full name, age and address (because they have to check you're a constituent). My MP then sent me over some security questions which I had to email back. It was only after I did that that I received the ticket.

Hap Thank you ever so much for your reply, it's very helpful. I shall send a link to our WI ladies. Thanks again.

Jenny Hello Craig. We are thinking of either climbing Big Ben or doing a tour of The Houses of Parliament. Which do you think is best?

Craig Hi, Parliament is easily the best. With Big Ben you get to see the bell and stand behind the clock faces, but with Parliament you get to go inside the House of Commons, the House of Lords, Westminster Hall, plus all of the other beautiful rooms like the Royal Gallery and Robing Room. Big Ben is definitely worth doing, but if you only have time for one then Parliament will be more impressive.

Richard I love the Big Ben Clock, but I can't figure out why the clockmaker used the symbol F in stead of the Roman Numeral X usually used for clock dial. A theory of mine is that the Romans invaded Britain one time and that the British Royalty did not want to use the Roman numeral because of that. I would really want to know what the answer is to this question. Please help if you can. Thank you.

Craig Hi Richard. I can see what you mean about it looking like an F, but it's just a stylised X with a line through the middle

Sue When does the bell chime?

Craig Hi Sue. The main Big Ben bell goes off every hour. The smaller quarter bells go off at 15, 30 and 45 past the hour

Kai H We were disappointed that tourists are not allowed to go on a tour of Big Ben. Why is that? We would have loved to seen inside but only UK people are allowed to visit. That doesn't seem very fair

Craig Hi Kai. You're right, because you need to request an invite from your local MP, which a foreign visitor won't be able to do. I don't know the reason, but perhaps it's because they need to do a security check on everyone first, which will be harder if you're from overseas. But tourists can go inside the House of Parliament though, which is even better than Big Ben - city-guide.london/​attractions/​houses-of-parliament.php

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Big Ben Tickets and Tours

Many people have a visit to Big Ben on their list of things to do when in London when visiting. Here I explain the ins and outs of doing so.

Included is how to take a free tour, where it is located, nearby sights and activities, and a short history.

As a local tour guide and resident of London, I love to share my knowledge of the city and this big old clock tower is one of my favorite sights!

Besides my own insights, I include tips from members of our popular London Travel Tips Facebook group.

The group has over 160k members and is made up of locals, frequent travelers to the UK, as well as first-time visitors to London.

You don't need to become a member to read the posts, comments, and recommendations.

So, check out our group once you've finished reading this post!

• Introduction
• Big Ben Tours
• Nearby Attractions
• Tips from Locals and Travelers
• Westminster Abbey Tickets
• Things to Do in Westminster

INTRODUCTION

Big Ben in London is quite probably the most recognizable clock in the world.

Its iconic four-faced chiming clock is the largest in the world and has been ticking since 1859.

It dominates the skyline in the City of Westminster in London and is just a few minutes walk from such major historic sights, as Westminster Abbey .

Would it surprise you to know that Big Ben is not the real name of this clock tower?

Its original name was simply 'The Clock Tower’. Not exactly memorable, is it?

The clock tower was renamed the Queen Elizabeth II Tower in honor of the Queen on the occasion of her Diamond Jubilee in 2012.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by DamsoPhoto (@damsophoto)

Here’s another shocker. Big Ben, the largest bell inside the Queen Elizabeth II Tower is officially named the “Great Bell”, but nobody calls it that!  

I suggest you stick with Big Ben.

You might get some strange looks if you ask someone, “How can I get to the Queen Elizabeth II Tower so I can hear the Great Bell?”

So we know where the ‘Big’ comes from just by looking at it! But who is Ben?

There are two theories as to where the moniker came from.

Some say it refers to Benjamin Hall, a Member of Parliament who oversaw the installation of the Great Bell and was a rather rotund figure!

Another theory is that it is named after Benjamin Caunt, an English heavyweight boxing champion known as Big Ben himself.

Though we will never know for sure, we do know that Big Ben is a sight to behold when in London.

