Big Ben in London: Digging Up the Lesser-Known Secrets of the Iconic Clock Tower

If you ask ten people on the Embankment to point out Big Ben, at least half will wave in the direction of the clock tower next to the Palace of Westminster. Here’s the twist—Big Ben isn’t technically the tower. It’s actually the nickname for the giant bell inside. Locals have known this for ages, but it still trips up most folks standing in nearby Pret or queuing at Westminster Station.

Big Ben is stitched into London’s daily rhythm in ways you might have missed. The chimes—broadcast by BBC Radio—have marked everything from the New Year’s countdown to moments of silence across the UK. But getting up close isn’t your average selfie stop. Unless you’re a UK resident who’s written to their MP, you won’t get inside, thanks to one of the city’s stricter security rules. Knowing that, make sure to plan your walk across Westminster Bridge around dusk for the best view of the tower lit up, especially on a clear evening when the city’s glow spills over the Thames.

• Not Just a Nickname: What 'Big Ben' Really Means
• Secrets of the Chimes and Repairs
• Hidden Corners Inside (and How to Visit)
• Big Ben in Pop Culture and London Daily Life
• Making the Most of Your Big Ben Experience

Not Just a Nickname: What 'Big Ben' Really Means

Here’s where a lot of people get tripped up when talking about Big Ben in London. Most people point at the whole tower thinking that’s “Big Ben.” Actually, ‘Big Ben’ only refers to the largest bell inside the clock tower. The tower itself is called the Elizabeth Tower—it picked up that name in 2012 to honour the Queen for her Diamond Jubilee. Before that, folks just called it the Clock Tower, not exactly exciting, but pretty accurate.

So, how big is the actual Big Ben bell? It’s a heavyweight at more than 13 tons and stands about 2.2 metres tall. That’s bigger than the average black cab by a long shot. The bell was cast in 1858 at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry, which is the same place that made bells for St Paul's and even the Liberty Bell over in America. The original bell actually cracked after they installed it, so what rings out over London today is the second version, which still has a chunk missing from where it cracked early on—if you get close, you can spot the patch fixed up with a bit of welding.

Locals often use the phrase “Big Ben” for the whole clock tower just out of habit, but you hear a few Westminster tour guides (especially the esoteric types) get quite fussy when the technical names aren’t used. If you want to sound like a proper Londoner and impress during a pub quiz at The Red Lion down the street, call it the ‘Elizabeth Tower’ but say you’re off to hear ‘Big Ben’ strike the hour.

The nickname “Big Ben” is a bit of a mystery. The most popular story says it’s named after Sir Benjamin Hall, the commissioner of works at the time, who was known as “Big Ben” because of his size. Some argue it might have come from a champion heavyweight boxer named Benjamin Caunt. No one knows for sure, but both stories pop up in local guidebooks and school textbooks across London.

• If you’re walking the area, look for the gold lettering on the clock face—it’s Latin, and you can impress your mates by translating: DOMINE SALVAM FAC REGINAM NOSTRAM VICTORIAM PRIMAM ("O Lord, keep safe our Queen Victoria the First").
• The clock faces measure a whopping 7 metres across. A double-decker bus is just about the same length, so picture one of those and that’s the size you’re gawping at from the street.
• The iron frame holding the bell and mechanisms together comes from Birmingham, another classic bit of the UK brought down by train in the 1800s.

Secrets of the Chimes and Repairs

The real magic inside Big Ben isn’t just that deep, classic sound you hear at the top of the hour across London. Those chimes come from the Great Bell—what people call ‘Big Ben’—weighing over 13 tons. Striking the bell is a hammer that weighs about 200kg. It’s not just for drama; that size is what gives the chime its unique echo. The melody itself is called the Westminster Quarters, and if it sounds familiar, it’s because schools, doorbells, and even tube station clocks have borrowed a version.

Keeping the clock running is a surprisingly hands-on job. The tower’s original Victorian mechanics still do most of the work. Every week, clockmakers wind the mechanism by hand—yes, by hand—which takes up to two hours. There are three sets of weights that need cranking up:

• The strike (for the hourly bong)
• The quarter chimes
• The winding of the actual clock hands

Things haven’t always run smoothly. In 1976, the chime mechanism broke and the clock was silent for almost a year—the longest silent stretch until the 2017–2022 restoration (and even then, most people only noticed when the BBC’s hourly signal went quiet!). Since the big refurbishment, the whole clock has fresh paint, repaired stonework, and modern upgrades—though the old pennies used to keep time are still in play. That’s right, pennies. Engineers stack them on the pendulum to change the timing by tiny fractions of a second. Add a penny, the clock speeds up a bit; take one off, it slows down.

Check out this snapshot, which shows a few facts Londoners love to drop at the pub:

If you’re timing your walk by the Big Ben chimes, keep in mind they occasionally stop for scheduled repairs or special events (like Remembrance Day), but the city always gives notice. Londoners love to keep track—check TfL updates or the Houses of Parliament website for news if you’re hoping for a live chime experience.

Hidden Corners Inside (and How to Visit)

Inside the Big Ben tower, things look a lot less polished than the outside photos suggest. There’s no lift, so if you’re allowed in, it’s a hefty climb—334 steps up a winding, almost medieval staircase. At the very top, the view from behind the clock is freaky in the best way: you’ll spot the giant clock faces right up close, see the mechanics, and hear the real-time rattling of the machinery. You won’t find velvet ropes or fancy exhibition rooms—this is a working part of Parliament, not a tourist sideshow.

