View of Big Ben and the Palace of Westminster through a pedestrian tunnel, London, England
© Stefan Kunert/Westend61/Offset
View of Big Ben and the Palace of Westminster through a pedestrian tunnel, London, England
‘Big Ben’ is the name commonly used to describe the tower, the clock, and the bell of this London landmark. But technically, Big Ben refers only to the tower’s Great Bell, which Londoners first heard chime on this day in 1859. Ordinarily, four quarter bells chime at 15, 30, and 45 minutes past the hour and again just before Big Ben tolls on the hour. However, Big Ben is silent for today’s anniversary. It stopped tolling in 2017 to undergo significant renovations that are expected to last through 2021. Eager tourists can still visit the tower, which was renamed Elizabeth Tower in 2012 for Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee.
Related Images
Great green macaw, Mexico
Striated heron on a Victoria water lily, Pantanal, Brazil
Superbloom in Carrizo Plain National Monument, California
Southern yellow-billed hornbills in Kruger National Park, South Africa
Christmas tree at Crystal Pier, Pacific Beach, San Diego, California
Bicycles in Copenhagen, Denmark
Balsamroot and lupines, Methow Valley, North Cascades, Washington
Silvereyes with cherry blossoms, South Korea
Today on Bing
Gangi, Sicily, Italy
Jul 11, 2024
Hong Kong SAR
Jul 11, 2023
Barcelona, Spain
Jul 11, 2022
Spiral aloe
Jul 11, 2021
