Big Ben is being vilified by tourists on TripAdvisor who would prefer the clock to be digital and easier to read – as online critics dismiss the neo-Gothic architecture as 'middle'

It may be one of Britain's most iconic landmarks, but for many would-be tourists, Big Ben is a big disappointment.

The beloved clock tower has more than 32,000 reviews on TripAdvisor, and while the attraction has amassed more than 19,000 five-star reviews, the attraction has a legion of haters.

Some 764 people have taken to the travel website to give Big Ben a 'terrible' 1-star review and give their constructive criticism.

The most recent skeptic, Leo N, visited in September 2023, but spent two months carefully crafting his feedback and finally posted his thoughts in November.

The review read: 'Basically just a big clock…Nothing special could just go to my grandma's house and see a clock except Big Ben's which is 10x bigger (where did Big Ben get its name btw from?)'

Disgruntled visitors on Tripadvisor have complained about everything from the architecture to the location and the abundance of pigeons

The Great Clock has stood proudly on the River Thames since the mid-19th century, but even that doesn't make it immune to criticism

Laird Cook had traveled all the way from Inverness, Scotland to see Big Ben, but was bitterly disappointed by the popular attraction.

Treating the 19th century building as merely a time-keeping tool was a recurring theme among disgruntled visitors, with Trojan P advising readers in June 2023 to 'just look at your wristwatch' instead.

Daniel B made a similar comment, boasting that his Apple Watch was much better than Big Ben because it could measure his heart rate, which the monument at the Palace of Westminster failed miserably.

He added, “Upgrade the bell so a coo-coo bird comes out every hour, or change the bell sound to 50 Cent.”

Laird Cook had traveled all the way from Inverness in Scotland to see Big Ben, or rather Elizabeth Tower, as Big Ben is the name of the bell inside, but was bitterly disappointed by the popular attraction.

He said: 'Big Ben, a large bell tower attached to the Houses of Parliament, sounds every now and then… if you want to see Big Ben look it up on the internet, it looks much better without the crowds of tourists with selfie sticks!

“I could use some birds of prey to kill the pigeons!”

And Ferdie G simply dismissed the building's typical neo-Gothic architecture as 'middle', adding that it would be 'better if it was digital'. [it is] quite difficult to read'.

Some 764 people have taken to the travel website to give Big Ben a 'terrible' 1-star review and give their constructive criticism

Big Ben underwent an £80 million five-year restoration plan between 2017 and 2022, and the presence of scaffolding and teams of builders ruined the aesthetics of hundreds of visitors to London during this time.

Aimee T visited the building before the works, in May 2014, and felt little changed by the height of the bell tower.

“So last week I went to see the famous 'Big Ben,'” she said. “Let me tell you, we need to rename it Medium Ben. I've seen bigger Lego towers! Will return when they build it higher.'

Big Ben has made many appearances in popular culture, including the 2005 futuristic thriller V for Vendetta, in which Parliament is destroyed in the film's final act.

Iliya M hated the monument so much that he wished the ending of the movie was real.

He said: 'Absolutely awful, I would never go again. I'm glad they blew it up in V for Vendetta.

Big Ben underwent an £80 million restoration plan (pictured) over five years between 2017 and 2022, and the presence of scaffolding and teams of builders ruined the aesthetics of hundreds of visitors to London during this time

Everyone may call the iconic structure Big Ben, but it's actually called the Elizabeth Tower – Big Ben is the hidden bell in the building (photo: the bell and Lindsay Hoyle, Speaker of the House of Commons)

Big Ben has made many appearances in popular culture, including the 2005 futuristic thriller V for Vendetta (pictured), in which Parliament is destroyed in the film's final act.

The building's location, with stunning views of the Thames, Westminster Bridge and the London Eye, is one of the main reasons why tourists from all over the world come to see the great clock, but Josh found the banks of the river to be just that too close. comfort

Daniel B said: 'Upgrade the chime so that a coo-coo bird comes out every hour, or change the chime to 50 Cent'

The harsh critic suggested that his smartwatch was a lot better than Big Ben because, unlike the old-fashioned tower, it could measure his heart rate

“It's just a big clock and the whole experience made me uneasy.”

The building's location, with stunning views of the Thames, Westminster Bridge and the London Eye, is one of the main reasons why tourists from all over the world come to see the great clock, but Josh found the banks of the river to be just that too close. comfort.

“Beautiful clock, but I fell into the river looking at the tower and fell over the edge into the freezing Thames,” he said.