London's New Year's Eve countdown prominently features Elizabeth Tower, the clock tower commonly called Big Ben.
Elizabeth Tower stands at the north end of the Palace of Westminster. Its Great Clock strikes the hours, while the name Big Ben properly refers to the Great Bell inside the tower, not to the entire tower or clock. The tower was renamed Elizabeth Tower in 2012 to honor Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee.
London's public New Year's celebration centers on fireworks along the River Thames, with the London Eye and nearby landmarks forming the main visual backdrop. The illuminated clock tower is a recognizable symbol of the countdown even when television coverage focuses on the fireworks.
The tower was completed in 1859 as part of Charles Barry and Augustus Pugin's rebuilt Palace of Westminster. The Great Bell first sounded in July of that year.