Big Ben is the London clock tower bell traditionally associated with the United Kingdom's New Year's Eve countdown.
Big Ben is the nickname for the Great Bell inside the Elizabeth Tower at the Palace of Westminster. At midnight on New Year’s Eve, its chimes are broadcast to audiences across the United Kingdom, making the sound a familiar marker of the new year.
The bell was cast in 1858 and first struck in 1859. The clock tower was originally known as the Clock Tower; it was renamed Elizabeth Tower in 2012 in honor of Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee. Strictly speaking, Big Ben names the bell, not the entire tower or clock.
The chimes have occasionally been silent during maintenance, national events, or technical work. This does not change the tradition’s identity: the New Year broadcast is tied to Big Ben’s recognizable quarter-hour melody and hour strikes.