Palace of Westminster, London, England May 15, 2025

Palace of Westminster, London, England

London"s most famous clock tower isn"t called Big Ben—that name belongs to the massive 12,000 kilograms 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 to 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 more than 6 metres, with the minute hands measuring roughly 4 metres. At 90 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

An island crossroad of culture
Get ready for the blood moon
May 15, 2024The Blue City of Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Sep. 10, 2024Vasco da Gama Bridge, Lisbon, Portugal
Sep. 11, 2025Monfragüe National Park, Cáceres, Extremadura, Spain
Nov. 2, 2024American bison
Dec. 15, 2023SantaPark, Lapland, Finland
Dec. 25, 2023Christmas Day
Walking a rocky rainbow
Jul. 30, 2024San Gimignano, Siena, Italy
Jan. 16, 2024Lake Louise, Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada
Feb. 27, 2024International Polar Bear Day
Sep. 24, 2023World Rivers Day
Nov. 22, 2023Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
Fragrant fields as far as the eye can see
Jun. 21, 2025World Giraffe Day
Jun. 20, 2024Summer solstice
Spring is the time for billing
Aug. 22, 2024Aerial view of Ocean City, Maryland, USA
Mar. 3, 2024World Wildlife Day
Nov. 7, 2024Vancouver Coastal Sea wolves in the Great Bear Rainforest
Saving and celebrating honey bees
Apr. 28, 2024El Capitan in the Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Texas, USA
Aug. 11, 2024Wooden path to Kennedy Lake, Vancouver Island
May 10, 2024Canadian Tulip Festival
Mar. 28, 2024Cherry blossoms in Shanghai, China
Dec. 24, 2025Christmas Eve
Apr. 24, 2024The white trilliums in Ontario, Canada
Like a waterfall, free and wild
Aug. 17, 2024International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend
May 21, 2025International Tea Day
Nov. 16, 2023VanDusen Botanical Garden, Vancouver
Aug. 9, 2025International Day of the Worlds Indigenous Peoples