LONDON ? A five-year restoration project meant to ensure Big Ben is able to withstand the forces of Mother Nature is nearing completion in London as crews begin testing to guarantee the giant clock keeps up with time.

The extensive multi-year restoration of the Elizabeth Tower (which houses the Big Ben bell) was officially completed in 2022, and the clock has been fully operational throughout 2024, 2025, and now 2026. The project, which lasted nearly five years, involved a total overhaul of the Victorian clock mechanism and the reinstating of its original Prussian blue color scheme. In 2026, the tower is free of scaffolding and the Great Clock is chiming regularly. While major structural repairs are finished, the "repair" of such a historic monument is never truly done; the 2026 maintenance schedule includes regular, minor "winding and cleaning" sessions performed by the Palace of Westminster’s specialized clockmakers. For 2026 visitors, the tower is at its high-value peak, appearing exactly as it did when first unveiled in 1859, following a record-breaking £80 million investment in its preservation.