Big Ben is the London landmark clock traditionally used for the United Kingdom’s televised New Year’s Eve countdown.
Big Ben is the nickname for the Great Bell in the Elizabeth Tower at the Palace of Westminster. In everyday usage, the name is often applied to the clock and tower, although technically the bell itself is Big Ben.
The clock’s midnight chimes are broadcast during the United Kingdom’s New Year celebrations. The tower was completed in the nineteenth century as part of Charles Barry and Augustus Pugin’s rebuilt Palace of Westminster, and the clock began operating in 1859.
A frequent mix-up is calling the entire tower Big Ben. Its official name became the Elizabeth Tower in 2012, in honor of Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee. The bell, clock and tower are related but technically different parts of the landmark.