Big Ben's clock tower is associated with London's New Year's Eve countdown.
Big Ben is the nickname for the Great Bell in the Palace of Westminster's clock tower, although the name is often used for the tower and clock as a whole. Its chimes are broadcast as the United Kingdom enters the new year, making the landmark a familiar audio symbol of the celebration.
The tower was designed as part of Charles Barry and Augustus Pugin's rebuilding of the Palace of Westminster after the 1834 fire. The Great Bell first struck in 1859. In 2012, the tower was officially renamed the Elizabeth Tower in honor of Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee.
New Year's Eve fireworks in London are staged along the River Thames, while Big Ben supplies the celebrated midnight chimes. The bell, clock, and tower are therefore related but technically different parts of the landmark.