Read more history and fun facts about Big Ben below .

CAN I GO INSIDE BIG BEN?

Yes! You can go inside Big Ben by taking a tour. Read just below to find out how.

TOURS OF BIG BEN

These 90-minute tours of Big Ben take you up the Elizabeth Tower, behind the clock faces, and into the belfry to see Big Ben itself.

Tickets are £25 for adults and £10 for children aged 11 - 17. Children under 11 are not permitted on a tour.

Tickets can be purchased only online via the official website . 

Visitors will be able to book a maximum of eight tickets per person, depending on availability.

Tickets are released in blocks and sell out quickly, so keep an eye on the Parliament website for the next ticket release date.

IMPORTANT : Before you book, read the website to see if the tour is suitable for you.

Just a few examples:

• You must be able to climb all 334 steps unaided without assistance.
• Visitors with heart-related illnesses or who are in the later stages of pregnancy will not be allowed.
• You must arrive with sensible footwear, or you may be declined their position on the tour.
• Read more considerations here .

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Only UK residents can request a free tour by contacting a Member of the House of Commons or House of Lords directly.

These free tours tend to be sold out for up to 6 months in advance so be prepared to wait a while!

The same suitability requirements above are for free tour guests as well.

More information can be found on the  official website .

TIP: Looking for more London attractions and activities that won't cost you a thing, see our post on  free things to do in London .

HOW TO GET HERE

Big Ben is located in the City of Westminster in the heart of London.

The nearest Underground Station is Westminster (Circle, District, and Jubilee lines).  

You can also access Big Ben from Waterloo Station (Bakerloo, Northern, Waterloo, City, and Jubilee lines).

Use this Google map for directions to Big Ben from anywhere in London .

Click on the image to enlarge

If you are new to traveling on London's public transport, see our post on  using the London Underground .

NEARBY ATTRACTIONS AND TOURS

Big Ben is within walking distance of several major historical sights.

• Buckingham Palace
• St. James’s Palace  and the  Changing of the Guard
• Westminster Abbey
• 10 Downing St.
• Churchill War Rooms

Right next to Big Ben is Westminster Pier where you can catch several  Thames boat rides and cruises .

You can also simply walk across Westminster Bridge and go to the  London Eye  and the  London Dungeon .

TIP : Many of the attractions above are included with London tourist passes which can save money on tickets and tours.

TOURS THAT STOP AT BIG BEN

If you want to learn about both Big Ben and nearby sights, consider taking a tour of the area that includes a stop outside Big Ben.

Both our pay-what-you-wish Westminster Walking Tour and 6-hour pay-what-you-wish All-in-One London Tour stop outside of Big Ben.

If you can't join us for either tour, you might enjoy our GPS-led audio tour  of Westminster or our self-guided Westminster Tour .

Alternatively, you may also want to consider one of the many paid London walking tours which include stops at Big Ben.

TIPS FROM LOCALS AND TRAVELERS

Here are some thoughts about touring Big Ben from members of our London Travel Tips Facebook group.

No one said the experience was not worth it, though some people said that you can get just as good views if not better elsewhere.

Even if you are concerned about being physically fit enough, it is still recommended as there are stops along the way to catch your breath.

However, there is another consideration you might not have thought of -- fear of heights. Here is what one member had to say about that.

And lastly, here's a great tip!

You can find more advice on Big Ben and all things London on our Facebook group, so be sure to take a look.

You don't need to become a member to read the posts, comments, and advice!

Why not even post a question yourself?

HISTORY OF BIG BEN AND THE ELIZABETH TOWER 

The Queen Elizabeth II Tower stands in Westminster, connected to the Palace of Westminster.

After the old Palace of Westminster was lost in a terrible fire in 1834, a new building was designed to sit in its place.

The design of the new Palace was commissioned to architect Charles Barry.

He wanted a clock tower as part of the new palace, but he did not design it himself.

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Instead, he asked noted architect August Welby Northmore Pugin for his help in designing the tower and clock.

