London’s New Year’s Eve celebrations traditionally centre on Big Ben striking midnight.
Big Ben is the nickname commonly used for the great bell in the Elizabeth Tower at the Palace of Westminster. Strictly speaking, the tower itself was renamed Elizabeth Tower in 2012, while Big Ben remains the bell’s popular name. The clock and bell became an especially recognisable part of London’s midnight broadcast traditions.
The Elizabeth Tower clock began operating in 1859. Big Ben’s chimes are broadcast nationally by the BBC and are associated with major British occasions, including New Year’s Eve. The clock’s four faces and illuminated design make the tower one of London’s most familiar landmarks.
A common mix-up is calling the entire tower Big Ben. Another nearby attraction, the London Eye, is also strongly associated with London’s New Year’s Eve fireworks, but it is not the clock that marks midnight. Big Ben’s bell is named after the Great Bell, not after the city or the celebration.