Why you should visit Big Ben in London.
Every great city has its heartbeat, and in London that rhythm is kept by a clocktower whose name has become shorthand for time itself. Big Ben is more than an icon — it is the moment you first hear the chime echo down the Thames and realize you’ve stepped into the story of Britain itself.
From sunrise glow to midnight shimmer, the tower holds a magnetic presence. To stand beneath it is to feel tethered to centuries, as if the hands of the clock are moving not only forward but carrying you with them.
What you didn’t know about Big Ben.
Though the name “Big Ben” is often given to the tower, it belongs first to the bell — the thunderous 13.5-ton giant that has rung through triumphs and heartbreaks since 1859. It has tolled through wars, witnessed coronations, and marked moments when the city held its breath.
The tower itself, renamed Elizabeth Tower in honor of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, is a masterpiece of Gothic Revival. Every carved detail, every shadow against the skyline, adds another verse to London’s poetry.
How to fold Big Ben into your London trip.
You don’t just look at Big Ben — you time your day around it. Whether crossing Westminster Bridge at dusk, riding the London Eye with its glow in view, or simply pausing riverside to let the bell’s strike wash over you, the tower insists on becoming part of your story.
Pair it with a walk through Westminster Abbey or a glide along the Thames, and the clock becomes your anchor — a reminder that even in the busiest city, the passing of time can feel beautifully slow.
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.”
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