Palace of Westminster, London, England May 15, 2025

London"s most famous clock tower isn"t called Big Ben—that name belongs to the massive 13.5-ton bell inside. It has marked time for Londoners since 1859, ringing from what is now known as the Elizabeth Tower. In 2012, officials renamed the Clock Tower as Elizabeth Tower to honour Queen Elizabeth II during her Diamond Jubilee. The clock has stopped only for maintenance and rare disruptions, such as bomb damage during World Wars I and II. Each of its four clock faces spans nearly 7 metres, with the minute hands measuring approximately 4 metres. At 96 metres tall, the tower is part of the grand Palace of Westminster, home to the UK Parliament.

© Puthipong Worasaran/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

May 15, 2024The Blue City of Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
May 15, 2026A family of sperm whales, Indian Ocean

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Nov 8, 2024Glacial rivers, Iceland
Jan 21, 2026Eurasian red squirrel
Apr 22, 2026Alam-Pedja Nature Reserve in Tartu County, Estonia
May 18, 2025Pont St-Pierre across the Garonne River, Toulouse, France
Nov 18, 2025Male hooded merganser
Aug 22, 2026Common blue butterfly
Jun 19, 2025Beach in Santa Catarina, Brazil
Apr 26, 2024Kalaloch Tree of Life, Olympic National Park, Washington, USA
Nov 23, 2023Teide National Park, Tenerife, Canary Islands
Oct 22, 2025Belogradchik Rocks, Bulgaria
Apr 10, 2024Burrowing owl chicks, Wyoming, USA
Apr 25, 2025Magellanic penguins, Volunteer Point, Falkland Islands
June 14, 2026Mallard duck
Nov 5, 2023Playa del Silencio, Spain
Apr 2, 2025Sandstone formations in the badlands near Caineville, Utah, United States
May 4, 2026Ksar Ouled Soltane, Tataouine district in southern Tunisia
Sep 24, 2023Fraser River near Mount Robson, British Columbia, Canada
Aug 8, 2026Ah Shi Sle Pah Wilderness, New Mexico, USA
Oct 11, 2024Cape Breton Highlands, Nova Scotia, Canada
Nov 30, 2025Christmas market in Leipzig, Germany
Oct 29, 2024Great horned owl
Feb 18, 2025The Great Blue Hole, Belize
Apr 24, 2026Everglades National Park, Florida, United States
Feb 20, 2025Red deer, Canada
Sep 13, 2025Point Reyes National Seashore
Oct 23, 2024Madame Sherri Forest, New Hampshire, United States
Mar 10, 2024Prosecco Hills, Veneto, Italy
Dec 30, 2023Daiichi Tadami River Bridge, Fukushima, Japan
Jan 22, 2024Walton Lighthouse, Santa Cruz, California, USA
Aug 20, 2024Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, USA