In this Aug 31, 2020 file photo, a couple walk across Westminster Bridge as the sun sets beside the Elizabeth Tower, known after the bell Big Ben and the Palace of Westminster, home to the Houses of Parliament in London. (TOLGA AKMEN / AFP)

LONDON - London's world-famous Big Ben clock tower is about to become visible for the first time in three years after a multi-million dollar face-lift project completed a critical phase, authorities at the Houses of Parliament announced Sunday.

The chiming clock in the Elizabeth Tower, one of the most photographed structures in the world, has been shrouded behind scaffolding and screens due to an intricate renovation work

The chiming clock in the Elizabeth Tower, one of the most photographed structures in the world, has been shrouded behind scaffolding and screens due to the intricate renovation work.

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Over the course of the next six weeks, the newly restored tower will slowly be revealed. An expert team of scaffolders will work to take down the metal scaffolding in the restricted space around the Tower.

"Three years after the structure was scaffolded, this is a significant moment in the timeline of this complex conservation project," said a spokesperson for the parliamentary estate.

In this June 28, 2016 file photo, a cyclist rides past the Elizabeth Tower, center, which houses the Big Ben bell in the Palace of Westminster in central London. (BEN STANSALL / AFP)

Lindsay Hoyle, speaker of the House of Commons, said: "Like everyone else, I have been looking forward to seeing the scaffolding come down on Elizabeth Tower, so the unveiling of the roof will be a memorable moment."

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Extensive work has restored both the inside and the outside of the Elizabeth Tower, including the 3,433 roof tiles and the spire with its intricate flowers, cross and orb. The conservation work addresses crucial problems in the tower, including crumbling stone and a leaky roof.

The tower's signature metal cross and orb, which sits 96 meters above ground level, has also been repaired, with a team of expert gilders spending weeks to ensure the ornate details match the original design from 1859.

The Big Ben tower is a focal point of the culturally-protected Palace of Westminster which forms a part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.