| ranked #7 out of 10 attractions | rated 1.91 out of 5 | total 289 votes |
Big Ben
Why Big Ben is one of the worst London tourist attractions
Big Ben is not actually the name of the building, or of the clock tower. It rather refers to the bell itself. You need not put a visit to this London tourist attraction on your itinerary, as you really can’t escape it!
It is located in the heart of London, and you’ll find yourself right next to it all the time, no matter whether you’re checking out London Bridge, riding the London Eye or taking a sightseeing bus tour.
Unless you go inside, it’s just a brown building with a big clock that you’ve seen in millions of photographs before – hardly exciting as a tourist attraction. Actually being in front of it isn’t going to mean much to you, other than giving you a stiff neck from looking up at the clock.
UK residents must contact their local Member of Parliament to arrange a tour (and then the tour is free). Overseas visitors cannot take a tour.
Address
Palace of Westminster, Westminster,
London SW1A 0AA
Opening times/Cost
Arranged tours for UK residents (contact your local MP) are free and
take place at 10.30am, 11.30am and 2.30pm Monday to Friday. Sorry, no
tours for overseas visitors!
Related links
Read about the History of Big Ben
Information about Big Ben tours
January 25, 2005 @ 5:05 pm
John Howard said,
I think Big Ben is too big for London. It would fit better to Sydney. And that’s a fact.
January 25, 2005 @ 6:15 pm
Pixie said,
Well I thought it was still pretty from the outside. London wouldn’t be London without Big Ben! And anyway… you can’t really miss it while walking around the streets.
March 28, 2005 @ 10:37 pm
Daphne said,
I love Big Ben. It’s a shame he never gave me as much as a look though. Is it true his bell is cracked?
July 23, 2005 @ 4:48 pm
the mckay's from canada said,
Oh, my god! Does this site ever suck! For one thing, we as non-Brits (and many others with us on that unforgettable morning) were granted an invitation to walk up the 300+ steps to actually see and touch Big Ben, and take in the most breath-taking views of London you can ever imagine, and listen to the bells during the 11:00 am ringing. (Make sure to request to go on the 10:00(ish) am tour!) Buy “London for Dummies” months before your trip to see how this can be done, my fellow foreign visitors to the greatest city on earth. You won’t EVER forget it!!!
August 13, 2005 @ 11:49 pm
Pete said,
Big Ben is a historical landmark, how can you slag it off for being a bad tourist attraction?
August 14, 2005 @ 4:18 am
Pete said,
So why edit all my remarks then? I thought they were valid comments to put these bunch of whingers in their place. Speak to me then. And when you’ve told me that, you can quit slagging off London.
September 23, 2005 @ 11:36 pm
Joel said,
*sigh*
This site was obviously created by an american..
that or an unpatriotic dumbshit citizen of england…
why do people make sites like this?
November 2, 2005 @ 1:30 am
ur mom said,
big ben is so flippin cool and i am doing a project on it so how dare you say that big ben is one of the worst attractions because its not.
December 3, 2005 @ 6:18 am
Heidi said,
I think that you’re wrong. I am from America and visited Big Ben and thought that it was kool. It is a historical monument and I enjoyed being there.
December 3, 2005 @ 6:19 am
Heidi said,
And London is so much more better than Sidney.
December 6, 2005 @ 10:23 am
Vince said,
yeah, I’ve not even heard of Sidney…
April 18, 2006 @ 1:51 am
Cayla said,
Maybe the site should state the real name of the Tower and Bell. I have pasted a bit from Wikipedia to help out those are interested. Also, if you can book a tour to the top of the tower if you can handle the 334 steps. Go to http://www.parliament.uk/directories/hcio/clock_tower.cfm for more information.
Big Ben is the colloquial name of the Clock Tower of the Palace of Westminster in London, and an informal name for the Great Bell of Westminster, the largest bell in the tower and part of the Great Clock of Westminster.The clock tower is at the north-eastern end of the building, the home of the Houses of Parliament, and contains the famous striking clock and bell. The tower is also sometimes referred to as St Stephen’s Tower
May 10, 2006 @ 6:47 am
aj said,
WHat are u talking bout BIg ben is awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! stupid americans dont no what there talking bout(iam american)
August 15, 2006 @ 2:58 pm
JORDAN said,
NOT BAD LAH….STILL OK….QUITE BIG LAH…!!
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November 25, 2006 @ 2:40 pm
Tom_The_Bomb said,
Every time I look at Big Ben it brings a smile to my face. You CAN’T call it a bad tourist attraction! It should be number 10000000000000000000000000000000000!
March 3, 2007 @ 1:07 am
new said,
The stuff on this web site is really witty and cool wise
March 16, 2007 @ 12:27 am
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May 19, 2007 @ 11:46 am
v-ball chick, said,
I don’t know what the heck you guys are talking about. Big Ben is the most beautiful tourist attraction that belongs IN LONDON.
August 14, 2007 @ 2:12 am
Holly said,
So crappy
November 17, 2007 @ 9:42 am
London Lover!!!! said,
YOU ARE SUCH A WEIRDO! I HATE WHOEVER PUT THIS SiTE UP BECAUSE all these landmarks are THE BEST EVERRRRRRRRRRR!
May 18, 2008 @ 2:33 pm
lalalalalalalalala said,
Okay. I have NO IDEA what you are talking about. Maybe because overseas visitors cant go in is why you made it #6. This clock tower is ancient and gorgeous!!!Why do you have to be so cruel?!?!?!?!
December 6, 2008 @ 10:05 am
AmericanGurl said,
Why can’t oversea’s visitors take a tour of Big Ben? My Bro was just there & emailed me that he had a fab time & that it was beautiful inside & out. Go figure.
December 6, 2008 @ 10:11 am
AmericanGurl said,
Furthermore Americans are not stupid. Whomever made this site obviously felt this way for a reason. I have seen British ppl with stupid websites/pages & make comments about places in the states that we love that they do not love.
It is all a matter of opinion and we all know opinions are like assholes- we all have one!
March 2, 2009 @ 5:31 am
shiva said,
I have never been in london but i see so many pictures of it and i am very intrested to go there , Big ben is a masterwork
October 29, 2009 @ 12:15 pm
milly said,
who wants to here a bell chiming?
January 17, 2010 @ 4:06 am
Mansie Nizam said,
Big Ben Rocks………
March 31, 2010 @ 4:43 am
Kitty said,
I think Big Ben is a great site to visit – ignore this website.
April 5, 2011 @ 10:07 pm
Ken said,
The BIG problem is that most but not all tourists do not think outside the box, The Centre of London is NOT all of London, take a 20 min ride on a train from Waterloo and you arrive at the Ancient Royal Borough of Kingston on Thames, its history dates back to before the Romans and All Saints Church is a must for any visiter, with the second most visited shopping area outside of Oxford Street and its Thames setting with the most wonderful restaurants, where you can sip a glass of wine and quietly watch the world drift by with pleasure cruisers and small river craft, it a joy to see.
So don’t just visit inner London pop out To the First of the only five Royal Boroughs and then you can say, I have visited London.
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