Podcast
Questions and Answers
The Palace of Westminster is commonly known as what?
The Palace of Westminster is commonly known as what?
- Windsor Castle
- Houses of Parliament (correct)
- Tower of London
- Buckingham Palace
Which architectural style was chosen for the rebuilt Palace of Westminster after the 1834 fire?
Which architectural style was chosen for the rebuilt Palace of Westminster after the 1834 fire?
- Gothic Revival (correct)
- Baroque
- Neoclassical
- Art Deco
What is the name of the tower that houses the Great Clock?
What is the name of the tower that houses the Great Clock?
- Elizabeth Tower (correct)
- St Stephen's Tower
- Victoria Tower
- Central Tower
What material was primarily used to rebuild the Palace of Westminster?
What material was primarily used to rebuild the Palace of Westminster?
What is the main function of the Royal Gallery?
What is the main function of the Royal Gallery?
What is the Woolsack in the House of Lords?
What is the Woolsack in the House of Lords?
What is the Central Lobby known as?
What is the Central Lobby known as?
What is Westminster Hall primarily known for?
What is Westminster Hall primarily known for?
What is the function of Black Rod?
What is the function of Black Rod?
What feature of the Palace of Westminster is recognized worldwide?
What feature of the Palace of Westminster is recognized worldwide?
Flashcards
Palace of Westminster
Palace of Westminster
Meeting place of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, located in London.
Westminster
Westminster
Term referring to the UK Parliament and British Government, named after the Palace.
Big Ben
Big Ben
Nickname for the Elizabeth Tower, a prominent landmark of London.
Charles Barry
Charles Barry
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Augustus Pugin
Augustus Pugin
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Westminster Hall
Westminster Hall
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Hammerbeam roof
Hammerbeam roof
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Sovereign's Entrance
Sovereign's Entrance
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Robing Room
Robing Room
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Royal Gallery
Royal Gallery
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Study Notes
- The Palace of Westminster, located in London, England, serves as the meeting place for the Parliament of the United Kingdom.
- It is also known as the the Houses of Parliament after the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two legislative chambers within.
- "Westminster" is a metonym for the UK Parliament, the British Government, and the Westminster system of government.
- The Elizabeth Tower, nicknamed Big Ben, is a notable landmark of London and the UK.
- The palace has been a Grade I listed building since 1970 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987.
- Originally constructed in the 11th century as a royal palace, it served as the primary residence for English kings until a fire in 1512.
- The monarch relocated to the Palace of Whitehall, but the remainder of the palace continued housing the Parliament of England, which had convened there since the 13th century.
- A major fire in 1834 destroyed most of the palace, except for the 12th-century Westminster Hall, which was incorporated into the new building.
- Architect Charles Barry won the competition to design the replacement palace and chose a Gothic Revival style.
- Construction commenced in 1840 and lasted 30 years, facing delays, cost overruns, and the deaths of Barry and his assistant, Augustus Pugin.
- The palace includes chambers for the House of Commons, House of Lords, and the monarch, totaling a floor area of 112,476 m2 (1,210,680 sq ft).
- Following WWII, extensive repairs were necessary, including the reconstruction of the destroyed Commons chamber.
- Despite conservation efforts, the palace requires significant repairs.
- The "Model Parliament," considered England's first Parliament, convened at the palace in 1295.
- The palace initially lacked purpose-built chambers for the House of Commons and the House of Lords.
- The Commons adapted St Stephen's Chapel in the 16th century, while the Lords used the Painted Chamber and, from 1801, the White Chamber.
- From the 18th century, the palace underwent significant alterations.
- John Vardy completed new storage and committee rooms in 1770.
- A new official residence for the Speaker of the House of Commons was completed in 1795.
- James Wyatt completed significant alterations and a new building in 1801.
- Sir John Soane undertook the last alterations from 1824 to 1827, including new library facilities and law courts.
- On October 16, 1834, a fire originating from an overheated stove destroyed the House of Lords Chamber and most of the palace complex.
- Westminster Hall, the Jewel Tower, and parts of St Stephen's Chapel survived the fire.
- William IV offered Buckingham Palace to Parliament, but it was deemed unsuitable.
- The Painted Chamber and White Chamber were temporarily repaired, and plans were made for permanent accommodation.
- Charles Barry's Perpendicular Gothic Revival design was selected.
