- Big Ben or The Clock Tower is the most famous landmark of London which is popularly known for its striking clock and a gigantic bell.
- Today Big Ben is one of the most recognisable symbols of London in the world, with the catchy nickname now encompassing the clock tower as a whole.
- You’ll have to climb 292 steps to get to the clock faces, 42 more steps to where Big Ben hangs and a further 65 steps to get to the Ayrton light – that’s a total of...
- The name “Big Ben” originally just applied to the bell but later came to refer to the clock itself. Two main stories exist about how Big Ben got its name.
- 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.
- The best places to see Big Ben from the outside are Westminster Bridge or the south bank of the River Thames.
- Since 1924, the chimes of Big Ben have been broadcast by the BBC as a daily time signal, with only a few interruptions.
- Most people will shoot Big Ben from the north, but if you swing down Westminister Abbey and come at Big Ben from the south west side you can get the tower and...
- The name Big Ben actually refers to the clock’s massive bell, of 13 tons, that sits inside of the tower.
- As the clock was dismantled and components individually inspected and repaired, Big Ben's distinctive chimes fell silent for several months...