Pugin designed the tower in his signature Gothic Revival style.

Before he died, Pugin is quoted as saying that his designing and building of the tower was the "hardest [he'd] ever worked in [his] life."

Big Ben and the Other Bells

The Great Bell (Big Ben) was cast in April 1858 at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry (also responsible for The Liberty Bell in the United States).

It weighs 13.76 tons and was the largest bell in the British Isles until 'Great Paul' inside St. Paul's Cathedral was cast in 1881.

Big Ben is the most famous bell in the tower, but there 4 other bells.

The four smaller bells ring every 15 minutes, while Big Ben is only rung at the top of every hour.

A mechanical process triggered by the clock dials raises a hammer which is then dropped onto Ben to make the chimes.

For those wishing to set their clocks, note it is the FIRST chime of Big Ben that marks the exact time.

Times When the Bells Were Not Rung

Although Big Ben has been praised throughout its history for accurately keeping time, including during the Blitz in WWII, the chimes have been silenced on occasion.

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• During WWI the clock was silenced for two years, and the clock dials were darkened, to prevent detection by German zeppelin craft.
• On New Year’s Eve 1962, the cold weather froze the hands of the clock, causing the pendulum mechanism to fault meaning the New Year was rung in 10 minutes late!
• In 1967 the clock experienced its first - and so far only - breakdown when the airspeed regulator broke. Over 9 months the chimes were silenced for around 26 days for repairs. 
• As a mark of respect, the chimes were silenced during the funeral of Winston Churchill. The same protocol was taken during the funeral of Baroness Margaret Thatcher in 2013.

Facts and Figures

• The entire Queen Elizabeth II Tower is 315ft (96m) tall.
• Each clock face stands exactly 180ft (54.9m) off the ground.
• Each dial is nearly 23ft (7m) in diameter.
• Each dial holds over 300 individual pieces of frosted glass.
• The minute hands are each just over 13ft (4.2m) long.
• Despite appearing straight, the Tower is tilting 9.1in (230mm) to the north-west.
• Out of 650 MPs, 331 voted to approve the name change of the Clock Tower to the Queen Elizabeth Tower because the tower on the other side of Parliament was renamed the Victoria Tower in the year of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee.

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The Palace of Westminster’s famous clock tower has become one the city’s most famous landmarks, as well as one of the most iconic   symbols of London.  

The gothic-styled tower standing 315 feet (96 m) high holds a four-faced clock and was built in 1858 at the far end of the Parliament .

The truth about Big Ben

When we envisage Big Ben, we normally think of the Parliament’s clock tower. However,  Big Ben is actually the clock’s Great Bell, which weighs 14 tons and is found inside the tower called Elizabeth Tower.

British punctuality

Big Ben’s four-faced clock is set in a 23 feet (7m) frame on all sides of the Tower and was completed in May 1859. It has become one of the most recognisable British icons and its chimes are broadcasted by BBC radio every day.

It is one of the world’s most reliable clocks, withstanding rain, wind and snow. It even kept chiming during the bombing attacks of World War II.  

Although there are few occasions when Big Ben has suffered punctuality incidents, Londoners will never forget 1962 New Year’s Eve, when the clock chimed the new year 10 minutes late due to the harsh weather conditions.

However, between 2017 and 2021 the clock fell silent (except for special occasions such as New Year's Eve and Remembrance Sunday) while work was carried out on the clock mechanism itself, ensuring that Big Ben will continue to work smoothly well into the future. 

In the Palace of Westminster

Tube: Westminster (Circle, District and Jubilee lines)

Nearby places

Westminster Palace (17 m) Westminster Abbey (307 m) London Eye (425 m) St James’s Park (636 m) Trafalgar Square (861 m)

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Buckingham Palace

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Matador Original Series

You've Been Referring to Big Ben Wrong (and Other Things You Need to Know Before Visiting)

T he most famous clock tower in the world and one of the most recognizable landmarks in London alongside Tower Bridge and St. Paul’s Cathedral , Big Ben is a must-see for first-timers in the English capital. But while it looks like a simple clock tower , Big Ben has a long and fascinating history, and some features, that you probably never knew about.

