When was Big Ben built?

Big Ben, the clock and bell in London's Elizabeth Tower, was cast in 1858. The bell, weighing more than 13 tons, first rang in the tower on May 31, 1859.

Big Ben has rarely stopped. Even during the bombing of World War II, the bell rang and the clock kept time. Its timekeeping is regulated by a stack of coins placed on the pendulum. A light above the clock face is illuminated when parliament is in session. The Latin words under the clock "Domine Salvam Fac Reginam Nostram Victoriam Primam" mean "O Lord, keep safe our Queen Victoria the First."