Big Ben is the New Year's Eve countdown landmark in London associated with the clock tower officially known as Elizabeth Tower.
Strictly speaking, Big Ben is the nickname of the Great Bell inside the tower, not the tower itself. The tower was renamed Elizabeth Tower in 2012 to honor Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee. The clock and bell form part of the Palace of Westminster complex beside the River Thames, and their midnight chimes are widely used in broadcasts of London's New Year's celebrations.
The tower was completed as part of Charles Barry and Augustus Pugin's rebuilt Palace of Westminster. The Great Bell first struck in 1859, although the original bell cracked and was recast. The nickname “Big Ben” is sometimes incorrectly used as the official name for the entire tower. London’s annual fireworks take place around the Thames and nearby landmarks, while Big Ben provides the familiar time signal for the countdown.