When people think of London, that iconic silhouette of Big Ben immediately comes to mind. But here's something that catches many visitors off guard: Big Ben isn't actually the tower's name. The tower itself is officially called Elizabeth Tower, renamed in 2012 to honor Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee. Big Ben is technically just the nickname for the Great Bell inside the clock mechanism.

I've always found it fascinating how this Gothic Revival masterpiece manages to be both imposing and elegant. Standing 316 feet tall at the north end of the Palace of Westminster, it's the work of Augustus Pugin and Sir Charles Barry, completed in 1859. The stone carvings decorating its facade represent the four countries of the United Kingdom, along with Tudor dynasty symbols that speak to England's royal heritage.

The clock faces themselves are surprisingly large – 22.5 feet in diameter – though you only fully appreciate their scale when you're standing beneath them. What strikes me most is how the tower has kept perfect time for over 160 years, with only brief interruptions. The most recent was a major restoration that lasted from 2017 to 2022, during which the famous hourly chimes fell mostly silent.

Discover all the secrets of Big Ben with our complete London audio guide – there are stories behind every carved detail that most visitors never learn just by looking up.

The climbing experience, when available, involves 334 steps to reach the belfry. It's not for everyone, but those who make it get an unmatched perspective of Westminster and the Thames. The base is perfectly square, 40 feet on each side, creating that solid, reassuring presence that has anchored countless establishing shots of London in films.

During the recent restoration, I noticed how locals missed those hourly chimes more than they expected. The bells still rang for special occasions like New Year's and Remembrance Day, but the daily rhythm of London felt somehow incomplete without Big Ben's regular voice.

Standing in Parliament Square, watching tourists pose with the tower in the background, you realize this isn't just architecture – it's become shorthand for Britain itself. The Gothic spires pierce the London sky with a confidence that speaks to Victorian ambition, while the precision of that famous clock represents something essentially British about punctuality and tradition.