The name Big Ben was intended for only the Great Bell in the belfry (the largest bell of five), but is now commonly used to refer to the tower, the clock and the bell.
Two other towers existed before the construction of the current structure began in 1843. The first was built 1288 to 1290; the second replaced the first in 1367 and existed until 1707 when it was pulled down due to disrepair. A sundial was put in the towers place.
A fire destroyed much of the Palace of Westminster in 1834 which led to the construction of the new clock tower. Architect Sir Charles Barry's design for the tower was chosen from almost 100 submissions.
The clock tower took 13 years to build, 1843 to 1856, and stands at 316 feet tall. There are 11 floors to the tower and 334 steps to the belfry.
It took 30 hours in 1858 to winch the bell to the top of the tower. In 1859, the bell cracked and did not ring for four years until Sir George Airy found a solution to the crack; the bell has struck ever since.
