Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is the common name for the Palace of Westminster, referring to its two legislative chambers?
What is the common name for the Palace of Westminster, referring to its two legislative chambers?
- Whitehall Palace
- Westminster Abbey
- Houses of Parliament (correct)
- Buckingham Palace
What is the Palace of Westminster a metonym for?
What is the Palace of Westminster a metonym for?
- The City of London
- The Church of England
- The monarchy
- The UK Parliament and British Government (correct)
The Elizabeth Tower of the Palace of Westminster is nicknamed what?
The Elizabeth Tower of the Palace of Westminster is nicknamed what?
- Little Tom
- Victoria Tower
- Big Ben (correct)
- Queen Anne's Tower
In what year was the Palace of Westminster designated as a Grade I listed building?
In what year was the Palace of Westminster designated as a Grade I listed building?
Until what year was the Palace of Westminster the primary residence of the kings of England?
Until what year was the Palace of Westminster the primary residence of the kings of England?
What architectural style did Charles Barry choose for the rebuilt Palace of Westminster?
What architectural style did Charles Barry choose for the rebuilt Palace of Westminster?
In what year did a major fire destroy a large portion of the Palace of Westminster?
In what year did a major fire destroy a large portion of the Palace of Westminster?
Which hall within the Palace of Westminster survived the fire of 1834?
Which hall within the Palace of Westminster survived the fire of 1834?
Name the material that the Palace of Westminster was rebuilt using.
Name the material that the Palace of Westminster was rebuilt using.
What is the name of the hall where the predecessor of Parliament, the Curia Regis, once met?
What is the name of the hall where the predecessor of Parliament, the Curia Regis, once met?
Flashcards
Big Ben
Big Ben
Nickname for the Elizabeth Tower of the Palace of Westminster, a prominent London landmark.
Gothic Revival
Gothic Revival
The prevailing architectural style of the Palace of Westminster, characterized by pointed arches and intricate details.
Westminster Hall
Westminster Hall
The main hall of the Palace of Westminster, known for its impressive hammerbeam roof, built in 1097 for William II.
Robing Room
Robing Room
Signup and view all the flashcards
Royal Gallery
Royal Gallery
Signup and view all the flashcards
House of Lords Chamber
House of Lords Chamber
Signup and view all the flashcards
Prince's Chamber
Prince's Chamber
Signup and view all the flashcards
Peers' Lobby
Peers' Lobby
Signup and view all the flashcards
Central Lobby
Central Lobby
Signup and view all the flashcards
House of Commons Chamber
House of Commons Chamber
Signup and view all the flashcards
Study Notes
- The Palace of Westminster, located in London, England, serves as the meeting place for the Parliament of the United Kingdom.
- It is commonly referred to as the Houses of Parliament, named after the House of Commons and the House of Lords, both legislative chambers within the building.
- "Westminster" serves as a metonym for the UK Parliament and the British Government.
- The Westminster system of government gets its name from the Palace.
- The Elizabeth Tower, often called Big Ben, stands as a recognizable landmark of London and the United Kingdom.
- Since 1970, the Palace has been recognized as a Grade I listed building.
- Since 1987, the Palace has been part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Originally built in the eleventh century as a royal palace, it served as the primary home for English kings until a fire in 1512 destroyed the royal apartments.
- The monarch relocated to Whitehall Palace, but the remaining parts of the Palace continued to serve as the home of the Parliament of England, where it had been meeting since the 13th century.
- In 1834, a major fire devastated the majority of the Palace, but Westminster Hall, built in the twelfth century, was preserved and integrated into the rebuilt structure.
- Charles Barry won the competition to design the new palace, and selected a Gothic Revival style for the building.
- Construction commenced in 1840 and lasted for 30 years, dealing with interruptions, budget issues, and the deaths of Barry and his assistant, Augustus Pugin.
- The Palace houses chambers for the House of Commons, House of Lords, and the monarch.
- The Palace has a floor area of 112, 476 m2 (1, 210, 680 sq ft).
- Following the Second World War, comprehensive restoration work was required, which included the reconstruction of the Commons chamber.
- The Curia Regis, the predecessor of Parliament, convened in Westminster Hall when the king was present.
- The "Model Parliament," viewed as England's first Parliament, gathered at the Palace in 1295.
- Medieval Parliaments of England used the Palace frequently, and it evolved into the body's permanent location.
- The Palace lacked dedicated chambers for the House of Commons and House of Lords, instead using the existing large gathering spaces.