- Augustus Pugin assisted Barry with the Gothic details.
- The Lords Chamber was completed in 1847, and the Commons Chamber in 1852.
- Construction concluded a decade later around 1860.
- During WWII, the palace was bombed on 14 occasions.
- A bomb on September 26, 1940, damaged the statue of Richard the Lionheart, symbolizing democracy's resilience.
- The worst raid on May 10–11, 1941, resulted in at least twelve hits, three deaths, and the destruction of the Commons Chamber, while Westminster Hall was saved.
- The Commons Chamber was rebuilt in a simplified style, completed in 1950.
- Parliament acquired office space in the Norman Shaw Building (1975) and Portcullis House (2000).
- The palace was designated a Grade I listed building in 1970 and a World Heritage Site in 1987.
- Restoration work is urgently needed.
- In January 2018, the House of Commons voted to vacate the palace for a complete refurbishment, estimated to take at least six years, starting no sooner than 2025.
- The Restoration and Renewal Client Board was formed in September 2022 to oversee these works.
- Charles Barry's design incorporates the Perpendicular Gothic style with assistance from Augustus Pugin.
- Westminster Hall, built in the 11th century, was preserved in Barry's design.
- Pugin criticized the symmetrical layout, calling it "All Grecian, sir; Tudor details on a classic body".
- Anston limestone, from South Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire, was selected for the rebuilt palace.
- Transport was facilitated via the Chesterfield Canal, the North Sea, and the rivers Trent and Thames.
- The stone began to decay due to pollution and quality issues, becoming evident as early as 1849.
- Clipsham stone, a honey-colored limestone from Rutland, was used to replace the decayed Anston stone in the 1930s-1950s.
- Pollution caused further decay by the 1960s.
- A stone conservation and restoration program ran from 1981 to 1994.
- The Sovereign's Entrance, at the base of the Victoria Tower, is used by the monarch for state occasions.
- The 15 m (49 ft) high archway is adorned with sculptures, including statues of Saints George, Andrew, and Patrick, and Queen Victoria.
- The tower houses the Parliamentary Archives with 8.8 kilometres (5.5 mi) of steel shelves across 12 floors.
- Archives include Acts of Parliament since 1497, the Bill of Rights, and King Charles I's death warrant.
- A 22 m (72 ft) flagstaff atop the cast-iron pyramidal roof flies the Royal Standard when the Sovereign is present, otherwise the Union Flag.
- The Elizabeth Tower, commonly known as "Big Ben," is 96 metres (315 ft) tall.
- It was called the Clock Tower until 2012, when it was renamed to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II.
- Augustus Pugin designed the Clock Tower.
- The tower houses the Great Clock, built by Edward John Dent and designed by Edmund Beckett Denison.
- It is accurate to within a second and has been reliable since 1859.
- Four 7 metres (23 ft) diameter dials made of milk glass display the time.
- The hour hand is 2.7 metres (8 ft 10 in) long, and the minute hand is 4.3 metres (14 ft).
- The Central Tower, 91 metres (299 ft) tall, stands above the Central Lobby.
- Dr. David Boswell Reid insisted on its inclusion for ventilation purposes but ultimately failed to fulfill this purpose.
- St Stephen's Tower is located on the west front of the palace, housing the public entrance.
- Speaker's Tower and Chancellor's Tower are at the northern and southern ends of the river front.
- Speaker's Tower includes Speaker's House, the official residence of the Speaker of the Commons.
- Numerous turrets, built for ventilation, adorn the building's skyline.
- Victoria Tower Gardens is a public park south of the palace.
- Black Rod's Garden is a private entrance.
- Old Palace Yard is paved with concrete security blocks.
- Cromwell Green, New Palace Yard, and Speaker's Green are private.
- College Green, opposite the House of Lords, is used for television interviews.
- The Palace of Westminster contains over 1,100 rooms, 100 staircases, and 4.8 kilometres (3 mi) of passageways on four floors.
- The ground floor includes offices, dining rooms, and bars.
- The first floor houses the main rooms, including debating chambers, lobbies, and libraries.
- The top two floors contain committee rooms and offices.
- J. G. Crace collaborated with Pugin on interior designs and paintings.
- The building is rectangular, with its long axis parallel to the River Thames.
- The Central Lobby serves as the building's center, connecting the Commons Chamber, Lords Chamber, public entrance, Westminster Hall, committee rooms, and libraries.
