Big Ben Facts
Discover fascinating facts about London’s most iconic clock tower
Big Ben By Numbers
The impressive statistics that make Big Ben extraordinary
Fascinating Big Ben Facts
Everything you need to know about London’s most famous landmark
Big Ben Isn’t the Tower’s Name
Most people call the entire structure “Big Ben,” but this actually refers only to the largest bell inside the tower. The tower itself is officially called the Elizabeth Tower, renamed in 2012 to honor Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee.
The Clock Uses Penny Adjustments
To keep perfect time, clockkeepers add or remove pre-decimal pennies from the pendulum. Adding a penny makes the clock run 0.4 seconds faster per day. Currently, about 100 pennies help maintain accuracy.
Born from the Great Fire of 1834
Big Ben exists because a devastating fire destroyed the old Palace of Westminster on October 16, 1834. The competition to rebuild led to Charles Barry and Augustus Pugin’s Gothic Revival masterpiece.
The Bell Cracked Twice
The first Great Bell cracked during testing in 1856. The replacement bell also cracked in 1859, just three months after first chiming. The crack is still visible today and gives Big Ben its distinctive sound.
Four Faces, One Mechanism
All four 23-foot diameter clock faces are driven by a single mechanism. Each face has 312 pieces of opal glass and hour hands that are 9 feet long, minute hands that are 14 feet long.
Survived the London Blitz
On May 10, 1941, German bombs damaged Westminster, cracking two clock faces and shattering windows. Despite this, Big Ben continued chiming throughout World War II as a symbol of British resilience.
Transported by 16 White Horses
When the second Great Bell was transported from Whitechapel Bell Foundry to Westminster in 1858, it required 16 white horses to pull the massive bell through London’s streets, creating a spectacle witnessed by thousands.
Revolutionary Gravity Escapement
Big Ben uses Edmund Beckett Denison’s double three-legged gravity escapement, patented in 1854. This innovation isolates the pendulum from external forces like wind, making it one of the world’s most accurate public clocks.
First BBC Radio Broadcast in 1923
Big Ben’s chimes were first broadcast on BBC radio on New Year’s Eve 1923. This began a tradition that continues today, making Big Ben’s voice familiar to millions worldwide.
The Great Breakdown of 1976
On August 5, 1976, a catastrophic mechanical failure caused pendulum weights to spiral out of control, literally exploding the mechanism. Big Ben fell silent for nine months, the longest silence in its operational history.
Wound Three Times Per Week
Big Ben must be manually wound every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. This process takes 1.5 hours each time, raising massive weights that power the timekeeping, striking, and chiming mechanisms.
Westminster Chimes From Handel’s Messiah
The famous quarter-hour chimes are based on a phrase from Handel’s Messiah: “I know that my Redeemer liveth.” These four notes have become one of the most recognized sounds in the world.
Did You Know?
Surprising trivia that will amaze your friends
Big Ben’s pendulum expands and contracts with temperature changes, so more pennies are added in summer and removed in winter to maintain accuracy.
Big Ben appears in more movies than any other clock tower, featuring in everything from Mary Poppins to V for Vendetta.
The Great Bell’s distinctive sound comes from the crack it developed in 1859, which gives it a slightly flat tone that makes it instantly recognizable.
During WWII, Big Ben’s chimes were broadcast to occupied Europe as a symbol of hope and British resistance against Nazi Germany.
Only two towers in the Palace of Westminster have been named after British monarchs: Elizabeth Tower (Big Ben) and Victoria Tower.
In 2005, Big Ben stopped for 90 minutes on one of the hottest days in British history when temperatures reached 31.8°C (89.2°F).
Victorian railway timetables across Britain synchronized to “Big Ben time,” making it the unofficial timekeeper of the British Empire.
The clock faces were restored to their original Prussian blue color during the 2017-2022 restoration, having been painted black during WWII.
Ready to Experience Big Ben in Person?
Now that you know the fascinating facts, why not see this Victorian engineering marvel up close? Book your tour or explore our complete visitor guide.