Where is Big Ben located?

How to get to big ben, when was big ben built and why, why is big ben called big ben, how tall is big ben, when does big ben chime, big ben in numbers, is big ben under construction, can you go inside big ben, where to stay in london to be near big ben.

Photo: Alexey Fedorenko /Shutterstock

Big Ben is located on the north bank of the river Thames, in the borough of Westminster in London. The borough of Westminster is also home to Buckingham Palace (only a 15-minute walk from the clock tower) and Westminster Abbey (a four-minute walk from the clock tower). Westminster is one of 32 boroughs that make up London.

More specifically, Big Ben is on the northern end of the Palace of Westminster, AKA The Houses of Parliament.

The easiest way to get to Big Ben is by taking the subway (AKA “the tube”). The Circle line, the District line, and the Jubilee line (depicted in yellow, green, and grey respectively on subway maps ) will get you straight to the station Westminster. From the station, it is only a one-minute walk to the clock tower.

Photo: Pajor Pawel /Shutterstock

After the Palace of Westminster (AKA The Houses of Parliament) burnt down almost entirely in 1834, plans to build a new palace got underway quickly. Architect Charles Barry was selected to design the new building and his drawings included a clock tower. The construction of the new palace started in 1840 and the construction of the clock tower began three year later.

Designing and building a clock tower is one thing, but designing and constructing the most accurate clock in the world is another. In 1846 a competition for the best clock design was opened and the plans of Edmund Beckett Denison were chosen. In 1852, the year Queen Victoria inaugurated the new palace, Edward John Dent was hired to construct the clock, which his son, Frederick Dent, completed in 1854. The clock ticked for the first time inside the tower in 1859. At the time, the clock was said to be the most accurate one in the world.

While Big Ben is relatively recent, it is believed, that there has been a clock tower on the site since the late 13th century.

Big Ben is not the name of the clock tower, it is the name of the 15.1-ton bell inside the tower that chimes every hour. It is believed, but remains unproven, that Sir Benjamin Hall, who was involved in the construction of the new palace and the clock tower, inspired the nickname.

Since Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012, the official name of the clock tower is the Elizabeth Tower. Prior to 2012, the name of the tower was known as St. Stephen’s Tower.

Big Ben, or as it is officially known, the Elizabeth Tower, is 315-foot tall.

The Great Bell, AKA Big Ben, chimes every hour. Four quarter bells chime every 15 minutes.

• The clock tower is the same height as 21 London buses piled on top of each other, i.e. 315 feet.
• There are 292 steps to get to the dial and 334 steps to get to the belfry where the Great Bell is kept.
• The clock has four dials, each with a 23-foot diameter. At night, the four dials are illuminated.
• From 1939 to 1945, the four dials of the clock were kept dark to comply with the Blackout regulations imposed during the war.
• The hands on the clocks are incredibly long and heavy. The minute hands are 13.7-foot long and weigh over 220 pounds. The hour hands are 8.8-foot long and weigh over 661 pounds.

Photo: ako photography /Shutterstock

Is 2017, extensive conservation work started on the clock tower and the clock itself. For almost five years, until May 2022, the tower and the clock dials were covered in scaffolding. During the work, the chiming of the bells stopped; they resumed in November 2022. At time of writing, conservation work is ongoing inside the clock tower.

Those who wish to go inside Big Ben can do so on a 90-minute guided tour that will take them all the way to the belfry, where the bells of the clock tower are located. The guided tour requires some level of physical fitness since there are 334 steps to climb up a narrow spiral staircase to get to the top. Tours of Big Ben fill very fast (often weeks in advance), so make sure to book your ticket online as early as possible. Tickets for the tour cost $31.85 (£25) for adults and $12.75 (£10) for children aged 11 to 17. Children under the age of 11 cannot take part in the tour.

