Palace of Westminster

The Palace of Westminster stands beside the Thames in the City of Westminster. It houses the two chambers of the UK Parliament—the elected House of Commons and the appointed House of Lords—and is often called the Houses of Parliament. The great tower on its corner, Elizabeth Tower, holds the famous bell Big Ben and has become a symbol of London. The building has been a Grade I listed structure since 1970 and forms part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site created in 1987. It began as a royal residence in the 11th century before fire in 1512 drove the monarch to Whitehall. After a second fire in 1834 destroyed most of the palace, only Westminster Hall survived and was kept in the new design. The reconstruction after 1834 was won by Charles Barry, who chose a Gothic Revival style with help from Augustus Pugin. Barry’s classical training gave the plan its grand symmetry, while Pugin supplied the intricate Gothic detail. Work lasted thirty years, cost far more than planned, and claimed the lives of both architects before completion. The new palace provided separate chambers for the Lords and Commons, and a large floor area of over 112,000 square metres. Bombs during the Second World War damaged the Commons Chamber and gutted its roof, but Westminster Hall was saved again by fire crews prioritising the ancient hall. Inside, visitors find the ornate Commons Chamber rebuilt in a simpler style after 1945, and the richly decorated Lords Chamber completed in 1847. The great vaulted ceiling of Westminster Hall, dating from the 11th century, still spans the oldest part of the building. The palace also contains committee rooms, libraries, and the Speaker’s official residence. Outside, the Gothic Revival façade rises from the riverbank, its pinnacles and tracery reflecting the 19th-century design. The surrounding area includes the Norman Shaw Building and Portcullis House, added to house MPs’ offices.