Big Ben is one of the world’s most famous landmarks, and you’ll find replicas of the London original all over the world. Big Ben is the nickname given to the bell housed in the tallest of the Elizabeth Towers at the Palace of Westminster; however, the name is generally used to refer to the entire clock tower.

The ‘Big Ben’ clock tower is one of London’s main landmarks and, thanks to its location on the banks of the River Thames, is visible from many places. The tower has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987.

Of the more reasonably priced hotels in the immediate vicinity, I recommendThe Sanctuary House Hotel. You can walk to Big Ben and Westminster Abbey in under 5 minutes, though you won’t be paying for a view from your room.

The 10 best hotels in London

• What is Big Ben: the main bell inside Elizabeth Tower
• External viewing: free and available at any time
• Tower tour: 55 gbp for adults, 35 gbp for children aged 11 to 17
• Duration of the tour: 90 minutes, approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes in total, including security checks
• Number of steps: 334
• Best spot for photos: Westminster Bridge and the opposite embankment by St Thomas’ Hospital
• Best time to visit: in the morning from the opposite bank or after dark

Is Big Ben worth a visit?

From the outside, definitely yes. Big Ben is situated in the heart of London’s most significant historic area, and you don’t need to plan a separate trip just to see it.

In a single walk, you can take in Westminster Abbey, Parliament Square, Big Ben, the Palace of Westminster, Westminster Bridge and the London Eye.

It takes about 20–30 minutes just to walk round the tower and take some photos. Allow about 45 minutes to cross the bridge and stroll along the opposite embankment.

Is it worth taking a tour inside?

We recommend the tour to anyone interested in architecture, engineering and unusual places that aren’t normally accessible to the public. You’ll get to see the clockwork mechanism, behind the dials, and into the belfry just as Big Ben strikes the hour.

However, we do not consider it an essential part of a first visit to London. The admission fee is high, you have to climb 334 steps, and photography is prohibited inside.

Nor is it a standard observation tower where you can simply walk in and stay for as long as you like.

If you only have a few days in London, most visitors will be satisfied with a view from the outside and a separate visit to the Palace of Westminster or Westminster Abbey.

Where’s the best spot to take a photo of Big Ben?

Westminster Bridge

The most famous view is from the eastern half of Westminster Bridge. You’ll be able to capture the whole of Elizabeth Tower and part of the Palace of Westminster in the shot.

The bridge is usually busy for most of the day. The best time to visit is early in the morning, when there are fewer people and buses crossing it. After dark, the tower is illuminated and the lights of the palace are reflected in the Thames.

The embankment by St Thomas’ Hospital

After crossing Westminster Bridge, head down to the riverfront and continue for a few minutes towards Lambeth Bridge. Gradually, a view of the whole of the Palace of Westminster and Big Ben across the river opens up.

We recommend this spot for wide-angle photos of the entire building. The further you walk from Westminster Bridge, the better the Palace will fit into the frame.

In the morning, the sun shines on the Palace from behind the photographer. You’ll therefore usually get the best-lit photos from the opposite bank in the morning.

Parliament Square

From Parliament Square, you can see Big Ben up close. You can photograph the tower alongside the statues, passing red buses or the Houses of Parliament.

The light is usually better here in the afternoon than in the morning. However, do expect heavy traffic and large crowds.

Great George Street

From Great George Street, Big Ben appears amongst the London buildings at the end of the street. It makes for a more interesting cityscape shot than the classic view across the Thames.

When taking photos from the pavement, watch out for heavy traffic and do not step onto the road.

London Eye

From the London Eye observation wheel, you can see Big Ben and the whole of the Palace of Westminster from above. The best view is during the ascent in the first half of the rotation.

There is an admission charge, and you’ll be taking photos through glass, but from publicly accessible vantage points, this is one of the best views of the entire parliamentary complex.

Big Ben tour: tickets and prices

Entry to Elizabeth Tower is only permitted as part of an official guided tour of the British Parliament.

Current admission prices:

• adults aged 18 and over: 55 gbp
• children aged 11 to 17: 35 gbp
• children under 11: admission not permitted

Tickets can be purchased on the official websiteparliament.uk/visiting.

Tickets go on sale three months in advance, always on the second Wednesday of the month at 10.00 sharp. A maximum of 8 tickets can be purchased per booking.

There are only a limited number of places available, and popular dates can sell out very quickly. If the tour is one of the main highlights of your trip, make sure you have a specific date in mind and your account ready before tickets go on sale.

A standalone ticket for the tour of the Palace of Westminster does not include entry to Big Ben. These are two separate tours and must be booked separately.

What you’ll see inside Elizabeth Tower

The tour takes you up a narrow spiral staircase from ground level to the bell chamber. There are short stops along the way.

You will visit:

• exhibition spaces dedicated to the history and restoration of the tower,
• a room housing the original clock mechanism,
• the area behind the four dials,
• the belfry with Big Ben and four smaller bells,
• historic Westminster Hall, either before or after the tour.

