Palace of Westminster or how to visit the Houses of Parliament in London. Palace of Westminster: excursions, exhibitions, exact address, phone number Where is the Palace of Westminster located

06.01.2021

Address: UK, London, Westminster
Start of construction: 1840
Completion of construction: 1860
Architect: Charles Barry, Augustus Welby Northmore
Coordinates: 51°29"58.6"N 0°07"27.9"W

Content:

Short description

View of the palace from the Ferris wheel

Quite recently, one of the sociological services conducted a rather interesting and, at first glance, strange study. The company's specialists visited most shops and small shops in the city, where they calculated the percentage of... refrigerator magnets that depict the main attractions of London. Surprisingly, 85% of these popular inexpensive souvenirs depict the Palace of Westminster in London. It’s strange, strange, if only because in the capital of Great Britain there is also Buckingham Palace, where the legendary Queen of England, the “London Eye” lives, and a huge number of attractions. But the overwhelming majority of tourists are invited to preserve the memory of the capital of the United Kingdom, nevertheless, by the Palace of Westminster.

Before traveling to London, you don’t even have to rely on statistics from sociological services, don’t pay attention to tourist brochures, just go to any social network and look at photos of your friends who have already visited the capital of England. There is no doubt that most of their photos in London were taken with the Palace of Westminster in the background. Near the building where the Parliament of England sits, as mentioned above, there is always a huge crowd of people. It seems as if a festival of peoples of the world is taking place next to the Palace of Westminster.

View of the palace from the opposite side of the Thames

Different speech is heard from everywhere: English, German, French, Japanese, Chinese and Russian merge into a single, continuous hum. All this once again proves that the Palace of Westminster is not only one of the main attractions of England, but, without a doubt, of the entire vast Old World.

Palace of Westminster - ancient history and legendary event

The first Palace of Westminster, according to surviving documents, was built in an uninhabited and swampy area in 1042. It was erected by order of the rulers of the kingdom instead of the Tower, which, with the expansion of the city, somehow incredibly ended up in the poorest quarter of the capital. One has only to imagine what the authorities of the capital experienced among the poor, who still “smelled bad.” This state of affairs simply forced the main building of the city to be moved away from the impoverished “rabble” of London. How could monarchs rule a country in such a terrible place? The new residence in a marshy area, from the windows of which the situation in which England found itself in those distant times was not so clearly visible, was almost completely completed by 1042. Immediately after its construction was completed, King Edward and his family moved there. Looking ahead a little, I would like to immediately note that the old building had nothing in common with the modern majestic Palace of Westminster, which is a symbol of London and which is depicted in tens of thousands of paintings and professional photographs.

View of the palace from Lambeth Bridge

The Palace of Westminster was constantly growing: 45 years after its construction was completed, it was decided to build a building for the son of the legendary William the Conqueror. architectural structure Westminster Hall. The son of the great commander, who won many victories over his enemies in his lifetime, was called William the Red II. It was this man who decided that the palace must have the most luxurious hall, in which it would not be a shame to organize magnificent receptions and even conduct coronation ceremonies in front of representatives of other countries. In addition to these ceremonies, by order of William the Red II, meetings began to be held constantly in Westminster Hall supreme body The judicial branch of England is the Supreme Court of the country. By the way, Westminster Hall, built just under 1,000 (!) years ago, is the only building that has survived to this day. According to modern architects, Westminster Hall was designed and built in the Gothic style. By the way, even the most ordinary tourist, who has absolutely nothing to do with architecture, can easily determine this: just compare Westminster Hall and other buildings of the palace.

View of the palace from Westminster Bridge

The Palace of Westminster is interesting not only for its architecture (whether new or old). Back in the 13th century, a very important document was signed here, which played a key role in the formation of the political structure of England. It is according to this document that currently many prestigious colleges teach students what modern wealth should look like Democratic state and how to get rid of bureaucracy and tyranny. It was in the 13th century that King John the Landless of England, under public pressure, signed a decree that went down in history as the Magna Carta.

Naturally, there was no talk of any anarchy. All the “liberties” consisted in the fact that the king was deprived of the right to rule the country alone: since the 13th century, many important decisions regarding foreign and domestic policy were made by parliament, which was elected by the people! Monarchs became only a kind of symbol of the country, something like a coat of arms or flag. Even taxes were introduced and calculated by parliament, which was simply a salvation for the impoverished population of the country. For this reason, the Palace of Westminster can be considered not only the “calling card” of London, its main attraction, an architectural and historical monument, but also a symbol of the constitutional parliamentary monarchy. It is this model of power that is currently considered the most effective in the world.

Westminster Bridge with the Palace of Westminster in the background

We can talk about the construction of the Palace of Westminster and its expansion for an infinitely long time: the people constantly supported improvements to the building, because parliament sat there, which at one time saved it from the tyranny of the monarchs. The thing is that in 1834, almost the entire Palace of Westminster, built in 1042... burned to the ground. Until the 19th century, two buildings remained from the former majestic building where the Parliament of England met: the same Westminster Hall and the Jewel Tower. True, the last room, which served as a treasury, was built only in the 14th century, by order, and then by subsequent approval by Parliament (!), King Edward III.

