Big Ben is the London landmark whose clock strikes midnight during the city's New Year's Eve countdown.
Big Ben is the nickname commonly used for the Great Bell in the Elizabeth Tower at the Palace of Westminster. Strictly speaking, the name refers to the bell, not the tower or the clock mechanism, although everyday usage often applies it to the entire landmark. The bell first sounded in 1859.
On New Year's Eve, television coverage frequently focuses on the illuminated clock face and the bell's midnight chimes. London also stages a large fireworks display along the River Thames, with the London Eye often appearing prominently in broadcast images.
Big Ben's chimes are distinct from the fireworks display: the bell is part of the parliamentary clock tower, while the fireworks are a separate civic event. The tower was renamed the Elizabeth Tower in 2012 in honor of Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee.