Palace of Westminster: History and Overview

Overview

• The Palace of Westminster is the meeting place of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
• It is located in London, England
• Commonly called the Houses of Parliament, referring to the House of Commons and the House of Lords
• It is a center of political life in the United Kingdom
• "Westminster" is a metonym for the UK Parliament and the British Government
• The Westminster system of government is named after the palace
• The Elizabeth Tower, nicknamed Big Ben, is a landmark of London and the United Kingdom
• The palace has been a Grade I listed building since 1970
• It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987

History

• Originally constructed in the eleventh century as a royal palace
• It was the primary residence of the kings of England until 1512, when a fire destroyed the royal apartments
• The monarch moved to the adjacent Palace of Whitehall
• The remainder of the palace continued to serve as the home of the Parliament of England, which had met there since the 13th century
• In 1834 a second, larger fire destroyed the majority of the palace
• The twelfth century Westminster Hall was saved and incorporated into the replacement building

Construction

• The competition to design the new palace was won by the architect Charles Barry
• Barry chose a Gothic Revival style for the building
• Construction started in 1840 and lasted for 30 years
• Construction suffered delays, cost overruns, and the deaths of Barry and his assistant, Augustus Pugin
• The palace contains chambers for the House of Commons, House of Lords, and the monarch
• It has a floor area of 112,476 m2 (1,210,680 sq ft)

Later history

• Extensive repairs had to be made after the Second World War, including rebuilding the destroyed Commons chamber
• The palace is in urgent need of major repairs

Explore the Palace of Westminster, the meeting place of the UK Parliament in London. Learn about its historical significance as a royal residence and its current role in British politics. Discover why it's a UNESCO World Heritage Site.