Big Ben: reviews, price 2026 and practical tips

Big Ben, the cracked bell that has kept time in London since 1859

It is exactly noon. From its 96-meter perch, the tower strikes twelve dull notes that echo over the Thames and vibrate through the cobblestones of Westminster. This deep, slightly veiled E note owes its distinct tone to a crack that appeared just weeks after the bell was first put into service in 1859. It is this very imperfection that makes Big Ben instantly recognizable.

Why visit Big Ben?

The name is often misused, which is a great bit of trivia to have in your back pocket. Big Ben is actually the 13.7-ton bell hanging at the top of the Elizabeth Tower, not the tower itself. The clock is officially known as the Great Westminster Clock. The entire structure is part of the Palace of Westminster, the seat of the British Parliament and a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1987. Designed by architects Charles Barry and Augustus Pugin in a Neo-Gothic style, the tower was completed in 1859 to replace the old palace, which was destroyed by fire in 1834.

Beyond being a political icon, Big Ben is a living piece of Victorian engineering. The clock has functioned without any major interruptions for over 160 years, and its precision is maintained by a system that is as rudimentary as it is effective. Old pre-decimalization pennies are stacked on the pendulum. Adding a single coin speeds up the clock by 0.4 seconds per day. Since the recent restoration, synchronization is now handled by GPS via the National Physical Laboratory, but the pennies are still there.

A spectacular restoration that brought color back to the tower

Between 2017 and 2022, the Elizabeth Tower underwent the most extensive conservation project in its history. It took five years of work and a budget of 80 million GBP (about $100 million), which was double the initial estimate. Artisans dismantled and restored the 1,000 parts of the clock mechanism, cleaned the pollution-blackened facade stone by stone, and replaced the 312 panels of opalescent glass on each clock face.

The real surprise came from the paint layers. By scraping away the black paint applied in the 1930s to hide the effects of pollution, restorers discovered the original 1859 palette. It revealed a striking Prussian blue highlighted with gold, accompanied by the red, white, and blue of the Union Jack on the decorative elements. The heraldic shields representing the four nations of the United Kingdom were repainted according to Barry's original drawings, featuring the English rose, the Scottish thistle, the Irish shamrock, and the Welsh leek. We find that this deep blue contrasting with the gold gives the tower an elegance that the black paint never hinted at.

Climbing the tower: 334 steps and an intense sensory experience

Since 2023, guided tours of the Elizabeth Tower have been open to international visitors, a first in the tower's history. The tour lasts 90 minutes and is a physical commitment. There are 334 steps in a narrow spiral staircase, and there is no elevator. Bags and cameras must be left in lockers. No exceptions.

What to expect inside

The tour begins in Westminster Hall, the oldest part of the palace, before passing through a small wooden door that serves as the only entrance to the tower. As you climb, you pass through exhibit rooms that trace the stages of the restoration. At the 114th step, you will find a dark room that once served as a prison cell for unruly members of Parliament. The last prisoner, Charles Bradlaugh, spent a night there in 1880 for refusing to swear an oath on the Bible.

Higher up, the mechanism room reveals the guts of the clock, featuring massive gears and weights that exceed one ton. The highlight remains the belfry, where the Big Ben bell hangs just a few feet away from you. If you are there when it strikes, protect your ears, as the sound hits 118 decibels. Hearing protection is provided. Finally, the passage behind the clock faces offers a surreal moment. Light filters through the opalescent glass while the 4.2-meter hands move slowly right before your eyes.

Pro tip: Book the 10:00 AM slot to be in the belfry around 11:00 AM, when the bell strikes eleven times. The experience is much more impactful than hearing one or two strikes in the middle of the afternoon. Tickets sell out in less than ten minutes when they go on sale the second Wednesday of every month at 10:00 AM London time. Refresh the page a few minutes early and have your credit card ready.

Admiring Big Ben from the outside: the best viewpoints

The south bank of the Thames, right under Westminster Bridge, offers the most photogenic framing. A vaulted passage under the bridge allows you to frame the tower within the stone arch, with the Thames in the foreground. This spot has gone viral on social media. For the classic shot with the red telephone booths, head to Great George Street, facing the Parliament Square garden. Go early on a weekday to avoid the crowds.

At night, the 28 LED floodlights that illuminate the four clock faces replicate the glow they had during the Victorian gaslight era. When Parliament is in session, the Ayrton Light shines at the top of the tower. It has been a signal since the 19th century to let Londoners know their representatives are at work.

Estimated prices for guided tours of the Elizabeth Tower

Estimated prices subject to change