- Royal Apartments are available for the monarch's use.
- Separate entrances exist for the monarch, members of the House of Lords and House of Commons, and the public.
- Members of the House of Lords use the Peers' Entrance in the middle of the Old Palace Yard façade, which opens to an entrance hall.
- Members of Parliament enter from the Members' Entrance in New Palace Yard.
- St Stephen's Entrance is the public entrance.
- The Sovereign's Entrance is beneath the Victoria Tower and leads to the Royal Apartments.
- A staircase leads to the Norman Porch, named for a never-completed decorative scheme.
- Stained glass windows depict Edward the Confessor and Queen Victoria, with busts of prime ministers on the plinths.
- The Robing Room, at the southern end of the palace, is where the Sovereign prepares for the State Opening of Parliament.
- The room features a chair of state and a marble fireplace with gilded statuettes.
- The room's decorative theme is the legend of King Arthur.
- Five frescoes by William Dyce depict allegorical scenes from the Arthurian legend, representing chivalric virtues.
- Eighteen bas-reliefs by Henry Hugh Armstead and a frieze display coats of arms of the Knights of the Round Table.
- During the Blitz, the Robing Room was briefly used as the House of Lords' meeting chamber.
- The Royal Gallery, measuring 33.5 by 13.7 metres (110 by 45 ft), is used for royal processions at State Openings of Parliament.
- It has also hosted visiting statesmen, receptions, and trials of peers.
- Documents from the Parliamentary Archives are displayed in the Royal Gallery.
- The Royal Gallery's decorative scheme showcases British military history, including two large paintings by Daniel Maclise.
- The murals have deteriorated, but a study of The Death of Nelson is in better condition at the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool.
- Eight statues of gilded Caen stone depict monarchs during key battles or wars.
- The panelled ceiling features Tudor roses and lions, and the stained-glass windows show the coats of arms of English and Scottish Kings.
- The Prince's Chamber, a small anteroom between the Royal Gallery and the Lords Chamber, is used for discussions among members of the Lords.
- The theme of the Prince's Chamber is Tudor history, with 28 oil portraits of the Tudor dynasty.
- Twelve bronze bas-reliefs by William Theed depict historical scenes, including The Field of the Cloth of Gold.
- Copies of six Armada tapestries depict the defeat of the Spanish Armada.
- The chamber includes a statue of Queen Victoria, seated on a throne and flanked by allegorical statues of Justice and Clemency.
- The Chamber of the House of Lords is located in the southern part of the Palace of Westminster, measuring 13.7 by 24.4 metres (45 by 80 ft).
- Furnishings are colored red.
- Stained glass windows and six allegorical frescoes decorate the upper part of the Chamber.
- The south end features the gold Canopy and Throne, used by the Sovereign only during the State Opening of Parliament.
- Other Royal Family members use Chairs of State, and peers' sons sit on the steps of the Throne.
- In front of the Throne is the Woolsack, a cushion stuffed with wool, used by the Lord Speaker.
- The House's mace is placed on the back of the Woolsack.
- The Judges' Woolsack is a cushion used by Law Lords and prospectively by Supreme Court Justices.
- The Table of the House is in front of the Woolsack.
- Government members sit on the Spiritual Side, while Opposition members sit on the Temporal Side.
- Lords Spiritual (archbishops and bishops) occupy the Spiritual Side.
- Lords Temporal (nobles) sit according to party affiliation.
- Some peers, without party affiliation, sit on the cross benches.
- The State Opening of Parliament is held formally each annual parliamentary session, and every element of the government is represented.
- The Sovereign delivers the Speech from the Throne, outlining the Government's programme.
- The Commons watch the proceedings from beyond the Bar of the House.
- A small ceremony ends each parliamentary session.
- Following the Blitz, the Lords' chamber was occupied by the Commons, with the Lords temporarily using the Robing Room.
- The Peers' Lobby, an antechamber north of the Lords Chamber, is used for informal discussions.
- The Lobby is a square room with a Tudor rose made of Derbyshire marbles as its floor centrepiece.
- The walls are faced with white stone and display arms representing royal dynasties.
- The doorway leading into the Lords Chamber is the most magnificent, enclosed by the Brass Gates.
- The side doors open into corridors, including the Law Lords Corridor and the Moses Room.
