Big Ben

London's Pulse

Description

Much better known as “Big Ben,” the Clock Tower of the Palace of Westminster represents London's most iconic symbol with it's towering size, ornate design, four-faced display, and unforgettable hourly chimes. The clock tower's Gothic Revival architectural style was finished in 1859, standing over 300 feet tall making it still the “world's largest chiming clock.” The nickname of Big Ben is commonly attached to the entire structure, but it actually refers to the bell inside the clock tower itself rather the whole building. Londoners have become accustomed to the tower's almost unfailingly accurate chimes that you can hear every hour, on the hour, largely due to the original design of the timing mechanism. UK citizens can reach out to their local Members of Parliament to visit and even climb to the top of the Clock Tower up the 334 steps, but if you're not from around those parts (e.g., foreign visitors), tours are not currently available.