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LONDON, Feb. 7-- A pub in Liverpool on Friday joined an elite list of British cultural icons that includes Buckingham Palace, the Houses of Parliament and London's Tower Bridge. Britain's Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) awarded its Grade I listing accolade to the ornate Philharmonic public house in Liverpool. It has become the first purpose-built Victorian pub in England to be given the highest level of designation for a historic building. Historic England said 11 pubs have had their cultural listings updated and upgraded as part of a project to protect rare historic interiors. DCMS said the three-storey Philharmonic, regarded as a 'cathedral among pubs' for its opulence, was one of the most spectacular pubs to be completed at the end of the 19th century, known as the 'golden age' of pub building. It now joins the top 2.5 percent of protected historic buildings in England in a list that also includes its near neighbour, Liverpool's Anglican Cathedral. The official citation says the pub has been reassessed and upgraded to Grade I for its outstanding architectural quality and magnificent interior. "The exterior features elaborate carvings, Art Nouveau elements including metal gates and stone sculptures of musicians and musical instruments. The interior includes rich work in copper, mahogany, plaster and glass. Unusually, the gentlemen's toilet also survives from its original Victorian design and features high quality decoration." | 
