Big Ben is one of the most popular places of interest in London and symbols of England. Every year many people visit the capital of Great Britain to see it and take some photos with it in the background. It is thought that Big Ben is a high tower with a very big clock, but that’s not really true
In fact, this tower is called Saint Stephens Tower, but people, even those who live in the UK, are used to calling it "Big Ben." Actually, Big Ben is the huge bell inside the building. Its weight is about thirteen tons and it rings every hour daily: once at one o'clock, twice at two o'clock and so on. However, people who live near the tower can hear at New Year’s Night how the bell strikes thirteen. It’s considered to be the biggest bell ever made in the country. The bell was firstly used in 1859 and was cracked soon because of the heavy hammer, which struck too strong. After this situation the hammer was changed, but that crack is still there.

There are many hypotheses for the origin of the name “Big Ben”. The most popular one suggests that the bell was named after Sir Benjamin Hall, who was responsible for the installation. Some of people say he was really tall and that’s why this bell is called big, but the majority believe it is called Big because of its size.

Big Ben is one of the best-known landmarks in Europe. Nowadays the word Big Ben connects the bell, the clock and the tower at the same time. The tower is closed to the general public, but people with a "special interest" might offer an excursion for additional payment.

Big Ben is a nickname for the Great Bell of the clock at the north end of the Palace of Westminster in London, UK.
The clock tower that houses Big Ben is officially called the Elizabeth Tower in honor of Queen Elizabeth II.
The Great Bell of Big Ben weighs 13.7 tonnes and was cast in 1858.
The clock face on each side of the tower is 7 meters in diameter.
The chimes of Big Ben can be heard from as far away as nine miles on a clear day.
The clock mechanism of Big Ben requires winding three times a week.
The clock tower and Big Ben were silenced for several years during renovations but were restored to regular operation in 2021.