- In the sixteenth century, the Commons adapted St Stephen's Chapel for its sessions, while the Lords made use of the Painted Chamber and, from 1801, the White Chamber.
- Parliament made significant changes from the 18th century onward, as it tried to carry out its work in the limited space.
- These modifications encompassed new storage and committee rooms designed by John Vardy and completed in 1770.
- A new official residence for the Speaker of the House of Commons was completed in 1795.
- Extensive alterations and a new building were completed by James Wyatt in 1801.
- Between 1824 and 1827, Sir John Soane oversaw the last alterations which included new library facilities for both Houses of Parliament and new law courts for the Chancery and King's Bench.
- On 16 October 1834, a fire began in the Palace after an overheated stove, used to get rid of the Exchequer's stockpile of tally sticks, ignited the House of Lords Chamber.
- Both Houses of Parliament were destroyed, as were the other buildings in the palace complex.
- Westminster Hall was saved because of firefighting efforts and a shift in wind direction.
- The Jewel Tower and the undercroft, cloisters, and chapter house of St Stephen's Chapel were the only other parts of the Palace to survive.
- William IV suggested that the nearly finished Buckingham Palace should go to Parliament.
- The Painted Chamber and White Chamber were quickly repaired for temporary use.
- In 1835, the King allowed Parliament to make "plans for [its] permanent accommodation".
- Charles Barry's Perpendicular Gothic Revival design was selected.
- Barry depended on Augustus Pugin to design specifics.
- The Lords Chamber was finished in 1847, and the Commons Chamber in 1852.
- Construction had been carried out by 1860, and was finished a decade afterward.
- The palace was struck by bombs on fourteen occasions during the Second World War.
- On 26 September 1940, a bomb lifted the statue of Richard the Lionheart from its pedestal and bent its sword.
- On the night of 10–11 May 1941, the Palace took at least twelve hits and three people were killed.
- The Commons Chamber and the roof of Westminster Hall were set alight.
- The hall was prioritized, while the chamber was destroyed.
- The Lords Chamber and Clock Tower were damaged in the same raid.
- The Commons Chamber was reconstructed in a simplified style after the war, and finished in 1950.
- Parliament obtained office space in the Norman Shaw Building in 1975 and in the custom-built Portcullis House, completed in 2000.
- The building was designated a Grade I listed building in 1970 and a World Heritage Site in 1987.
- In January 2018, the House of Commons voted for both houses to vacate the palace to allow for a complete refurbishment.
- In September 2022, the Restoration and Renewal Client Board was formed to oversee the necessary works.
- Charles Barry's collaborative design for the Palace of Westminster uses the Perpendicular Gothic style, which was popular during the 15th century.
- Barry was a classical architect, but he was aided by the Gothic architect Augustus Pugin.
- Westminster Hall, which was built in the 11th century and survived the fire of 1834, was incorporated in Barry's design.
- Barry selected Anston, a sand-colored magnesian limestone quarried in the villages of Anston, South Yorkshire, and Mansfield Woodhouse, Nottinghamshire.
- Two quarries were chosen from a list of 102, with the majority of the stone coming from Anston.
- Barry's new Palace of Westminster was rebuilt using the sandy-colored Anston limestone.
- Clipsham stone, a honey-colored limestone from Rutland, was used to replace the decayed Anston.
- A stone conservation and restoration program to the external elevations and towers began in 1981 and ended in 1994.
- At base of the tower is the Sovereign's Entrance, used by the monarch to open Parliament or for other state occasions.
- The Sovereign's Entrance includes statues of Saints George, Andrew and Patrick, and Queen Victoria.
- The main body of the tower houses the Parliamentary Archives in 8. 8 kilometers (5. 5 mi) of steel shelves spread over 12 floors.
- The archives include the master copies of all Acts of Parliament since 1497 and important manuscripts such as the original Bill of Rights and the death warrant of King Charles I.
- At the top of the cast-iron pyramidal roof is a 22 m (72 ft) flagstaff, from which flies the Royal Standard when the Sovereign is present in the palace.
- At the north end of the Palace is the Elizabeth Tower, known by the nickname "Big Ben".
- At 96 metres (315 ft) it is shorter than the Victoria Tower.
- It was called the Clock Tower until 2012, when it was renamed to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II.
- The Clock Tower was designed by Augustus Pugin and built after his death.
- The tower houses the Great Clock, which uses the original mechanism built by Edward John Dent.
- The Clock has four dials 7 metres (23 ft) in diameter, made of milk glass.
- The hour hand is 2. 7 metres (8 ft 10 in) long and the minute hand 4. 3 metres (14 ft).