The belfry is all about the sound and vibration. When the main bell (the real Big Ben) chimes, it’s louder than a rock concert. It’s so intense there are rules about how many times staff can stand up there when it’s in action. Weirdly, the smaller bells ring out for quarter hours, but it’s Big Ben itself that rules the hour—fun fact, its note is actually written as E.

• UK residents can book a tour, but only if aged 11+ and willing to write to their MP—no quick online forms here.
• Tours run weekdays, not weekends or Bank Holidays, and spots vanish fast.
• You’ll get bag-checked, ID-checked, and warned to show up on time. There’s zero tolerance for lateness; you miss your slot, that’s it.

Don’t live in the UK? Sadly, public access isn’t on for overseas visitors yet. For everyone else, the best way to get up close is the digital Big Ben virtual tour from Parliament’s official website—surprisingly decent, especially if you stream it on a bigger screen. For some Londoners, the closest view of the inside comes during Open House London in September, although the actual tower rarely features for walk-ins.

You won’t leave with souvenirs—they don’t sell anything inside and you can’t hang around after the tour. For quirky extras, try the Parliament Shop just across the road, where you can grab a Big Ben mug or even socks for a laugh. If you want to get as close as possible without climbing a single step, grab a flat white from the Pret on Bridge Street and look up—sometimes old-school is still the best angle.

Big Ben in Pop Culture and London Daily Life

It’s no exaggeration—Big Ben is everywhere you look in London, whether you’re actually on Bridge Street or just catching the latest TV ad for the Tube. This clock tower isn’t just a bunch of bricks and metal for tourists; it pops up constantly in UK media, British comedy skits, political cartoons, and, of course, New Year’s Eve as the country’s signal for the midnight countdown. Everyone knows the chimes—it’s basically London’s built-in ringtone.

No surprise, films love to show off Big Ben whenever they want you to know the story’s in London. Movies like "V for Vendetta," "Peter Pan," and "Paddington" can’t resist a shot of the clock or its chimes. It’s the visual shortcut to saying, "Yes, this is London!" Even global brands have cottoned onto the idea, using the tower in adverts during things like the FA Cup Final or Six Nations Rugby. You’ll see it splashed on everything from underground posters to boxes of tea at Tesco.

But the clock’s role goes deeper than just looking pretty on a postcard. For years, Big Ben’s chimes were the official call to attention on BBC Radio at 6 p.m.—basically Britain’s audio timekeeper. More locally, ask anyone in Westminster who works late at parliament or nearby offices: the sound drifts through open windows, almost like some old-school time clock you can’t snooze. The tower even gets a makeover with changing lights for special events—remember when it went blue for the NHS during the pandemic?

• Big Ben has marked royal weddings by ringing out new, special sequences.
• The chimes paused for two years during major repairs starting in 2017 but returned in time for key occasions, including Remembrance Sunday.
• London’s street artists near South Bank love using the tower’s outline in murals, making it a part of local street culture, not just old architecture.

Some quick trivia: a YouGov poll found over 70% of Brits recognised Big Ben as a symbol of the UK, beating out red phone boxes and black cabs. Whatever’s going on in London—parades, protests, even the London Marathon—you can bet someone will be keeping an eye on the time thanks to those four giant clock faces.

Making the Most of Your Big Ben Experience

If you want to do more than just take a quick photo of Big Ben, you’ve got options—some obvious, some less so. Let’s break down how Londoners and savvy visitors squeeze the most out of this famous London attraction.

First, know the rules. As it stands in 2025, only UK residents can arrange a tour of the inside by writing to their local MP. If that’s you, don’t wait; the waiting list can run for months, but it’s the only way to stand next to the 13.5-tonne bell itself. The guided tour takes you up 334 steps (no lift, so bring comfy shoes). The guides give great history bits that rarely make it into books.

For everyone else—locals and travellers alike—the area around Westminster is packed with things to see and do:

• Walk across Westminster Bridge at night for top-notch photos with the tower lit up. The reflections off the Thames add something special for your socials.
• Grab lunch at a classic local—like St Stephen’s Tavern—just across the road. Their fish and chips hit the spot, and the crowd is usually a mix of Londoners and MPs out for a pint.
• Visit nearby Parliament Square Gardens. The benches are a good spot to rest, especially when waiting for a break in the crowds to get that selfie.
• Hop on a river bus at Westminster Pier. It’s a less crowded way to get a view of UK landmarks like the tower without jostling with crowds.
• Time your visit for 12:00 or 18:00 to hear the chimes up close. These aren’t just sound—they’re a big part of the city’s everyday backdrop. On New Year’s Eve or Remembrance Day, the chimes are broadcast everywhere, from neighbourhood pubs to the Tube.

If you’re a history buff, keep an eye out for pop-up exhibitions at the nearby Jewel Tower or short-term museum events featuring the clock tower’s restoration. These events dig into everything from the engineering of the original clock (made by Dent & Co. back in 1859) to the modern repairs that kept things ticking even during the Blitz.

For stats fans, here’s a quick look at Big Ben by the numbers:

Don’t get caught up just snapping a quick pic. Hang around, soak in the atmosphere, watch the movement of London around the clock tower, and maybe you’ll overhear some local stories or catch an odd tour group in matching shirts chasing down facts you now know already. That’s when Big Ben becomes more than just a tick on the bucket list—it becomes a London memory.