Big Ben is the nickname for the Great Bell of the striking clock at the north end of the Palace of Westminster in London and is usually extended to refer to both the clock and the clock tower.
- London's "Big Ben" is not the tower. It's the bell inside it.
- The tower where Big Ben is located is officially known as "Elizabeth Tower." It was completed in 1859.
- The 15-minute chimes on Big Ben have lyrics: "All through this hour / Lord be my guide / And by Thy power / No foot shall slide."
- In August, 2015, Big Ben's Clock was discovered to be running 6 seconds fast, and coins were removed from its pendulum to correct the error.
- The Liberty Bell and Big Ben were cast by the same bell foundry and both bells are cracked.
- During WW2, the lights of Big Ben were dimmed so that German bombers could not use it for reference.
- Turning back the giant hands on Big Ben's four clock faces takes an incredible 5 hours in total.
- British Pennies are used to adjust the time in London's Big Ben clock tower.
- Clocksmiths climb the 334 stairs of the Elizabeth Tower 3 times a week to wind Big Ben's clock, whose timing can be affected by the weather, atmospheric pressure or simply by being 156 years old.
- If London's Big Ben was built today, it would cost about US$222,000.
- For 2 years during WW1, the Big Ben's bells were silenced and the clock was not illuminated at night to avoid guiding attacking German Zeppelins.
- The company which maintains Big Ben has staff on 24-hour call should something go wrong.
- In 1949, a flock of starlings perched on the minute hand of Big Ben, slowing it by 4.5 minutes.
- London's Big Ben clock tower is leaning much like the Tower of Pisa.
- It is believed that London's Big Ben was named after Sir Benjamin Hall, First Commissioner for Works, whose name is inscribed on the bell. Others attest that the bell was named after Ben Caunt, a champion heavyweight boxer.