The Elizabeth Tower

Clock Tower, Palace of Westminster , better known as Big Ben - one of the most popular and recognizable symbols of the United Kingdom. In 2012, renamed Elizabeth Tower in honor of the 60th anniversary of the reign of Queen. In fact, Big Ben is named one of the bells of the palace, but has long since called the tower, clock and bell in general.

First Westminster Tower, built in 1288, in the latter was destroyed by fire. Magnificent structure that we can see today, was built in 1859 by architect Augustus Pyudzhina. Height of the tower with a spire is 97 meters. Huge Clock of Westminster, weighing about 5 tons, are the largest four-sided clock with the battle on the planet. They are known for their reliability centuries, even after the bombing of the tower during the Second World War could not interrupt their progress.

Big Ben is one of the most important attractions of the country. By exploring the inside of the tower allowed only British citizens. How to get there: Metro stations to Westminster and Victoria, as well as any bus route follows through Parliament Square in Victoria Street or Trafalgar Square in Whitehall.