The Houses of Parliament and Elizabeth Tower, commonly called Big Ben, are among London’s most iconic landmarks and must-see London attractions. Adjacent to the Houses of Parliament, one of the most significant buildings in the city of Westminster, officially known as the Elizabeth Tower, since it was renamed in 2012 to commemorate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
The 320 foot tall clock tower is lovingly known as Big Ben, which is actually the nickname for the great bell of the clock at the north end of the Palace of Westminster (the Houses of Parliament) in London, and often extended to refer to the clock and the clock tower itself. Among the five bells in Elizabeth Tower, Big Ben is the largest bell, at 13.5 tonnes. The other four are quarter bells, designed so a different tune is played for each quarter hour.
The Houses of Parliament, also known as the Palace of Westminster, were home to English Monarchs from 1265. The Neo-gothic style building we see today was designed in 1835 by Charles Barry and Augustus Pugin, and took 30 long years to complete. Elizabeth Tower houses 334 steps and after the current renovations are completed, there will also be a lift available for disabled visitors.
