The official name of the Palace of Westminster’s clock tower is Elizabeth Tower, renamed in 2012.
The tower was originally known simply as the Clock Tower and was built as part of Charles Barry’s design for the rebuilt Palace of Westminster. Construction followed the destructive fire of 1834, and the clock tower was completed in the Gothic Revival complex during the 1850s. It stands at the north end of the palace beside the River Thames.
The name change was announced in 2012 to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, celebrating her 60 years on the throne. The tower is about 96 metres tall and is one of London’s most recognisable landmarks.
A common mix-up concerns Big Ben. Big Ben is technically the nickname of the Great Bell housed inside the tower, not the tower itself, although everyday usage often applies the name to the entire structure. Victoria Tower is a separate, taller tower at the opposite end of the Palace of Westminster, while St. Stephen’s Tower is not the official name of this landmark.