Big Ben's clock chimes mark midnight in the United Kingdom's best-known New Year's Eve broadcast tradition.
Big Ben is the nickname commonly used for the Great Bell in the Elizabeth Tower at the Palace of Westminster in London. Strictly speaking, the name refers to the bell, not the entire tower or clock. The clock tower's chimes are transmitted on radio and television, making them a familiar sound of the British countdown.
Large crowds also gather near the River Thames to watch London's organized fireworks display, which is a separate part of the celebration. The London Eye is often visible in the display but does not provide the midnight chimes.
The tower was completed in the nineteenth century and the Great Bell began striking in 1859. “Big Ben” is therefore both a landmark nickname and a frequent source of imprecise descriptions of the clock tower itself.