Out of all the London landmarks distributed throughout the city that can be visited with free walking tours, nothing is more distinguishable or identical with London’s culture than the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben.
The Houses of Parliament and its splendid clock tower (famously called “Big Ben”) have become iconic symbols of London for many decades, and it’s hard not to imagine these two attractions when an image of London comes to anyone’s mind.
The Houses of Parliament (also known as the Palace of Westminster—not to be confused with the nearby Westminster Abbey) was initially built as a royal palace and residence during the reign of Henry VIII. In 1547, the structure was given to the British Parliament, and it has been its eternal location ever since.
Big Ben (now named The Elizabeth Tower), situated at the north end of the Palace of Westminster, stands 96 meters in height and has the second-largest four-faced chiming clock in the world.
Where Is Big Ben Clock Tower?
The Bing Ben Clock Tower is located at the north end of the Palace of Westminster in London, England. It is nicknamed as “The Great Bell”, which is a bell that located inside the tower.
However, the nickname “Big Ben” is often used to refer to the whole clock tower, making its official name as the Clock Tower.
However, it was named as the Elizabeth Tower in 2012 in the honor of Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee. It is an iconic symbol of London and the United Kingdom, which makes a tour around the tour is worthwhile.
When Was Big Ben Built?
How Tall Is Big Ben?
The Clock Mechanism
The first part of the discussion was about the history of the bell, including who designed it, who built it, and who installed it. Our guide was relatively good, and she went into plenty of detail.
However, there wasn’t a lot to see in this first room. Just a big poster on the wall and some seats where we could rest and catch our breath.
After that, she took us up another flight of stairs to the clock mechanism. This room appeared more like a small factory, with pendulums whirring wheels and pulleys everywhere.
Just before it struck half-past ten, he warned us of a coming loudness of noise, and she wasn’t joking. When the whole thing buzzed into action, it terrified the living daylights out of us.
Imagine the sound of a workshop gone wrong – long levers hitting up and down, cogs banging round and round, and heavy hammers striking the bells a couple of meters above your head.
How To Book A Big Ben Tour
Until recently, a tour inside Big Ben was only available to UK residents and required some effort to arrange. However, the project to repair Big Ben was completed in 2023, and it is now open to the public.
Tickets for the Big Ben tour can be reserved online from the UK Parliament website. Anyone can book these, and they are also available to non-UK residents.
Because of this, they sell out quickly, so you do need to book some time in advance.
Tickets are rolled out to the public on the second Wednesday of every month at 10:00 am UK time. The slots are offered for tours scheduled for 90 days ahead, so if you booked in September, you’d get slots in January.
There are up to 7 Big Ben tours daily, with the earliest starting at 10 a.m. and the latest at 5 p.m. If you see dates displaying as available but you see a request for a voucher code, it means this date or time isn’t available to the public.
The Big Ben Tour
It’s recommended that you arrive at least 20 minutes before the start time of your tour.
When you arrive at the Houses of Parliament, you’re first allotted a visitor’s pass. Next is the airport-style security checks. Depending on how busy it is, it can take up to 40–45 minutes to go through security.
The queue starts outside the building, so keep this in mind if it’s wet or cold. Since we have explained most of the items restricted in the article below, you can read more about them.
Once you cross security, you are pointed into the massive Westminster Hall, where you can check in to the tour. When looking out for the Big Ben Tour banner, ensure you’re in the right place.
There, you’ll be asked to put your belongings into a locker and left behind safely. Since photos aren’t allowed on the tour, you must also submit mobile phones behind.
Toilets and washrooms are available at the beginning and end of the tour in Westminster Hall, but they aren’t available inside the tower itself. There is also a gift shop there too.
The Big Ben tours are restricted to a maximum of around 16 people; although it’s not spacious inside the tower, it doesn’t feel crowded because of the small group.
Once everyone is assembled and signed in, the guide leads your group outside the courtyard towards the tower. You then walk through a mild-looking wooden door next to a small road. It is the primary entrance to the Elizabeth Tower.
The tour opens in a tiny room just inside the tower’s entrance. Once everyone is placed, the guide gives information about what you’ll see during the tour.
Climbing The Elizabeth Tower
When the introduction is completed, the Big Ben tour begins, and you start climbing.
You’ll be climbing many stairs, so wearing comfortable shoes is wise. There are 334 stairs in total to reach the top of the tower. Don’t worry, though – the climb is done in stages so you do get a chance to breathe.
Unlike the uneven stairs you find in some old towers, the stairs in the Elizabeth Tower are simple to climb. There’s also a solid railing to assist if needed.
Once you reach the 1st stage, after climbing 115 of the 334 steps, you can sit down and catch your breath. There, the guide tells you some essential facts about Big Ben.
Then it’s back to the stairs, and you travel a few more stories to the 4th stage. There, you get to sit down and learn more about how Big Ben was created and built.
Big Ben In Action
The next stop is after 334 steps and is also one of the highlights. This is the procedure room where you see Big Ben’s heart.
It’s a remarkable sight, looking at this complicated system of cogs and steel ropes ticking away and moving almost gradually. The tour is timed so that you’ll be in there when the bells ring 45 minutes past the hour, and you get to see the procedure in action.
You also see one of the old coinages used to keep the clock in time. It is an experience to see and sense the clock in action. As the bells ring, there’s a lot of mechanical clanging and buzzing, and you can feel the vibrations on the floor.
You’ve almost reached the top of the tower now, and after climbing another 42 or so stairs, you enter the Belfry. That is a pretty special moment. You’re now tapping the distance of the 5 bells, containing the 13-ton bell known as Big Ben.
You need to put in your earplugs at this point as you are just moments away from the bells ringing on the hour. It’s an incredible experience to see the hammers strike the bells and feel and hear them ring.
It’s pretty loud, and you feel the sensations through your body as the bells ring across London.
Is It Worth Doing A Big Ben Tour?
Overall, it’s a beautiful experience if you’re lucky enough to get a Big Ben tour ticket. The tour takes about 95 minutes and is recorded, so you’ll be right in the middle when the bells ring.
As well as seeing this iconic London attraction behind the scenes, you’ll also get to discover the tower’s history and its recent rebuilding.
Tip: If you want to get the most out of your buck, book a morning tour. You’ll experience 10 or 11 bongs instead of 1 or 2 if you book the afternoon.
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