Big Ben is the popular nickname for the great Bell within the Elizabeth Tower situated at the North End of the Palace of Westminster in London the tower was designed by Augustus pugin and completed in 1859 standing 36 ft 96 M tall it features one of the largest and most intricate clock mechanisms in the world each of its four clock faces measures 22.5 ft 7 m in diameter the great Bell referred to as Big Ben weighs approximately 13.5 long tons 13.7 metric tons it was originally cast in 1858 but cracked shortly after installation leading to its recasting in 1859 the tower was renamed the Elizabeth Tower in 2012 in honor of Queen Elizabeth The second's Diamond Jubilee Big Ben is a symbol of London