Once Refurbished, Big Ben's Bells Will Ring This New Year's Eve

LONDON - Big Ben's new-looking bell tower will ring during New Year's Eve celebrations.

The sound of the chimes marked the start of 2020 for the first time since being restored in August 2017.

For the past two years, Big Ben's bell tower has been surrounded by scaffolding (a temporary structure used for support).

The 13.7 tonne iron bell was repainted and the intricate stone carvings cleaned and repaired.

In March, part of the scaffolding was removed, revealing the numbers and hands that were once black had been repainted blue, true to what scientists said were the original colors.

The British government has been carrying out restoration work on the 96-meter-high Elizabeth Tower (the official name for Big Ben Clock Tower), one of the most photographed buildings in the UK, since August 2017.The restoration project, worth $ 5.2 billion, is scheduled to be completed in 2021.

Since the restoration project began in 2017, the bells have been silent and only heard for important occasions. Lastly, the bell rings on the day to commemorate the heroes or Remembrance Day on November 11.