Tower · London, United Kingdom
Big Ben (Elizabeth Tower)
Big Ben is the nickname for the Great Bell of the Great Clock of Westminster, and, by extension, for the clock tower that stands at. Built 1843.
Photo: Colin via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped and resized for display.
Landmark facts
| Location | London, United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Type | Tower |
| Built | 1843 |
| Architect | Augustus Pugin, Charles Barry |
| Height | Height: 96 m |
| Coordinates | 51.5007° N, 0.1245° W |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
What Big Ben (Elizabeth Tower) is known for
Big Ben is the nickname for the Great Bell of the Great Clock of Westminster, and, by extension, for the clock tower that stands at.
About Big Ben (Elizabeth Tower)
Big Ben is the nickname for the Great Bell of the Great Clock of Westminster, and, by extension, for the clock tower that stands at the north end of the Palace of Westminster in London, England. Originally named the Clock Tower, the structure was renamed the Elizabeth Tower in 2012 to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. The clock is a striking clock with five bells.
History
Elizabeth Tower, originally named the Clock Tower, and popularly known as "Big Ben", was built as a part of Charles Barry's design for a new Palace of Westminster after the old palace was largely destroyed by fire on 16 October 1834. Although Barry was the chief architect of the neo-gothic palace, he turned to Augustus Pugin for the design of the Clock Tower, which resembles earlier designs by Pugin, including one for Scarisbrick Hall, a country house in Lancashire. Construction of the tower began on 28 September 1843.
Planning a visit? Visit the official Big Ben (Elizabeth Tower) website — the official site has the current visiting information.
How to get there
| Nearest town | London |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | London City Airport (LCY) |
| Distance from the airport | 7.5 miles (straight line) |
Nearest major airport by straight-line distance from the landmark’s coordinates; road distance will be longer.
Airports near this landmark
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- London Heathrow Airport (LHR) · London, United Kingdom · 14.6 miles away
- London Gatwick Airport (LGW) · London, United Kingdom · 24.5 miles away
- London Luton Airport (LTN) · Luton, Luton, United Kingdom · 27.9 miles away
Landmarks nearby
The closest landmarks in this library, by straight-line distance.
Where to stay nearby
Places to stay near Big Ben (Elizabeth Tower), with a link to each place's own site.
- Corinthia London · Whitehall, London
Luxury hotel by the Thames
- Conrad London St James · St James’s, London
Hotel near Westminster
Where to eat nearby
Places to eat near Big Ben (Elizabeth Tower), with a link to each place's own site.
- The Cinnamon Club · Great Smith Street, London
Indian restaurant in the old Westminster library
- Rules · Maiden Lane, London
London’s oldest restaurant
More landmarks in United Kingdom
More towers
Frequently asked questions
What is Big Ben (Elizabeth Tower)?
Big Ben is the nickname for the Great Bell of the Great Clock of Westminster, and, by extension, for the clock tower that stands at.
Where is Big Ben (Elizabeth Tower) located?
Big Ben (Elizabeth Tower) is in London, United Kingdom. Its coordinates are 51.5007° N, 0.1245° W.
How do I get to Big Ben (Elizabeth Tower)?
The nearest town is London, and the nearest airport is London City Airport (LCY), about 7.5 miles away (straight line).
When was Big Ben (Elizabeth Tower) built?
Big Ben (Elizabeth Tower) was built 1843.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Ben — Wikipedia article — overview, history and core facts (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q41225 — Wikidata — built year, architect, height/size, visitors, official website (CC0).
- https://www.parliament.uk/bigben/ — Official website of the landmark / managing body.
- https://github.com/jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports — Nearest major airport computed from landmark and airport coordinates (haversine); airport list: jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports.
Page last updated 13 November 2026.