Big Ben, United Kingdom

The Great Clock of Westminster, located at the north end of the Palace of Westminster in London, England, is known by its nickname, Big Ben, which also applies to the clock tower itself.Originally only called the Clock Tower, it was renamed Elizabeth Tower in 2012 to commemorate Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee. With five bells, it's a visually arresting clock. Completed in 1859, the tower was designed in the Perpendicular Gothic Revival style by Sir Charles Barry and Augustus Pugin. It has intricate stone carving decorations and represents the Anglo-Welsh Tudor dynasty and the four countries of the United Kingdom. The palace was constructed during the reign of Queen Victoria, who is honored in a Latin inscription.[5] There are 334 stairs leading up to the belfry from ground level, and the tower is 316 feet (96 meters) high. Its base is 40 feet (12 meters) square on each side. The clock's dials have a diameter of 22.5 feet (6.9 meters).When it was finished, the clock was the biggest and most precise four-faced striking and chiming clock in the world, and it still operates on its original mechanism. George Airy, the Astronomer Royal, and Edmund Beckett Denison designed it, and Edward John and Frederick Dent built it. Adjustable by adding or withdrawing pre-decimal pennies from the pendulum, it is renowned for its dependability. The Whitechapel Bell Foundry cast the Great Bell, which has a weight of 13.5 long tons (13.7 tonnes; 15.1 short tons). Although it is commonly credited to heavyweight boxing champion Benjamin Caunt, its namesake comes from that of Sir Benjamin Hall, who was in charge of its installation. The quarter hours are marked by the chiming of four quarter bells.

Big Ben is a symbol of British culture. It is frequently used in the opening shot of movies that are set in London and is one of the most recognizable representations of the United Kingdom and parliamentary democracy.[8] The clock tower has been a component of a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987 and a Grade I listed structure since 1970.Between 2017 until 2021, the clock and tower underwent renovations, and the bells mostly remained silent throughout that time.