Is Big Ben the bell or the tower?

Big Ben is the nickname of the Great Bell, though it is widely used for the whole clock tower, officially the Elizabeth Tower since 2012.

The Elizabeth Tower is 96 metres (316 feet) tall, and there are 334 steps from the ground to the belfry.

When was Big Ben restored?

Conservation work ran from 2017 to 2021, and the scaffolding was removed in 2022.

Can you go inside Big Ben?

UK Parliament runs tours of the Elizabeth Tower; check parliament.uk for current availability and booking.

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Big Ben

Big Ben is the nickname of the Great Bell in the clock tower at the north end of the Palace of Westminster, though most people use it for the whole tower. The 96-metre Gothic Revival tower, renamed the Elizabeth Tower in 2012, was completed in 1859.

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William spring

Bell, clock and tower

Strictly speaking, Big Ben is the 13.7-tonne Great Bell cast by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry. The tower that houses it was designed by Charles Barry and Augustus Pugin, begun in 1843 and finished in 1859. Originally simply the Clock Tower, it was renamed the Elizabeth Tower in 2012 to mark Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee. Reaching the belfry takes 334 steps.

After the restoration

The tower underwent its biggest conservation project between 2017 and 2021, and the last scaffolding came down in 2022. The clock dials and gilded detailing are now back on full view, and the bells mark the hours over Westminster once more, as they have through the reigns of six monarchs and 41 prime ministers.

Seeing it

Westminster Bridge and the south bank by the London Eye give the classic views, and Parliament Square lets you hear the chimes up close. Parliament publishes details of tower tours on its website. Westminster Abbey is across the square, and St Stephen's Tavern, opposite the tower, is a handy spot for a drink. Come back after dark, when the clock faces are lit, for a different view.