- The Peers' Corridor is decorated with murals by Charles West Cope depicting historical scenes from the English Civil War.
- The Central Lobby, named "Octagon Hall", is the heart of the Palace of Westminster.
- It lies directly below the Central Tower and connects the House of Lords, the House of Commons, St Stephen's Hall, the public entrance, the Lower Waiting Hall, and the libraries.
- The Lobby is described as "the political centre of the British Empire".
- Constituents may meet their Members of Parliament here, which inspired the term "lobbying".
- The hall is also the theatre of the Speaker's Procession.
- The Central Lobby features Venetian glass mosaic, heraldic badges, and statues of English and Scottish monarchs.
- It is also adorned with Minton encaustic tiles, including a passage from Psalm 127.
- The East Corridor leads from the Central Lobby to the Lower Waiting Hall, with panels depicting Tudor history.
- The Commons' Corridor mirrors the design of its southern counterpart and is decorated with scenes of 17th-century political history.
- Another antechamber, the Members' Lobby, is similar to the Peers' Lobby but plainer.
- After sustaining heavy damage in the 1941 bombing, it was rebuilt in a simplified style; the unrepaired archway of the door leading into the Commons Chamber is known as the Rubble Arch or Churchill Arch.
- The Lobby contains statues of 20th-century prime ministers and boards for messages.
- The Chamber of the House of Commons is at the northern end of the Palace of Westminster in 1950, and rebuilt under the architect Giles Gilbert Scott.
- The Victorian chamber was destroyed in 1941.
- The Chamber measures 14 by 20.7 metres (46 by 68 ft) and is plainer in style than the Lords Chamber.
- Furnishings are colored green.
- The public cannot sit on the benches.
- The green color scheme is mirrored in the design of other parliaments in Commonwealth nations.
- The Speaker's Chair, a gift from Australia, is at the north end.
- The Table of the House is where the clerks sit.
- The dispatch boxes are a gift from New Zealand.
- Members of the Government party occupy benches on the Speaker's right, while those of the Opposition occupy benches on the Speaker's left.
- There are no cross-benches.
- The Chamber accommodates only 427 of the 650 Members of Parliament.
- The British Sovereign does not enter the Chamber of the House of Commons.
- Charles I was the last monarch to do so, in 1642.
- The doors are slammed shut when Black Rod approaches to summon the MPs.
- Black Rod strikes the door three times with a staff to be admitted.
- King George VI opened it after repairs in 1950.
- Two red lines on the floor of the House of Commons are 2.5 metres (8 ft 2 in) apart said to be two sword lengths to prevent duels between MPs.
- Members of Parliament cannot cross these lines when speaking.
- Westminster Hall is a medieval great hall and is the oldest surviving palace building, erected in 1097 for William II.
- The building has served judicial purposes and hosts joint addresses to the two chambers of Parliament.
- It also hosted coronation banquets and serves as a venue for lyings in state and ceremonial funerals.
- The hall is notable for its hammerbeam roof, commissioned for Richard II in 1393 and built by Hugh Herland.
- The clearspan medieval roof measures 20.7 by 73.2 metres (68 by 240 ft).
- The oak timbers came from woods in South-East England and were assembled near Farnham, Surrey.
- Fifteen life-size statues of kings placed in niches as well as eighty-three unique depictions of Richard's favourite heraldic badge occurred during the hall renovations by Henry Yevele.
- Two suites of libraries overlook the river - House of Lords Library and House of Commons Library.
- The Speaker's official residence is at the northern end of the palace; the Lord Chancellor's apartments are at the southern end.
- The Speaker and Lord Speaker take part in formal processions to their respective Chambers each day.
- The Strangers' Bar and bars, cafeterias and restaurants are present in the Palace of Westminster.
- Also present is a a gymnasium, a hair salon, and (formerly) a rifle range.
- Parliament has two souvenir shops.
- Security is overseen by Black Rod for the House of Lords and the Serjeant at Arms for the House of Commons.
- The Parliamentary Security Director is responsible for the actual security.
- The palace retains its own professional security force.
- Only the Serjeant at Arms may enter the Commons chamber armed.
- Rising concern for attacks has resulted in concrete blocks to be placed in the roadway in 2003 to ward off vehicles full of explosives.
- A 70-metre (77 yd) exclusion zone exists in the river.