We hope you love the spaces and stays we recommend in London! Just so you know, Matador may collect a small commission from the links on this page if you decide to book a stay.

London Marriott Hotel County Hall

Only a five-minute walk across the river Thames via Westminster Bridge to reach Big Ben, the London Marriott Hotel County Hall is a historic five-star property that has views on some of the most iconic London landmarks. Request a room with a river view to see the best of London’s skyline, including the London Eye. Being a five-star property, the London Marriott Hotel County Hall has a large indoor pool, a gym with fitness classes and personal trainers, and a restaurant, Gillrays Steakhouse & Bar, overlooking the Thames.

Great Scotland Yard Hotel

This five-star hotel, just a nine-minute walk to Big Ben, is housed in a 1820s building. Inside, the decor is a mix of traditional and modern features, with heavily decorated and very atmospheric common areas contrasting with elegant, subdued rooms and suites. Being a luxury property, the Great Scotland Yard Hotel has all the bells and whistles you’d expect: a Michelin-starred chef, a hidden whisky bar, an afternoon tea lounge, and a fitness centre.

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Parliament to offer public tours of Big Ben next month

Xparliament to offer public tours of big ben next month.

UPDATE – the preview tours are now finished, but public tours have now started – details here .

It’s now possible to climb to the top of the Elizabeth Tower and stand in ear-banging distance of Big Ben as it bongs the hours.

Following its restoration, these are preview tours, and will lead you up a narrow 334-step spiral stairwell to the Belfry where Big Ben , the Great Bell, hangs. Along the route, your guide will reveal details of the most extensive and complex conservation project in Big Ben’s 160 years.

On this preview tour you will see the inner workings of the clock mechanism, walk behind the dials, each spanning 6.9m in diameter – and best of all… stand next to the world-famous Big Ben as it strikes the hour.

Having been up there before, I can say that although Big Ben is loud, as you’d expect, it’s the quarter bells that make you jump in fright, and the heavy tolling of Big Ben is deeper and not as scary, but much more powerful and moving to stand close to.

This limited tour in English is offered at a reduced rate of £10 and is a rare opportunity to see inside the Tower while the UK Parliament put the finishing touches on the exhibition elements ahead of the official reopening this summer.

Tickets for the preview tours need to be booked in advance from here (ALREADY SOLD OUT – SORRY!) and they will take place on selected dates in April, May and June.

Visitors must be aged 11 and over and be comfortable climbing 300+ steps and experiencing high noise levels from the clock mechanism and bells – ear defenders will be provided. The total tour duration is 90 minutes and toilet facilities are available at the beginning and end of the tour only. Due to the constraints of the Tower, accessible tours including step-free access are not currently available as part of these preview tours.

You are also welcome to explore the medieval Westminster Hall after your visit to the Elizabeth Tower.

It used to be possible to arrange a tour of the Clock Tower as it was called back then, but only by writing to your MP, and while the tours were free, the thought of writing to an MP can be daunting for many people, so offering them at a modest charge via a website is going to open up the tours to vastly more people.

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Everything you need to known about London

London’s Iconic Big Ben

Big Ben is one of the most well-known landmarks in London. While many people believe it to be the clock tower next to the Houses of Parliament, the name more properly refers to the bell inside the clock tower. Said bell weighs over 13,670 kilograms or 30,137 pounds. The tower itself is more properly called the Elizabeth Tower, although it was given that name only in 2012 to honor the queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

Where did the name come from?

Big Ben is believed to have been named after one of two people. The first is Benjamin Caunt, who was a champion heavyweight boxer during the 1850s. The second and more likely honoree is Sir Benjamin Hall, who was the First Commissioner for Works from 1855 to 1858. He was said to be around 6 feet 4 inches tall, and was heavy in the bargain.

Just how big is London Big Ben?

