Big Ben's clock bell is heard during the BBC's traditional London New Year's Eve countdown.
Big Ben is the nickname commonly used for the Great Bell of the Great Clock at the Palace of Westminster. The clock tower itself was officially renamed the Elizabeth Tower in 2012, but the bell retained the famous name. Its chimes have become a familiar audio signal for major national occasions, including the arrival of the new year.
The clock and tower were completed in the nineteenth century as part of Charles Barry and Augustus Pugin's rebuilt Palace of Westminster. The Great Bell first struck in 1859. Big Ben's bongs are broadcast from London as midnight approaches, while fireworks and celebrations take place along the River Thames.
A frequent mistake is to call the entire tower Big Ben. Strictly speaking, Big Ben is the bell, although everyday usage often applies the name to the clock or tower. The London Eye is another major New Year's landmark, but it is not the clock whose bell marks the countdown.