- The Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 formerly restricted protests near the palace but was replaced by the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011.
- There is a total ban on tents and sleeping bags in Parliament Square, as well as a prohibition on the use of loudspeakers in the Square without permission from the relevant local authority.
- Metal detectors are present and use to scan visitors .
- The Palace of Westminster Division of the Metropolitan Police and the Diplomatic Protection Group work in and around the palace.
- Roman Catholic gentry conspired to re-establish Catholicism in England by assassinating King James I in the Gunpowder Plot of 1605.
- The conspirators placed gunpowder the House of Lord set to be detonated during State Opening.
- The plot was discovered with some of the conspirators tortured in the Tower of London..
- Cells of the palace have been searched before every State Opening for similar plots since.
- Sir Walter Raleigh was executed in 1618.
- Spencer Perceval was assassinated in 1812.
- The New Palace was bombed by Fenians in 1885.
- A Provisional IRA bomb exploded in Westminster Hall in 1974.
- Airey Neave was killed by a car bomb in 1979.
- Incidents of politically motivated "direct action" have occurred, including tear gas being thrown into the Chamber in 1970.
- A glass screen was installed across the Strangers' Gallery in 2004.
- Protesters from Fathers 4 Justice attacked Prime Minister Tony Blair with flour bombs in 2004.
- Subsequent security measures have been put in place.
- Protesters disrupted the proceedings of the House of Commons in September 2004 during a debate about fox hunting.
- The House of Lords was targeted by protesters in February 1988, during the debate of Clause 28 of the Local Government Bill.
- Greenpeace members scaled Clock Tower in March 2004 to protest the Iraq War.
- Greenpeace protestors raised banners against the British government's plans to update the Trident nuclear programme in March 2007.
- Plane Stupid campaigners demonstrated on the roof against the proposed expansion of Heathrow Airport in February 2008.
- Greenpeace activists climbed to the roof of Westminster Hall to call for the adoption of policies combating climate change in October 2009.
- An Islamist terror attack occurred in March 2017.
- There was another attack in August 2018.
- Extinction Rebellion protesters stripped during Brexit debate and glued themselves to the handrail and glass screen with their buttocks facing the Commons Chamber in April 2019.
- Numerous fires took place on the Palace of Westminster site during 2018 and 2019
- In 2022, a man jumped the queue and remove flag draped over Queen Elizabeth's coffin who was lying-in-state in the hall.
- Smoking has not been allowed in the chamber of the House of Commons since the 17th century, allowing Members to take snuff instead.
- Smoking has not been permitted anywhere inside the palace since 2005.
- Members may not eat or drink in the chamber, besides the Chancellor of the Exchequer during the Budget statement, traditionally an alcoholic beverage.
- Formal attire and business-like clothing are expected.
- Hats must not be worn, and military decorations or insignia are prohibited.
- Members are not allowed to have their hands in their pockets.
- Only guide dogs, police dogs and police horses are allowed in the Palace of Westminster.
- Speeches may not be read out, and newspapers and visual aids are not allowed
- Applause is normally not allowed, but it has been tolerated in certain cases.
- The status of the building as a royal palace raises legal questions regarding arrests.
- Claude Monet painted a series of canvases depicting the Palace of Westminster under various lighting conditions.
- The exterior of the Palace of Westminster—especially the Elizabeth Tower and its setting on the River Thames are world famous.
- Tsar Nicholas I called it "a dream in stone".
- UNESCO classifies it along with Westminster Abbey and St Margaret's, as a World Heritage Site.
- Admission is possible through tickets from an MP or Lord, queueing for admission, or visiting the Parliamentary Archives.
- Guided tours are available to UK residents and paid-for tours are available to both UK.
- Tours of the Elizabeth Tower were suspended until 2021.
- Architectural historian Dan Cruickshank selected the palace as one of his five choices for the BBC television documentary series Britain's Best Buildings in 2006.
- The nearest London Underground station is Westminster, on the District, Circle and Jubilee lines.
- Parliament organized "Parliament in the Making" in 2015.
- The BBC held "Democracy Day" in partnership with the Speaker's Office of the House of Commons.
- The United Kingdom of Ireland included all of Ireland until the Irish Free State 's creation in 1922.
- There are decorative references to Ireland throughout the Palace of Westminster, including symbols like the Irish harp and the shamrock.
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