Houses of Parliament and Big Ben
Seat of Democracy:
Where Britain’s Laws Are Made
The Houses of Parliament, officially the Palace of Westminster, stretches majestically along the Thames, its Gothic spires and towers defining London’s riverscape. This sublime example of Victorian architecture, rebuilt after the great fire of 1834, houses the two chambers of Britain’s Parliament: the House of Commons and the House of Lords.
The Elizabeth Tower, commonly known as Big Ben (though this is properly the name of the Great Bell within), soars 96 metres above the streets. Its four clock faces, each seven metres in diameter, have kept London time since 1859. Following extensive restoration completed in 2022, the tower has regained its original Victorian colour scheme, with clock faces restored to Prussian blue and gold gilt finishes.
Westminster Hall, the oldest part of the complex, dates from 1097 and boasts Europe’s largest medieval hammer-beam roof. Here, monarchs have lain in state, Nelson Mandela has addressed Parliament, and Churchill’s body rested before his state funeral.
The Commons Chamber, with its distinctive green benches, was rebuilt after bombing in World War II. Though relatively small, seating only 427 of the 650 MPs, its intimacy creates the charged atmosphere for which British parliamentary debate is renowned. The Lords Chamber, decorated in red, displays even more ornate Gothic craftsmanship.
Central Lobby, the meeting point between Commons and Lords, features a beautiful octagonal ceiling and serves as the backdrop for countless television interviews with MPs. Members of the public can visit their MPs here, continuing a democratic tradition known as ‘lobbying’.
Visitors can tour the palace when Parliament isn’t sitting, witnessing first-hand the grandeur of Westminster’s state rooms, including the Queens’ Robing Room where the monarch prepares for the State Opening of Parliament, and St Stephen’s Hall, built on the site of the chapel where the Commons originally met.
