Jo W.
Yelp
It's currently under reconstruction and renovation, and has been so since 21 August 2017. It's planned that the Big Ben will be silent for 4 years, so while there isn't too much to review right now, I am certainly happy to still be able to catch it during my first time here in England!
Big Ben is full of history embedded into its gorgeous gothic architecture ever since it was completed back on 31 May, 1859. It's an iconic cultural symbol of the UK, and is often seen as an establishing shot in films set in England. Fun fact: On the clock's face, the hour hand is 9 feet (2.7 m) long and the minute hand is 14 feet (4.3 m) long.
If you go on the London Eye, you can't miss the Big Ben! It's a great location with a lot of other touristy things neighboring it, like Westminster Abbey, where there are a LOT of people crowding to go in.
Big Ben is right by Parliament Square, where there are a bunch of red telephone booths, perfect for that cheesy London tourist photo. On the side of Parliament Square facing Westminster Abbey are the red telephone booths in the most popular spots to take those photos, since you can get the Big Ben in your shot. When I first arrived, not knowing that the Big Ben was under construction, I was confused with where the Big Ben was, until I looked into its direction from the phone booth I wanted to take my photo with, and went, "Wait, that's Big Ben???" I felt like I had met a date who looked nothing like his photo from his dating profile.
Okay, that was a mean joke. We still love you, Big Ben, I know you're just going through a rough patch and in 2021, you'll be more glorious than ever.