- At 91 metres (299 ft), the octagonal Central Tower stands over the middle of the building, above the Central Lobby.
- It was added to the plans on the insistence of Dr. David Boswell Reid, who was in charge of the ventilation.
- Some features of the palace of Westminster are known as towers, such as St Stephen's Tower, Speaker's Tower, and Chancellor's Tower.
- St Stephen's Tower houses the public entrance to the palace.
- The pavilions at the northern and southern ends of the river front are called Speaker's Tower and Chancellor's Tower.
- Speaker's Tower contains Speaker's House, the official residence of the Speaker of the Commons.
- Numerous turrets enliven the building's skyline, which mask ventilation shafts.
- There are a number of small gardens surrounding the Palace of Westminster.
- Victoria Tower Gardens is open as a public park along the side of the river south of the palace.
- Black Rod's Garden is closed to the public and is used as a private entrance.
- Old Palace Yard, in front of the Palace, is paved over and covered in concrete security blocks.
- College Green, opposite the House of Lords, is commonly used for television interviews with politicians.
- The Palace of Westminster contains passageways, which are spread over four floors.
- The ground floor has offices, dining rooms and bars.
- The first floor houses the main rooms of the palace, including the debating chambers, the lobbies and the libraries.
- The top two floors are used as committee rooms and offices.
- Some of the interiors were designed and painted by J. G. Crace.
- The building is planned around the Central Lobby.
- A suite of rooms known as the Royal Apartments are available for the monarch, located beyond the Lords Chamber.
- The Palace has separate entrances for its different users: the monarch, members of the House of Lords, members of Parliament and the public.
- The Sovereign's Entrance is at the base of the Victoria Tower in the south-west corner of the Palace, and leads directly to the Royal Apartments.
- 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 the south side of New Palace Yard.
- St Stephen's Entrance, in the approximate centre of the building's western front, is the public entrance.
- From the Sovereign's Entrance, a staircase leads to the Norman Porch.
- The Robing Room lies at the southern end of the Palace's north-south axis, and occupies the centre of the south front, overlooking Victoria Tower Gardens.
- A panel of purple velvet forms the backdrop to the chair, embroidered by the Royal School of Needlework with the royal arms, surrounded by stars and VR monograms.
- The theme of the room is the legend of King Arthur.
- The frescoes painted by William Dyce depict allegorical scenes from the legend.
- Immediately north of the Robing Room is the Royal Gallery.
- Its main purpose is to serve as the stage of the royal procession at State Openings of Parliament, which the audience watch from temporary tiered seating on both sides of the route.
- The Royal Gallery has been used by visiting statesmen from abroad to address both Houses of Parliament.
- The decorative scheme of the Royal Gallery was meant to display important moments in British military history.
- The walls are decorated by two large paintings by Daniel Maclise: The Death of Nelson and The Meeting of Wellington and Blücher after the Battle of Waterloo.
- The Prince's Chamber is a anteroom between the Royal Gallery and the Lords Chamber.
- Several doors lead out of the room, to the division lobbies of the House of Lords and to a number of important offices.
- The theme of the Prince's Chamber is Tudor history.
- Above the portraits, at window level, are copies of six of the ten Armada tapestries, which hung in the chamber of the House of Lords until their destruction in the 1834 fire.
- The Chamber of the House of Lords is located in the southern part of the Palace of Westminster.
- Furnishings are coloured red.
- The upper part of the Chamber is decorated by stained glass windows and by six allegorical frescoes representing religion, chivalry and law.
- At the south end of the Chamber are the ornate gold Canopy and Throne.
- In front of the Throne is the Woolsack, an armless red cushion stuffed with wool.
- The Table of the House, at which the clerks sit, is in front.
- The Sovereign, seated on the Throne, delivers the Speech from the Throne, outlining the Government's program for the year.
- Directly north of the Lords Chamber lies the Peers' Lobby, an antechamber where Lords can informally discuss business during sittings of the House.
- One of its main features is the floor centrepiece, a radiant Tudor rose made of Derbyshire marbles and set within an octagon of engraved brass plates.
- The walls are faced with white stone, above the arches are displayed arms representing the six royal dynasties which ruled England until Queen Victoria's reign, and stained-glass windows.
- The door to the south leads into the Lords Chamber.
- To the east extends the Law Lords Corridor, which leads to the libraries, and nearby to the west lies the Moses Room, used for Grand Committees.
- To the north is the Peers' Corridor, which is decorated with eight murals by Charles West Cope depicting historical scenes from the period around the English Civil War.
