Big Ben - jangold

One of London's most famous attractions, Big Ben, is celebrating its 150th anniversary. Technically Big Ben refers only to the clock's largest bell, but has become synonymous with the clock tower itself.

The bell, cast in Whitechapel on 10 April 1858, was first rung in the Great Westminster Clock on 31 May 1859. The clock tower and the new Palace of Westminster, designed by Charles Barry, were built after a fire destroyed much of the old Houses of Parliament in 1834.

Courtesy of the BBC