Big Ben’s clock chimes traditionally mark midnight during the United Kingdom’s New Year’s Eve broadcast.
Big Ben is the nickname for the Great Bell in the Elizabeth Tower at the Palace of Westminster in London. In everyday usage, people often use “Big Ben” for the whole clock tower, although the name technically belongs to the bell. The tower was completed in 1859 as part of Charles Barry and Augustus Pugin’s rebuilt Palace of Westminster.
The clock’s midnight chimes are broadcast nationally and are closely associated with the transition into the new year. Fireworks around the London Eye are a separate but complementary part of the city’s public celebration.
Big Ben’s sound was temporarily absent during major conservation work, including the restoration period that began in 2017. The bell continued to chime for important occasions under special arrangements, so the clock tower’s role is cultural as well as timekeeping-related.