Big Ben provides the midnight chimes heard in many United Kingdom New Year's Eve broadcasts.
Big Ben is the nickname commonly used for the Great Bell of the striking clock at the Palace of Westminster in London. Technically, the name refers to the bell, not the entire clock tower. The tower was renamed the Elizabeth Tower in 2012 to mark Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee.
The clock began operating in 1859, and the Great Bell's distinctive note has become a familiar national sound. At New Year, broadcasters use the chimes to mark the transition into January 1, while crowds gather around central London and watch nearby fireworks displays.
Big Ben has not sounded continuously: maintenance, restoration, and technical problems have caused periods of silence. A major conservation project began in the twenty-first century, during which the bell was largely silenced except for important occasions and testing.