The most memorable experience is being in the belfry when the clock strikes the hour. The noise level is very high, so all visitors are given ear protectors.

Practical information before the tour

• The tour itself lasts 90 minutes.
• Allow a total of 1 hour and 45 minutes, including security checks and storing your belongings.
• Please arrive at the Cromwell Green entrance at least 30 minutes before the tour starts.
• You must leave mobile phones, cameras and other personal belongings in a locked locker.
• Photography is not permitted inside Elizabeth Tower.
• Closed-toe shoes with flat soles are compulsory. Sandals, flip-flops and high heels are not permitted.
• There are no toilets in the tower.

The tour is not a traditional sightseeing tour. You will see the views during the organised tour, but you cannot move around freely or take photographs.

Big Ben, Elizabeth Tower and the Palace of Westminster

These terms are often confused:

• Big Ben is the nickname for the largest bell,
• Elizabeth Tower is the official name of the clock tower,
• the Great Clock of Westminster is the clock mechanism and the four dials,
• the Palace of Westminster is the entire complex of the British Parliament.

The tower was originally called the Clock Tower. It was renamed Elizabeth Tower in 2012 to mark Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee.

Big Ben and the entire Palace of Westminster form part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, together with Westminster Abbey and St Margaret’s Church. The site was inscribed on the list in 1987.

The bell Great Bell

Great Bell is the largest of the five bells, and its nickname, ‘Big Ben’, is also used to refer to the entire clock tower.

Originally, Big Ben was intended to weigh 16.7 tonnes, but the newly cast bell (in 1856) cracked irreparably during testing, so a new , smaller bell weighing 13.76 tonnes was cast in 1858. It is 2.29 metres high and has a diameter of 2.74 metres.

This bell also cracked, but it was possible to repair it; however, it was damaged again when a small square piece chipped off its rim. This incident slightly altered the bell’s pitch, but it was never repaired, and Big Ben continues to ring with this altered pitch to this day.

The world’s most famous chime

The chimes of the Elizabeth Tower are one of the symbols of Britain and are replicated all over the world, from clockmakers to other tower carillons across the globe.

However, the chimes of the ‘Big Ben’ tower are produced entirely by four smaller ‘quarter’ bells, and the Big Ben bell itself plays no part in them.

The chime is nicknamed Westminster Quarters because it chimes every quarter of an hour. 

The quarter-hour sequence consists of repeated sequences in the key of E major, with a different sequence allocated to each quarter hour. Below you will find a transcription of the notes that are sounded during each quarter hour:

• xx:15 –_G♯4,_F♯4,_E4,_B3
• xx:30 –_E4,_G♯4,_F♯4,_{B3 followed by}the sequence_E4,_F♯4,_G♯4,_E4
• xx:45 –_G♯4,_E4,_F♯4,_B3, followed by the sequences_B3,_F♯4,_G♯4,_{E4 andG♯4},_F♯4,_E4,_B3

It is only onthe hour that Big Ben itself chimes.

Before it strikes, however, the longest sequence of quarter-hour chimes is heard:_E4,_G♯4,_F♯4,_B3+_E4,_F♯4,_G♯4,_E4+_G♯4,_E4,_F♯4,_B3+_B3,_F♯4,_G♯4,_E4.

Only then does Big Ben strike the number of chimes corresponding to the current hour. Big Ben rings out in the natural note E.

Big Ben in the Harry Potter films

Big Ben and the Palace of Westminster can be seen in the film *Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix* during Harry’s flight with the members of the Order of the Phoenix over London at night.

No scenes were filmed inside Elizabeth Tower. It forms part of wide shots of London, alongside other landmarks along the Thames.

Nearby Westminster also featured in the same film in a scene where Harry and Mr Weasley travel by Underground to a hearing at the Ministry of Magic.

Where to stay near Big Ben

The area around Westminster is one of the most expensive parts of London. So decide whether you’d prefer to be within walking distance of the sights or to have a real view from your room.

• The Sanctuary House Hotel – usually offers the best value for money in terms of price and location. You can walk to Big Ben in under 5 minutes, though the hotel doesn’t guarantee a view of the tower.
• Park Plaza County Hall London – you can see Big Ben from some rooms on the upper floors. It’s usually more affordable than the luxury hotels right by the river, but a view isn’t automatically included with every room.
• Park Plaza London Westminster Bridge – the surest bet for a direct view. When booking, choose a room that has ‘Big Ben View’ in its name; simply requesting a view in the comments section is not enough.

We compare other more affordable areas and specific hotels in the chapter ‘Where to stay in London’.

How do you get to the tower?

Big Ben stands on the banks of the Thames right in the centre of London, opposite Westminster Abbey, whilst the London Eye observation wheel towers skywards across the river. 

You can get to Big Ben by the following Underground and bus routes:

• Underground – Westminster station
  • Jubilee Line
  • District and Circle Lines
• Buses – Westminster bus stop
  • Routes 3, 11, 12, 148, 159, C10, 453

The best view of Big Ben is from the opposite bank of the River Thames or from Westminster Bridge.

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