Wanderlust World Wanderlust World The Elizabeth Tower—universally called Big Ben after its great bell—is clad in Anston limestone, a creamy-grey sedimentary stone quarried near Anston, South Yorkshire. Chosen for its density, durability, and resistance to London's soot-laden Victorian air, Anston limestone gives the tower its distinctive warm hue.
The tower's core is brick, faced with this ashlar masonry. The spire incorporates cast iron. The clock dials are opalescent glass set in iron frames. The 13.7-tonne Great Bell (the actual "Big Ben") is cast tin-copper alloy.
Anston limestone weathered darker than expected, prompting a 1980s cleaning that revealed its original pale tone. Pollution, frost, and time continue their slow work—maintenance is perpetual for a 96-meter Victorian icon.