Big Ben will start regularly bonging again from today
Regular ringing of the bells has been stopped since work began on the tower in 2017
After being part of the renovations in Parliament over the past few years, Big Ben is due to start regularly chiming again today (13th November).
Ever since the conservation programme began in 2017, the tower bells have been silenced, only ringing out on special occasions.
Big Ben and the quarter bells did chime on Friday (11th Nov) in remembrance of Armistice Day - The day that marks the end of the First World War.
To commemorate the start of the two Minute Silence today, Big Ben will strike a total of 11 times at 11 am.
From that point on, the striking of the bells will permanently return.
A fitting end to a "Week of Remembrance"
The Elizabeth Tower where Big Ben lives will once again be illuminated with falling poppies in honor of Remembrance Sunday - the first since The Queen passed away.
Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle said the illumination to thank the Armed Forces for their service ‘was a fitting end to a “Week of Remembrance” in Parliament in a particularly sad and poignant year’.
"We in Parliament hope to do her late Majesty’s memory proud with a week of remembrance - from the planting of a constituency garden of remembrance in New Palace Yard, to Big Ben bonging for the two minutes’ silence at 11 o’clock and the falling poppy projection on the Elizabeth Tower."
Renovation work nearly complete
The exterior of the Elizabeth Tower is now complete, and the majority of the interior work is near completion.
Once the bells are back in service, the Ayrton Light will be reconnected, power supplies activated and fire safety works will be completed.
To ensure that works are completed to a satisfactory standard, the principal contractor will remain on site until December 2022 to assist in the handover to the teams delivering the visit offer.
Following the construction and testing of new exhibition spaces, workshops, and tour routes, Parliament anticipates welcoming its first guests back within the Elizabeth Tower in 2023.