It’s huge. Its dimensions match that of the Great Bell:

• The tower stands 96 meters or 315 feet tall.
• The Great Bell stands 2.29 meters or 7.5 feet tall and has a diameter of 2.74 meters or 9 feet
• Each clock face has a diameter of 7 meters or 23 feet and contains 312 pieces of glass
• The minute hands each weigh around 100 kilograms or 220 pounds, including counterweights, and they are each 4.2 meters or 13.8 feet long
• The numbers are around 60 centimeters or nearly 2 feet long

When was it built?

Parliament is housed in the Palace of Westminster, and the original Palace was built sometime in the Middle Ages. Both Parliament and its predecessor, the Royal Council, met there. In 1834, a devastating fire broke out, and most of the Palace, including both Halls of Parliament, was destroyed.

King William IV offered Parliament the use of Buckingham Palace. His motives weren’t entirely altruistic, as he wanted to get rid of a building he disliked. Parliament, however, deemed the Palace unsuitable for their needs and politely refused the gift. Other suggestions for relocating were also rejected. The King then ordered Parliament to “make plans for its permanent accommodation.” To that end, they held a contest and invited architects to submit designs for the new Palace. A commission was appointed to study the designs and select the best one. It received 97 designs and chose the one submitted by Sir Charles Barry. His design, however, had not originally included a clock tower. He added one to his design in 1836.

Construction of the clock tower began in 1843. Materials for its construction came from all over England and were transported by river. The Elizabeth Tower was built from the inside out so no scaffolding was visible. There were many delays during construction, and it fell five years behind schedule. The tower was finally completed in 1859 to little fanfare.

Making the clock

Designing the clock proved to be problematic and probably contributed to the delays. Sir Charles was an excellent architect – but he did not know how to make clocks. He therefore turned to a more knowledgeable friend for advice. That friend, Benjamin Lewis Vullamy, was the Queen’s Clockmaker and began to design a clock for the tower. Other clockmakers, including Edward John Dent, had their own ideas about the clock, and that led to quarrels. Those disputes resulted in another contest being held to determine who would make the clock. The Astronomer Royal, sir George Airy served as referee.

The comedy of errors continued when Dent and Denison found the space inside the tower was too small for the planned clock design. It cost them £100 to make modifications. Dent died in 1853, and his son Frederick took over the job. He finished the clock a year later, and it cost £2500. He had to keep it at his factory, however, for the tower still wasn’t finished.

During the next five years, Denison worked on the clock and refined it. One of his innovations was the “Double three-Legged Escapement,” a mechanism that protected the clock’s pendulum from such external factors as wind pressure on the clock’s hands. The Escapement therefore greatly improved the clock’s accuracy and has since been used in clocks all over the world. Denison was made Baron Grimthorpe in 1886, so his invention is also called the “Grimthorpe Escapement.”

When the clock was finally installed in the Tower in April 1859 – it wouldn’t work. The minute hands were made of cast iron and were therefore too heavy. The clockmakers thus replaced them with lighter copper hands, and it began to keep time on May 31, 1859.

Other London Big Ben facts

Trivia buffs might enjoy the following:

• Under the clock face is a Latin motto, “DOMINE SALVAM FAC REGINAM NOSTRAM VICTORIAM PRIMAM. It translates to, “O Lord, keep safe our Queen Victoria the First.”
• When Parliament is in session, a special light above the clock faces is lit.
• A stack of coins on the pendulum regulates the clock’s timekeeping.
• The BBC first broadcast the clock’s chimes on December 31, 1923.
• The clock continued to keep time even after a bomb destroyed the Commons Chamber during WWII.

What does a tour involve?

Unfortunately, visitors from other countries may not take a tour inside the Elizabeth Tower. They can however, visit the neighboring Houses of Parliament. While the Elizabeth Tower is not open to the general public, residents of the United Kingdom can write their MP to arrange a tour.

Big Ben and Elizabeth Tower refurbishment work

Big ben and new year’s eve fireworks video.

