Big Ben is the nickname of the biggest bell in the clock tower of the Palace of Westminster, London. Traditionally the use of the name has also extended to the clock and the entire 96m high neo-Gothic style tower, whose construction began in 1834 and ended in 1858.
Known as Clock Tower, the name was officially changed to Elizabeth Tower on the occasion of Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee in June 2012. This bell tower rings every quarter of an hour.
From 21 August 2017 the clock tower is closed to the public for maintenance work which will continue until 2021. Until then the bells will not ring.
