LONDON — Defiantly low-tech yet accurate to the second, Big Ben is having its 150th birthday Sunday, its Victorian chimes carrying the sound of Britain into the 21st century.
The peals of London’s favorite clock are carried globally by BBC radio, and its 315-foot tower is one of the city’s most famous landmarks.
But getting inside and seeing Big Ben isn’t easy. Security measures mean few are granted admission, and those who are escorted in must climb 334 winding limestone stairs.
Catherine Moss, who took journalists on a pre-anniversary tour, said that in one year as a Big Ben guide, she had climbed the height of Everest three times over.
No special events are planned, aside from an exhibition opening Sept. 19 in the nearby parliamentary offices.
by the associated press
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