Big Ben

Big Ben is the name given to the main bell hanging in the clock tower of the Palace of Westminster, the home of the Houses of Parliament in the United Kingdom. It is commonly taken to be the name of the clock tower itself, but this is incorrect.

The bell weighs 13.8 tonnes (13 tons 10cwt 99lb), with a hammer weighing 203.2kg (4cwt), and is tuned to E. It has a delay of 5 seconds between strikes. The clock tower contains four additional bells (known as the Quarter Bells).

Big Ben is a focus of New Year celebrations in the UK, with radio and TV stations tuning to its chimes to welcome the 'official' start of the year.