The British Parliament celebrated the 160th anniversary of the bell of his famous clock Big Ben, but the famous bell will not be used to celebrate the occasion because the clock tower is in the middle of a major restoration.
Because of the project, the 96-meter-tall Elizabeth Tower, one of the most photographed in Britain, has been covered with scaffolding to re-polish its four-hour facades, paint the iron parts, and clean and restore the beautifully carved stone façade.
The restoration program, the largest ever of the tower, included the removal of the 3433-meter iron ceiling for restoration.
The Big Ben, which weighs 13.7 tons, will remain in place during the restoration work, which began in 2017 and is due to end in 2021. It has been cut only a little to celebrate important events, such as New Year's celebrations.