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 over 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 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 more than 6 metres, with the minute hands measuring over 4 metres. At more than 90 metre 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
May 15, 2026Endangered Species Day

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Oct 23, 2025International Day of the Snow Leopard
Babbling on and on
May 15, 2024The Blue City of Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
Aug 25, 2025Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, United States
Aug 14, 2024World Lizard Day
Nov 23, 2023Victoria Memorial, Kolkata, India
Where is this historical bridge?
Jun 17, 2024Green-crowned brilliant hummingbird
Oct 12, 2023Old barn and canola field, Palouse region, Idaho
Family on parade
Jun 1, 2025World Reef Awareness Day
Aug 2, 2024Virgin Islands National Park, Saint John, United States
Monsoon awakens the sleeping mountains
Pastel perfection
Sep 2, 2024Rhino mother and calf, Kaziranga National Park, Assam
Sep 18, 2025Dunquin Pier, County Kerry, Ireland
Aug 29, 2024Castellfollit de la Roca, Catalonia, Spain
Jun 23, 2026Mount Fuji on Honshu Island, Japan
Oct 7, 2024The Elbphilharmonie concert hall in Hamburg, Germany
Where the rainbow ends
Jul 17, 2025Lavender fields in Plateau de Valensole, France
May 15, 2026Endangered Species Day
May 13, 2025Torres del Paine National Park in Patagonia, Chile
Sep 29, 2024West Cornwall Covered Bridge, Connecticut, USA
Republic Day
Aug 23, 2025St. Barbaras Cathedral, Kutná Hora, Czechia
May 9, 2025International Chameleon Day
Sep 26, 2023Venice Skatepark, Los Angeles, California
Nov 20, 2024Olive grove, Valle dItria, Puglia, Italy
Feb 4, 2026Red kite in snow