London Big Ben to chime to mark end of WWI centenary year

Big Ben, one of the world's most famous bells, is to ring out Sunday to mark the end of the centenary of World War One.

The UK Parliament authorities said Thursday that, despite ongoing essential conservation works, the Elizabeth Tower's world famous Great Bell, better known as Big Ben, will strike on Sunday to commemorate those that died in the two world wars and later conflicts.

At precisely 11:00 GMT, Big Ben will sound 11 times, with a strike rate of 4.5 seconds, replicating the usual strike rate of the Great Clock.

At 12:30, Big Ben will strike a further 11 times, joining bells across Britain and worldwide to commemorate the centenary of the Armistice, marking the end of the war in 1918. That forms part of as a British government program for bells across the country to ring out in thanksgiving for the end of the war one hundred years ago.

A spokesperson at the Houses of Parliament said only Big Ben itself will strike, not the quarter bells which usually produce the 16 musical notes of the Westminster Chimes.

The Elizabeth Tower, one of London's most photographed attractions, is currently undergoing a complex program of conservation works to safeguard the 159-year-old iconic clock for generations to come.