Why you should experience Big Ben in London.
Standing proudly over the River Thames, Big Ben is more than a clock, it’s the steady heartbeat of London.
With each deep, resonant chime, the tower reminds the city, and the world, that time itself has history. Its presence at the north end of the Palace of Westminster makes it one of the most photographed landmarks in the world, yet nothing compares to seeing it in person. The tower’s intricate Gothic Revival design glows honey-gold at dusk, its clock faces gleaming with regal precision against the skyline. As red double-decker buses sweep past and the Thames reflects the shimmer of lights, Big Ben feels eternal, a symbol of endurance through wars, progress, and change. Whether you’re hearing the bells toll from across Westminster Bridge or standing beneath the tower itself, the experience is humbling. For travelers, it’s more than a sight; it’s a sound that lingers, a living piece of London’s soul echoing across the centuries.
What you didn’t know about Big Ben.
Though the name Big Ben has become synonymous with the entire clock tower, it technically refers to the Great Bell housed within.
The tower itself is officially known as the Elizabeth Tower, renamed in 2012 in honor of Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee. Completed in 1859, the tower was part of Charles Barry’s grand redesign of the Palace of Westminster after a devastating fire destroyed the old structure in 1834. The clock’s design was a feat of Victorian engineering, each of the four dials spans over 23 feet in diameter, with minute hands stretching 14 feet long. The Great Bell, weighing over 13 tons, was cast in 1858 at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry, its booming tone achieving instant fame upon the first chime. During World War II, when much of London was reduced to rubble by air raids, Big Ben continued to strike, serving as a symbol of hope and national resilience. The clock mechanism itself is a masterpiece of craftsmanship, regulated by a stack of old British pennies placed atop its pendulum, a detail that keeps time accurate to within two seconds each week. In recent years, the tower underwent an extensive restoration project that lasted five years, during which the bells fell silent except for special occasions. When they rang again in 2022, it marked a renewal of one of Britain’s most cherished voices. Few visitors realize that the tower leans slightly to the northwest, by about nine inches, due to ground movement over time. It’s imperceptible to the eye, but it adds a poetic imperfection to the precision it represents. Every element of Big Ben tells a story of craftsmanship, endurance, and the quiet human desire to measure life through something constant.
How to fold Big Ben into your trip.
To truly experience Big Ben, you have to encounter it from multiple angles, hearing it, seeing it, and feeling its presence woven into the rhythm of Westminster.
Start from Parliament Square, where you can stand at the foot of the tower and look up to appreciate the ornate detail of its stonework and gilded clock face. From here, cross Westminster Bridge at golden hour, the view back toward Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament is pure London magic, especially when the city lights begin to flicker against the twilight sky. If you time your visit right, you’ll hear the quarter-hour chimes build up to the full, resonant boom of the Great Bell at the top of the hour, a sound that has marked state events, royal celebrations, and countless New Year’s Eves. Though the interior remains closed to most tourists (tours are reserved for UK residents), you can still visit the nearby Parliament Visitor Centre for a deeper understanding of the building’s role in British democracy. For a broader perspective, head across the Thames to the South Bank, where Big Ben reflects beautifully in the water, framed by the London Eye. At night, the tower takes on a luminous glow, its clock faces illuminated like beacons against the skyline. After your visit, stroll along Whitehall or grab a table at a nearby pub, perhaps The Red Lion, a favorite haunt for politicians, to soak in the atmosphere of this historic district. In a city that never stops evolving, Big Ben remains unchanged, its chimes cutting through the noise like a heartbeat, steady, timeless, and utterly London.
Hear it from the Foresyte community.
Kinda wild the hype for just a clock right? But then you see it up close and it’s massive, dramatic, and yeah it makes you stop scrolling life for a sec. Pop into the houses of parliament if you get a chance.
Where meaningful travel begins.
Start your journey with Foresyte, where the planning is part of the magic.
Discover the experiences that matter most.
