Westminster Palace - Houses of
Parliament
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Westminster Palace
Located on the north back of
the River Thames is the Westminster Palace,
also known as the Houses
of Parliament. Serving as
the meeting point of the House of Lords and
the House of Commons, the Westminster Palace
erected in the 19th century, with the
Westminster Hall and the Jewel Tower as
the only remaining original
structures, as the rest was devastated by a
fire in 1834.This London tourist attraction
is composed of 1,100 rooms, 100 staircases
and three miles of corridors.
The Palace was formerly ruled by the Lord
Great Chamberlain, but in 1965 the control
was
transferred to the two
houses. The Lord Great Chamberlain still
holds some of the ceremonial rooms.
Westminster Palace’s exterior embodies a
Gothic architecture, designed by classical
architect Sir Charles Barry with Augustus
Pugin's assistance. The stonework was
initially made from Anston but was replaced
by Clipham Stone in 1928 when the Anston
started decaying. It is popular for its
towers: Victoria Tower, Central Tower, the
Big Ben or Clock Tower, St. Stephen’s Tower.
Other towers include Speaker's and
Chancellor's Towers.
The Palace has its galleries and debates
open to the public. In fact, the best time
to visit the Palace is during the Prime
Minister’s Question Time every Wednesday
afternoon, although booking a ticket through
the embassy is necessary.
