The Houses of Parliament
|
The Palace of Westminster with 'Big
Ben' - St Stephen's Tower - on the right |
In the eleventh century the
original Palace of Westminster was built by Edward the Confessor, on the
banks of the River Thames. It remained one of the palaces of every
monarch until Henry VIII moved out after a fire, and has been the seat of
government more or less ever since. In 1834, the old palace was almost
completely devastated by another fire, leaving only Westminster Hall and
the Jewel Tower intact, and Sir Charles Barry and AWN Pugin were charged
with the rebuilding. They designed the fabulous Gothic Revival complex
that we see today, which is better known as The Houses of Parliament.
Anyone can go to watch the
business of the House of Commons and the House of Lords, which are open
to the public throughout the week, at different times of day. Just join
the queue outside St Stephen's Gate and, after passing through strict
security measures, you will be able to find a seat in one of the
Strangers' Galleries. In August and September, when parliament is not
sitting, guided tours of the complex are available.
St Stephen's Tower was built in
1858. It is commonly known as Big Ben, although this is actually the name
of the 13-tonne bell that chimes within it. The sound of Big Ben's chimes
is known throughout the world, and the tower is an instantly recognizable
London landmark. Perhaps the best views of the Houses of Parliament are
from the south side of the river and, at night, the floodlit towers and
spires look particularly romantic.
To get there, the nearest tube
station is Westminster, which is just across the road from the Houses of
Parliament.
