Is Big Ben the clock or the bell?
Big Ben is officially the name of the great bell inside the clock tower at the Palace of Westminster in London. However, people commonly use the name for the whole clock tower, which was renamed the Elizabeth Tower in 2012.
The bell weighs more than 13 tonnes. It was cast in 1858 at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry and first rang in 1859. The bell has a famous crack, which gives it a distinctive tone.
The origin of the name Big Ben is uncertain. It may have been named after Sir Benjamin Hall, the commissioner of works, or Benjamin Caunt, a heavyweight boxer.
The Elizabeth Tower
The tower, about 96 metres tall, was designed by Augustus Pugin as part of the rebuilding of the Houses of Parliament after a fire in 1834. It was renamed the Elizabeth Tower in 2012 to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee.
The clock has four faces, each about seven metres across. It is known for its accuracy, which is adjusted by adding or removing old pennies on the pendulum.
A major restoration took place from 2017 to 2022, when the bell was mostly silent. Big Ben's chimes are broadcast on BBC Radio, and its bongs famously ring in the New Year in London.