Traveler Reviews

http://www.visitlondon.com/things-to-do/sightseeing/london-attraction/big-ben https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palace_of_Westminster http://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/building/palace/big-ben/ http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2013/06/big-ben-is-not-the-famous-clock-tower-but-rather-the-name-of-the-great-bell-inside-the-tower/

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Guided Walking Tour

A Walking Tour of London's Top Landmarks and Icons: From Big Ben to the Tower Bridge

Introduction.

London, the bustling and vibrant capital city of England, is a global hub for commerce, culture, and entertainment. Known for its rich history and diverse communities, London is a city that has something to offer everyone. With its iconic landmarks and monuments, from the world-famous Big Ben to the impressive Tower Bridge, London attracts millions of tourists from around the world each year. London is a city that seamlessly blends the old with the new. From the historic architecture of Westminster Abbey to the modern art of the Tate Modern, London is a city that is constantly evolving. It's a city where you can walk through medieval streets one moment and then find yourself in a modern shopping district the next. The landmarks and icons of London are not only significant in terms of their cultural and historical value, but they also play an important role in shaping the city's identity. They are a source of pride for Londoners and have become symbols of the city's past, present, and future.

Whether you want to explore the rich history of the Tower of London, marvel at the engineering feat of the Tower Bridge, or enjoy the panoramic views on Big Ben tour, London's landmarks and icons offer a plethora of experiences for visitors. So, join us as we embark on a London sightseeing tour of top landmarks and icons. Discover the stories behind these iconic structures and immerse yourself in the vibrant culture of this magnificent city. In this blog, we will take you on a journey to explore some of the top landmarks and icons on a  walking tour of London. We will delve into their history, significance, and the unique experiences that they offer to visitors. So, whether you're a first-time tourist or a seasoned traveler, this blog will help you discover the best of what London has to offer. Let's begin our tour of London's top landmarks and icons!

You can start your city tours of London with one of the most iconic landmarks – Big Ben. The clock tower, which is officially known as the Elizabeth Tower, is located at the north end of the Palace of Westminster. Big Ben, the iconic clock tower located at the north end of the Palace of Westminster, is one of the most recognizable landmarks in London. The tower is named after Sir Benjamin Hall, the man responsible for its construction. While many people believe that the name "Big Ben" refers to the clock or the tower itself, it actually refers to the bell inside the tower. The bell, which weighs over 13 tons, was cast in 1858 by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry, the same company that cast the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia. It took 16 hours to hoist the bell to the top of the tower, where it has been ringing for over 160 years.

The clock tower itself is an impressive feat of Victorian engineering. It stands at the height of 96 meters and has a total of 334 steps that lead to the top. The clock face is over 7 meters in diameter and is made up of 312 pieces of opal glass. The clock's mechanism, which is located at the base of the tower, is powered by weights and a pendulum.

Big Ben has played an important role in London's history. During World War II, the clock tower remained unscathed despite the bombing of the surrounding area. It has also been the focal point of many celebrations, including New Year's Eve fireworks and the opening of the 2012 Olympic Games. Today, visitors can take a tour of the tower, which includes a visit to the clock room and a climb to the top of the tower for a breathtaking view of London. While the tower is currently undergoing renovation, the bell still chimes every hour, a sound that has become synonymous with London itself.

The Tower of London

Next on your list will be the Tower of London walking tour, which is steeped in history and has played a significant role in the city's past. Built by William the Conqueror in the 11th century, the tower has served as a royal palace, a fortress, a prison, and even a zoo. Visitors can see the Crown Jewels, which are on display in the Jewel House, and take a tour of the tower to learn about its history.

Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace is the official residence of the British monarch, and it is one of London's most famous landmarks. Built in 1703, the palace has 775 rooms, including 19 staterooms, 52 royal and guest bedrooms, and 188 staff bedrooms. Also, this 60-minute circular self-guided audio tour from Vox City is perfect for fans of the Royal Family!  With this  Royal Walk self-guided audio tour, see the royal residences in London, including Buckingham Palace, Clarence House, and St. James Palace, before taking in the lovely Green Park. Make your way to Wellington Arch before heading back along Constitutional Hill to finish where you started at the gates of Buckingham Palace.  Moreover, check out the times for the changing of the guard for that extra-special pleasure.

