Big Ben is the London clock tower landmark famous for its New Year's Eve midnight chimes.
Big Ben is the nickname for the Great Bell in the Palace of Westminster's clock tower. The tower itself was officially renamed the Elizabeth Tower in 2012, but “Big Ben” remains the familiar public name for the bell and, informally, the whole landmark.
At midnight on New Year's Eve, the clock's chimes are broadcast to mark the start of the new year. The sound has become a defining part of London's celebrations, alongside fireworks over the River Thames and the London Eye.
The Great Bell first struck in 1859. It weighs more than 13 tons, and the clock tower's four illuminated clock faces make the structure recognizable worldwide. Strictly speaking, the chimes come from the bell, not from the tower as a whole.