1. The tower is officially known as the Elizabeth Tower.
2. The clock and dials were designed by Augustus Pugin.
3. The clock's movement is famous for its reliability.
4-5. The main bell, officially known as the Great Bell, is the largest bell in the tower and part of the Great Clock of Westminster. The bell is better known by the nickname Big Ben.
6. The origin of the nickname Big Ben is the subject of some debate.
7. The clock has become a symbol of the United Kingdom, particularly in the visual media.
8. On 27 July 2012, starting at 8:12 a.m, Big Ben chimed 30 times, to welcome in the London Olympic Games (i.e. the 30th Olympiad), which officially began that day.
9. In 2008 a survey of 2,000 people found that the tower was the most popular landmark in the United Kingdom.
10. The ringing of the bell may be heard in "Fool's Overture," the closing track from Supertramp's 1977 album Even in the Quietest Moments....