Westminster Abbey

Westminster Abbey is a magnificent church that has been the site of many royal coronations and weddings. It was founded in the 10th century and has since become a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visitors can see the tombs of famous figures such as Charles Dickens, Sir Isaac Newton, and Charles Darwin. You can also take a  Westminster Abbey Self-guided audio tour from Vox City and explore the beautiful insights along with the history being it at your own pace. 

The London Eye

The London Eye is a giant Ferris wheel that offers visitors a stunning view of the city. It was built to celebrate the millennium and has since become one of London's most popular attractions. Each capsule can hold up to 25 people, and the ride lasts approximately 30 minutes.

The British Museum

The British Museum is one of the world's oldest and most comprehensive museums. It was founded in 1753 and has since amassed a collection of over 8 million artifacts. Visitors can see the Rosetta Stone, the Elgin Marbles, and the mummies of ancient Egypt. Vox city also provides you an option to discover  British Museum on a self-guided audio tour. With this app-based self-guided audio tour you will enjoy unlimited independent sightseeing of the British Museum.

Tower Bridge

You can end your tour with Tower Bridge, one of London's most recognizable landmarks. Tower Bridge is one of the most recognizable landmarks in London, and it's not hard to see why. This iconic structure is a true masterpiece of Victorian engineering and design, and it's a testament to the ingenuity and creativity of its builders. The bridge, which spans the River Thames, was designed by Sir Horace Jones and opened in 1894. It's a suspension bridge with two towers that are connected by two walkways. The towers are made of stone and are designed to look like medieval castle turrets. The walkways, which are over 40 meters above the river, were originally designed so that pedestrians could cross the bridge even when it was open to river traffic. You can also take a  self-guided audio tour from Vox City to discover River Thames and all the areas that surround it.

One of the most unique features of Tower Bridge is its bascules, or the two halves of the bridge that can be raised to allow ships to pass through. The bascules are operated by a hydraulic system, which was originally powered by steam engines. Today, the system is powered by electricity and can raise the bridge in under two minutes. Visitors to Tower Bridge can take a tour of the bridge and its engine rooms, which includes a walk across the walkways and a visit to the Victorian-era machinery that powers the bascules. The tour also provides a fascinating glimpse into the history of the bridge, including the story of the time when a bus driver jumped the gap as the bridge was opening. Whether you're a history buff, an engineering enthusiast, or simply a lover of iconic landmarks, Tower Bridge is a must-see attraction in London. Its unique design, engineering, and history make it one of the most fascinating and beloved landmarks in the city.

London is a city full of history and culture, and its landmarks and icons are a testament to its rich heritage. From Big Ben to Tower Bridge, each landmark has a unique story to tell and is well worth a visit. As we come to the end of our tour of London's top landmarks and icons, it's clear that this city is one of the most culturally and historically rich destinations in the world. From the imposing Big Ben to the stunning Tower Bridge, London's landmarks and icons are more than just tourist attractions - they are symbols of the city's identity and pride. But London is much more than its landmarks and icons. It's a city of vibrant neighborhoods, world-class museums, and cutting-edge cuisine. It's a city that is constantly evolving, yet always staying true to its roots.

For visitors to London, the landmarks and icons we've explored in this blog are just the beginning of what the city has to offer. There are countless other attractions to explore, from the street art of Shoreditch to the green spaces of Hyde Park. And no matter how many times you visit, there is always something new to discover. London is a city that has inspired writers, artists, and thinkers for centuries. Its landmarks and icons have become cultural touchstones that have captured the imaginations of people around the world. And whether you're a first-time visitor or a lifelong Londoner, there is something undeniably magical about this city that continues to captivate and inspire. So, as you plan your next trip to London, make sure to include some of its top landmarks and icons in your itinerary. Whether you're standing at the foot of Big Ben or taking in the panoramic views from the London Eye, these iconic structures will leave an indelible mark on your memories of this incredible city.

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