Can you still call Big Ben?

The name of the clock tower itself, officially is called The Elizabeth Tower. But colloquially, people normally say 'Big Ben' when they are referring to the clock tower. So, officially, you have Victoria Tower at one end of the Houses of Parliament and you have Elizabeth Tower at the other end.



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The 13-tonne Big Ben bell was largely silenced for five years while a major restoration of the Elizabeth Tower took place, with the “bongs” finally resuming regular service in November 2022.

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Big Ben has chimed with a slightly different tone ever since, and is still in use today with the crack unrepaired. Big Ben was the largest bell in the British Isles until Great Paul, a 16.75-ton (17 tonne) bell currently hung in St Paul's Cathedral, was cast in 1881.

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2012: The Clock Tower is renamed the Elizabeth Tower to honour HM Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee.

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The 96-meter (315-foot) tower is a symbol of London and the United Kingdom, and its distinctive chimes are known to people all over the world. After being closed for two years for renovations, Big Ben tours are finally reopening in July 2023.

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Prime Minister David Cameron welcomed the name change. “The renaming of the Clock Tower to the Elizabeth Tower is a fitting recognition of the Queen's 60 years of service. This is an exceptional tribute to an exceptional monarch,” he said. Reactions among the public were mixed, however.

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In 2012, the tower commonly called Big Ben was renamed the Elizabeth Tower in honour of the Queen. It is the most recent twist in a long history of confusing names and nicknames.

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All UK-based and international visitors aged 11 and over are welcome on a Big Ben tour. We do our best to help everyone participate in the tour, however it should be noted that the tour is not suitable for all visitors.

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