Big Ben is the London landmark whose clock chimes mark the New Year on many United Kingdom broadcasts. Strictly speaking, Big Ben is the nickname of the Great Bell inside the Elizabeth Tower at the Palace of Westminster, not the name of the entire tower.
The clock’s first official chime was heard on 31 December 1859. Its deep hourly notes, known as the Westminster Quarters when considered with the quarter-hour melodies, became one of Britain’s most recognisable sounds. On New Year’s Eve, television and radio coverage commonly carries the midnight strikes to audiences across the country.
The Elizabeth Tower stands beside the River Thames in central London. The tower was originally called the Clock Tower and was renamed in 2012 in honour of Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee.
A common mix-up is calling the whole structure Big Ben. The landmark seen in broadcasts is the Elizabeth Tower, while Big Ben itself is the great bell that produces the famous hour chimes.