- The Central Lobby is the heart of the Palace of Westminster.
- It lies directly below the Central Tower and forms a crossroads between the House of Lords to the south, the House of Commons to the north, St Stephen's Hall and the public entrance to the west, and the Lower Waiting Hall and the libraries to the east.
- Constituents meet their Members of Parliament here, even without an appointment, and is the origin of the term lobbying.
- The hall is also the theater of the Speaker's Procession.
- Each wall of the Lobby is contained in an arch ornamented with statues of English and Scottish monarchs.
- The tympana above them are adorned with mosaics representing the patron saints of the United Kingdom's constituent nations.
- The East Corridor leads from the Central Lobby to the Lower Waiting Hall.
- Continuing north from the Central Lobby is the Commons' Corridor.
- Then, mirroring the arrangement at the Lords part of the Palace, is the Members' Lobby.
- After the damage sustained in the 1941 bombing, it was rebuilt in a simplified style.
- The Chamber of the House of Commons is at the northern end of the Palace of Westminster.
- The Victorian chamber had been destroyed in 1941 and re-built under the architect Giles Gilbert Scott and opened in 1950.
- The furnishings are colored green.
- At the north end of the Chamber is the Speaker's Chair.
- In front of the Speaker's Chair is the Table of the House, at which the clerks sit, and on which is placed the Commons' ceremonial mace.
- There are green benches on either side of the House; members of the Government party occupy benches on the Speaker's right, while those of the Opposition occupy benches on the Speaker's left.
- The British Sovereign does not enter the Chamber of the House of Commons.
- The Chamber is relatively small, accommodating 427/650 MPs.
- The two red lines on the floor of the House of Commons are 2. 5 metres (8 ft 2 in) apart.
- Westminster Hall is a medieval great hall and the oldest surviving palace building.
- It was erected in 1097 for William II ("William Rufus").
- The building has had various functions over the years, including being used for judicial purposes from the twelfth to the nineteenth centuries.
- The hall is on rare occasions the venue to give an address to the two chambers of the UK Parliament.
- The oak timbers came from woods in South-East England and were assembled near Farnham, Surrey, 56 kilometres (35 mi) away from Westminster.
- There are two suites of libraries on the first floor, for the House of Lords Library and House of Commons Library.
- Each day, the Speaker and Lord Speaker take part in formal processions from their apartments to their respective Chambers.
- The Strangers' Bar is one of the numerous bars, cafeterias and restaurants in the Palace of Westminster, with differing rules regarding who is allowed to use their facilities.
- There is also a gymnasium, a hair salon and 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.
- Tradition still dictates that only the Serjeant at Arms may enter the Commons chamber armed.
- On the river, an exclusion zone extending 70 metres (77 yd) from the bank exists.
- Members of the public continue to have access to the Strangers' Gallery in the House of Commons.
- The cellars of the palace have been searched by the Yeomen of the Guard before every State Opening of Parliament.
- The New the target of Fenian bombs on 24 January 1885, along with the Tower of London
- On 17 June 1974, a 9-kilogram (20 lb) bomb planted by the Provisional IRA exploded in Westminster Hall.
- Airey Neave was killed by a car bomb on 30 March 1979, While driving out of the Commons car park.
- In July 1970, a man in the Strangers' Gallery threw tear gas into the Chamber.
- In 1978, activist Yana Mintoff and another dissident threw bags of horse manure.
- Early in the morning of 20 March 2004, two Greenpeace members scaled the Clock Tower to demonstrate against the Iraq War.
- On 22 March 2017 an Islamist terror attack was carried out in which a man stabbed a police officer after ploughing into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge.
- In 2022, the body of Queen Elizabeth was left inside the hall for people to pay their respects.
- Smoking has not been allowed in the chamber of the House of Commons since the 17th century.
- Members are not allowed to have their hands in their pockets.
- Speeches may not be read out during debate in the House of Commons.
- Newspapers are not allowed.
- During three trips to London between 1899 and 1901, Claude Monet worked on a series of canvasses that depicted the Palace of Westminster under various lighting conditions.
- The exterior of the Palace of Westminster is one of the most visited tourist attractions in London.
- The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) classifies the Palace of Westminster as a World Heritage Site.
- Although there is no casual access to the interior of the palace, there are several ways to gain admittance.
- It is possible for both UK residents and overseas visitors to queue for admission to them at any time of the day or night when either House is in session.
- The nearest London Underground station is Westminster, on the District, Circle and Jubilee lines.
Studying That Suits You
Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.
