Palace of Westminster

Westminster Palace, originally known as Thorney Island, was built by Cnut the Great between 1016-1035 and served as the residence of Edward the Confessor during the construction of Westminster Abbey. The oldest part of the palace, Westminster Hall, dates back to the time of William II. The palace was the center of royal power and the medieval parliament, with the first parliament convening here in 1295. After a fire in 1512, Henry VIII acquired and renamed it Whitehall, making it the primary residence. Later, the palace became the building of the parliament. A major fire in 1834 led to its almost complete destruction, but it was restored and rebuilt in the Gothic style by Charles Barry and Augustus Pugin. During World War II, the palace was again damaged by bombings, especially the Commons Chamber. Reconstruction under the direction of architect Sir Giles Gilbert Scott began after the end of the war and was completed in 1950. In 1975, the Parliament acquired the nearby Norman Shaw buildings, and in 2000, Portcullis House was built.

Today, Westminster Palace is regularly restored, with the latest work starting in 2017.

The new building of the palace is constructed in the Neo-Gothic style. Westminster Palace has three towers. The largest and tallest is Victoria Tower, which is 98.5 meters high; its construction was completed in 1858, making it the tallest non-religious building in the world at the time. At the base of the tower is the Sovereign's Entrance, an archway 15 meters high, surrounded by statues. The rest of the tower is occupied by the parliamentary archives; they are located on 12 floors and contain about three million documents, including the originals of all Acts of Parliament since 1497. At the top of the cast iron pyramidal roof is a 22-meter flagpole.

In the northern part is Elizabeth Tower, also known as Big Ben. It is slightly shorter than Victoria Tower (96 meters) and houses the Great Westminster Clock. Above the clock is a bell chamber with five bells; the largest of them, weighing 13.8 tons, is called Big Ben, and this name is often used to refer to the entire tower.

The Octagonal Central Tower is 91 meters tall and is located in the middle of the building above the Central Hall. It was intended as a chimney for the four hundred fireplaces throughout the palace, but it proved unsuitable for this task and serves more of a decorative function, acting as an axis for the two towers at the ends of the building. Other small towers along the facade also serve as chimneys.

In the middle of the west facade of the palace, above one of the three entrances, is St. Stephen's Tower. At the ends of the facade facing the Thames are the Speaker's Tower (on the north end) and the Chancellor's Tower (on the south).

The palace complex includes 1,100 rooms, 4.8 km of corridors, 100 staircases, and is richly decorated with frescoes, paintings, and carved furniture.

Inside Westminster Palace are:

The House of Commons: located in the northern part of the building. The interior is decorated in green tones, which is the traditional color for this chamber. Here, debates and voting sessions of the parliament members take place.

The House of Lords: located in the southern part of the palace. Decorated in red tones, which is traditional for the Lords' chamber. Here, the members of the House of Lords discuss and review bills.

Westminster Hall: one of the few surviving parts of the original medieval building. Used for official ceremonies.

The Central Lobby: the heart of the palace, from which one can access both chambers. Decorated with mosaics and serving as a meeting place for parliamentarians and visitors.

Gardens and Terraces: Westminster Palace is surrounded by gardens and terraces, which are used for official events and relaxation by parliamentarians.

Inside the palace, there are also offices, committee rooms, libraries, and restaurants intended for employees and visitors of the parliament.

Of particular interest are the Royal Gallery with portraits and statues of kings, the House of Lords with the golden throne, and the House of Commons. Meetings of the modern English parliament, as well as the annual opening ceremony with the participation of the Queen – a crucial British tradition, are held in Westminster Palace. Tours are conducted for tourists in the Parliament Building, during which one can’t only appreciate the architecture but also observe the work of its members during debates.