
He was a large man, and known around the house as Big Ben. The first theory is that the bell (and now the whole clock, usually) was nicknamed ‘Big Ben’ after Sir Benjamin Hall, the first Director of Works. However, you might get one of two answers. One of the first questions many people ask about London’s famous clock is, ‘how did Big Ben get its name?’ We’re not Sure how Big Ben got its Nickname Big Ben’s clock faces are called The Big Clock, which is just as thoughtful. What was the tower called before the new name? It was very imaginatively named Clock Tower. It was only in 2012 that the tower was given its current name, as an honour to Queen Elizabeth on her jubilee. Why Big Ben? Well, it’s really big! In fact, the bell of Big Ben weighs over 13 tonnes. The tower itself is Elizabeth Tower, and it’s the huge bell inside that’s called Big Ben.

Interesting Facts About Big Ben It’s Actually Called Elizabeth Tower Read on for 20 fun facts about Big Ben, including a few juicy snippets on the landmark’s ongoing renovation. Well, how about Big Ben’s history, and how Big Ben got its name? And that’s just for starters.

If you’re any kind of Anglophile, or a Londoner yourself, you’ll know what the Houses of Parliament’s clock tower looks like, and you will probably have heard it chime too.
