Big Ben and Elizabeth Tower in Westminster
Published on 09/07/2026 at 14:59 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Big Ben is the great bell inside Elizabeth Tower, the Victorian clock tower at the northern end of the Palace of Westminster. Its dark Gothic Revival profile and the clock faces make the structure one of London’s clearest landmarks.
A Victorian tower with a famous bell
The tower belongs to the rebuilt Palace of Westminster, whose reconstruction after the 1834 fire shaped much of the present riverside complex. Work on the clock tower began in 1843, and the great bell and clock entered service in 1859.
The bell itself is commonly called Big Ben, while the tower was renamed Elizabeth Tower in 2012. The name, the date and the tower form the core of the site’s identity, and the whole ensemble sits within a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Big Ben in the London skyline
The tower rises beside the Thames in Westminster, close to the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Bridge. Its four clock faces and narrow vertical form make it read as a single, upright marker rather than a sprawling complex.
Strictly speaking, Big Ben is the bell, not the tower. In practice, the name is used for the tower as a whole, and that double usage has become part of its public character.
How the tower changed function
The building remains an active part of Parliament’s riverside frontage, with the clock faces serving the wider Westminster setting. The structure’s role is practical and ceremonial at once, combining timekeeping with a symbolic presence on the riverbank.
The tower’s status has stayed linked to the Palace of Westminster for generations, and its neo-Gothic style keeps it visually distinct from the surrounding civic buildings. The combination of bell, clock and tower is what gives the site its lasting clarity.
Visiting Big Ben: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- Big Ben stands in Westminster, beside the Palace of Westminster and near Westminster Bridge. The area is reached on foot from central Westminster and by public transport into the parliamentary district.
- The tower is tall and vertical, with a compact footprint and a prominent riverside position. Its clock faces sit high above street level, and the structure is read from below.
- The official language is English and the currency is the British pound.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
Searching for Big Ben on social platforms
These links open searches for Big Ben on each platform.
Frequently asked questions about Big Ben
Where is Big Ben?
Big Ben is in Westminster, at the northern end of the Palace of Westminster in London. The bell sits inside Elizabeth Tower beside the Thames.
What is a visit like?
The site is best understood from the outside, where the tower, clock faces and river setting can be seen together. Its immediate setting is the parliamentary quarter.
What makes Big Ben distinctive?
The distinction lies in the combination of the bell, the tower and the clock faces. The name Big Ben belongs properly to the bell, yet it has come to identify the whole landmark.
