Tours inside the tower itself are available to citizens of the UK, who are required to contact their local MP in order to get tickets and must arrive on a scheduled day. Thousands of visitors flock to Westminster to view its stunning design and vast proportions, widely considered a marvel of Victorian architecture. Today Big Ben is one of the most recognisable symbols of London in the world, with the catchy nickname now encompassing the clock tower as a whole. Another popular, although less likely, theory is that it was named after Ben Caunt, a champion heavyweight boxer of the mid-19th century who also went by the nickname. While it is unclear exactly where the name Big Ben originated, it is thought to have been named after Sir Benjamin Hall, the man in charge of commissioning the structure. When it was unveiled, it was the largest and most accurate four-faced striking and chiming clock in the world, and on each of its sides is represented one of the four nations of the United Kingdom – a rose for England, thistle for Scotland, shamrock for Northern Ireland, and leek for Wales. The tower itself is named Elizabeth Tower and, along with its collection of bells and four vast clock faces, was constructed between 18 in the neo-Gothic style. Though the name ‘Big Ben’ is often attributed to the entire clock tower attached to the Houses of Parliament, it is actually the nickname of its largest bell – also known as the Great Bell. Big Ben is one of the United Kingdom’s most iconic landmarks, and has for almost two centuries towered over Westminster’s busy streets to the awe of Londoners and tourists alike.
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