How high is that climb?

62 m, about 203 ft, which averages 186 mm per step.

How many steps to the top of Elizabeth Tower (Big Ben)?

Steps to the top of Elizabeth Tower (Big Ben)

334

Reaching the belfry, where the Great Bell hangs · restricted — events or permit only

Big Ben is the bell, not the tower — the tower has been the Elizabeth Tower since 2012 and was previously just the Clock Tower. The 334 steps of the spiral stair are the only way up; there is a lift, installed during the 2017-21 restoration, but it is for emergencies and staff. Tours are ticketed, run in small groups and were opened to overseas visitors in 2023 after decades of being limited to UK residents through an MP. The climb includes a pause inside the clock mechanism room, which is the part most people remember.

The numbers

Steps: 334
Reaches: the belfry, where the Great Bell hangs
Public access: Restricted — events or permit only
Where: London, United Kingdom
Height climbed: 62 m — 203 ft
Average rise per step: 186 mm

What the climb is like

About 90 minutes for the full tour. Booked well ahead; no lift, and a minimum age applies.

These steps are not open on an ordinary visit. Access is limited to organised events, races or permit holders.

Published counts for the same structure routinely disagree by five to ten per cent, and nearly always for one of three reasons: whether intermediate landings count as steps, whether the final platform step counts, and where the climb is deemed to start. The figure here says what it reaches.

How it compares

Only the ones marked open to climb can actually be walked.

United States Capitol dome 365 steps

Mont-Saint-Michel Abbey 350 steps

Wat Saket (the Golden Mount) 344 steps

Elizabeth Tower (Big Ben) 334 steps

Washington National Cathedral central tower 333 steps

Strasbourg Cathedral 332 steps

The Monument to the Great Fire of London 311 steps

Elizabeth Tower (Big Ben) ranks 37 of 56 here by step count.
Structure	Steps	Reaches	Access
United States Capitol dome	365	the top of the dome — staff-escorted tours only	Not climbable by the public
Mont-Saint-Michel Abbey	350	the abbey church and the west terrace, from the village entrance	Open to climb
Wat Saket (the Golden Mount)	344	the golden chedi at the top of the artificial hill, at 58 m	Open to climb
Elizabeth Tower (Big Ben)	334	the belfry, where the Great Bell hangs	Restricted — events or permit only
Washington National Cathedral central tower	333	the top of the Gloria in Excelsis tower, the highest point in the city	Restricted — events or permit only
Strasbourg Cathedral	332	the platform at 66 m, at the base of the spire	Open to climb
The Monument to the Great Fire of London	311	the viewing platform below the gilded urn, at 48 m	Open to climb

Common questions

How many steps to the top of Elizabeth Tower (Big Ben)?: 334, reaching the belfry, where the Great Bell hangs.
Can the public climb Elizabeth Tower (Big Ben)?: Restricted — events or permit only. About 90 minutes for the full tour. Booked well ahead; no lift, and a minimum age applies.
How high is that climb?: 62 m, about 203 ft, which averages 186 mm per step.

Cathedrals and churches All 19 here
How many steps up Leaning Tower of Pisa? 251 steps · open to climb
How many steps up St Peter's Basilica dome? 551 steps · open to climb
How many steps up St Paul's Cathedral? 528 steps · open to climb
How many steps up Brunelleschi's Dome, Florence Cathedral? 463 steps · open to climb
How many steps up Notre-Dame de Paris towers? 422 steps · restricted — events or permit only
How many steps up Sagrada Família towers? 400 steps · restricted — events or permit only
How many steps up Cologne Cathedral south tower? 533 steps · open to climb
How many steps up Milan Cathedral rooftop? 251 steps · open to climb

Sources

Official vendor product documentation — At One Place

How these figures are compiled and checked