Westminster Palace
Palace of Westminster is one of the symbols of London, the place where the country’s government sits. It is located on the banks of the River Thames in the London borough of Westminster. In 1987, the palace was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
General information
The Palace of Westminster has 1,200 rooms, 100 staircases and 5 kilometers of corridors. Anyone can watch the House of Commons and House of Lords in action – the Houses of Parliament are open all week at various times of the day. Join the queue at St. Stephen’s Gate and, after passing a few security checkpoints, you can find yourself on the visitors’ gallery.
.In August and September, when Parliament is not in session, you can take a guided tour of the entire building.
.Of the palace towers, the most famous is the clock tower Elizabeth Tower, most commonly referred to as Big Ben, although this is actually the name of the 13-ton bell ringing the chime system. Big Ben is world famous and the tower is a recognized symbol of London. Perhaps the best way to view the Houses of Parliament is from the south side, from the river, and at night the illuminated towers and spires look uncommonly romantic.
.History
In the 11th century, Edward the Confessor built the first Palace of Westminster on the banks of the Thames. All the monarchs lived here until Henry VIII, who had to move out of Westminster after a fire. Parliament has been housed here ever since. In 1834 the old palace burned down again almost completely, only the Palace Hall and Jewel Tower remained. After the fire it was decided to rebuild the complex and as a result the building took its present form with the famous Gothic spires.
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