Is Big Ben still used today?

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.



Yes, Big Ben (officially the Great Bell within the Elizabeth Tower) is fully operational in 2026 and remains the most iconic timekeeper in the world. Following its massive five-year restoration completed in 2022, the Great Clock’s Victorian mechanism is now more accurate than ever. It continues to strike the hour with its famous "bongs," and the four smaller quarter bells chime the Westminster Quarters every 15 minutes. The clock’s four faces are illuminated from within by new, energy-efficient LED lights that can change color for special national events. Beyond its physical function, the bell’s strikes are broadcast live on BBC Radio 4 several times a day, maintaining its role as a vital national pulse. In 2026, visitors can also take guided tours to the top of the tower to see the mechanism and the bell up close, though these tours must be booked months in advance due to their extreme popularity.

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After 5 years, the bells of the Elizabeth Tower have returned to regular service. Visitors to Westminster are now able to hear Big Ben striking the hour, with the quarter bells sounding every 15 minutes. The bells returned to service after 4 days of tests prior to Remembrance Sunday on the 13th November 2022.

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Parliament has restored the clock tower to its former glory, as well as modernising and upgrading facilities to make it fit for the 21st century. This is vital to ensure that this iconic building, situated on a UNESCO World Heritage site, is safeguarded for future generations to visit and enjoy.

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Inside Big Ben and how to visit You can visit Big Ben by booking a 90-minute guided tour that takes visitors up 334 stairs to see the clock mechanism room, behind the four clock dials and the Belfry, where the famous bell is located. Tours can be booked by visiting the official UK Parliament website.

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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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The UK parliament said restoration of the tower is in its final stages and could be finished in October with the return of Big Ben's infamous sounds around the same time period. Tours of Elizabeth Tower are expected to reopen to visitors in spring 2023.

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On April 30, 1997, at exactly 12:11 pm, London's iconic Big Ben clock stops ticking. For 54 minutes, the most famous clock in the world failed to keep time. Completed in 1859, Big Ben has a long history of technical issues.

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A symbol of democracy and a central part of what makes Britons feel British, Big Ben has become synonymous with both London, the United Kingdom and 'the Mother of Parliaments. ' And it not only holds a special place in the people of Britain's hearts, but in the hearts of MPs as well.

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Big Ben is a tower clock known for its accuracy and for its massive hour bell. Strictly speaking, the name refers only to the bell, which weighs 15.1 tons (13.7 metric tons), but it is commonly associated with the whole clock tower at the northern end of the Houses of Parliament, in the London borough of Westminster.

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Big Ben was built by Edward John Dent and his son Frederick Dent, who were renowned watchmakers of the time. The clock became known as the most accurate clock in the world at the time it was created. Big Ben and Elizabeth Tower were constructed in the Gothic Revival architectural style.

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Though the Palace is generally not open to the public, during summer you can visit its State Apartments (admission charge) and see the Queen's large garden and collection of artwork. You can however see the Changing of the Guard for free at 11.30 am every morning during summer and every second morning during winter.

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The moniker Big Ben has been in use for over 150 years, and the nickname was originally applied only to the enormous bell inside the tower. The Great Bell received i's sobriquet in honor of Sir Benjamin Hall, the First Commissioner for Works, who raised Big Ben to its current place atop the tower.

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