Palace of Westminster - a new story

Restoring the building for Parliament was an urgent matter: immediately after the fire, the English government announced a competition for the best plan for the new Palace of Westminster. It was won without much difficulty by Charles Barry, who presented a grandiose and unique project of its kind. True, Barry understood perfectly well that it was impossible for him to cope with all the work alone, so he invited Augustus Welby Pugin to cooperate, with whom he built the very Palace of Westminster, the view of which can be enjoyed by any tourist visiting the capital of England these days.

View of the palace at night

According to the plan of Charles Barry, it was decided to build a new building for parliament in the neo-Gothic style (new Gothic style). To say that the construction of the Palace of Westminster took place in record time and “without a hitch” would be a lie. There were difficulties, and they constantly arose for the architects and the huge number of workers involved in the construction of the facility. The construction site had to be prepared for more than three years, and the construction of the Palace of Westminster itself took just over 48 years (from 1840 to 1888).

Over such a long period of time, not only the Palace of Westminster was rebuilt, but also St. Stephen's Tower, which can be found in our time on a huge number of posters, calendars and other printed materials. For those who have not yet been brought to London, and who were too lazy (or maybe just didn’t have time) to get acquainted with its history and attractions, let us clarify that St. Stephen’s Tower is the same famous and legendary Big Ben. Almost every civilized inhabitant of our planet undoubtedly knows about this name of the tower.

By the way, despite the fact that the Palace of Westminster and Big Ben were built relatively recently, there is no exact evidence of where the name “Big Ben” came from for St. Stephen’s Tower. There are only versions, and versions, as you know, are quite easy to refute.

View of the eastern façade of the palace

Some historians claim that Benjamin Hall, affectionately known as Ben, was a huge foreman for the construction of the Palace of Westminster and St. Stephen's Tower. Others claim that Big Ben got his “nickname” in honor of the popular boxer. However, the most interesting and, at the same time, most confusing version says that the tower was named after one representative of parliament. His name, by the way, was also Benjamin and his last name was Hall. He went to the podium and began to explain at length what the clock tower should be called. He talked for so long that he became confused historical facts, and no one listened to his muttering anymore. Finally, after an hour and a half, he ended his tirade, which made no sense at all. The parliament breathed a sigh of relief and one of its members asked the speaker a question: “So what do you propose in the end?” Benjamin Hall was confused, and someone shouted: “Let's name the tower after this long and boring speech - Big Ben!” The joke was well received and the tower got its name. Which of these three versions to believe, everyone decides for himself. It is worth repeating that not a single official evidence in favor of this or that opinion has been found these days.

Quite a long time passed before the clock was installed on St. Stephen's Tower. The delays were due to the requirements of the London authorities. The clock should fall behind or advance by no more than 1 second per day. All the most respected watchmakers simply laughed at this condition: 19th-century technology simply did not allow the creation of a giant clock that had to be placed on a high tower and run with extreme precision. Only Edmund Beckett Denison took up the development of the plan, and in five years he managed to fulfill all the requirements. The clockwork of Big Ben kept pace by more than a second per day. By the way, the weight of the watch, designed by Edmund Beckett Denison, is just over 5,000 kilograms.

A little official information wouldn't hurt either: the height of St. Stephen's Tower or Big Ben (as you like) is almost 96 and a half meters. Many may think that this is the tallest building architectural ensemble called the Palace of Westminster. However, this opinion is far from the truth; the tallest tower of the palace is the Victoria Tower, its height is 102 meters. Some tourist brochures indicate a different figure - 98.4 meters, but it has nothing to do with reality. The tower, named after Victoria, was built so huge for only one purpose, to fit in it the entire archive of documents considered by the Parliament of England. Big Ben and the Victoria Tower, however, like other rooms, are made entirely of fireproof materials: the fire of 1834 in the Palace of Westminster remains forever in the memory of Londoners.

View of the palace from Parliament Square

During World War II, the Palace of Westminster in London became a prime target for Nazi pilots. Hitting him with a bomb was an honor for every Luftwaffe ace. For this reason main symbol London, where Parliament met and where Prime Minister Winston Churchill made his fiery speeches, was seriously damaged. The Palace of Westminster, which, as mentioned above, is a symbol of the constitutional parliamentary monarchy, was completely reconstructed in 1950. It cannot be said that the building suffered only minor damage; on the contrary, the damage to the Palace of Westminster was serious: it was possible to completely revive it in 5 years only thanks to the huge budget and the heroism of the English workers. Alas, bombs also hit the legendary Big Ben. The clock mechanism “suffered a serious malfunction”; it began to lag by as much as 2 seconds per day. The British solved the problem quite quickly and simply: all they did was attach a coin to a huge pendulum. The weight of just one penny affected Big Ben's clock and it started running again with extreme accuracy.

Palace of Westminster in London - short tour

The phrase “short excursion” in the subtitle of the material does not mean at all that there is nothing to see in the Palace of Westminster. On the contrary, it is simply not possible to describe all its rooms, luxurious halls, corridors and, of course, Big Ben in one article. Trying to find a palace on our vast planet that could be compared with Westminster is a thankless task: it has no equal and, according to modern architects, there will not be in the near foreseeable future.

View of the eastern façade of the palace from Westminster Bridge

11 courtyards, each of which is unique, just over 100 staircases, corridors whose total length exceeds five kilometers and 1,200 (!) rooms - where else in the world can you find such a scale and such splendor? The area of the palace is huge, but thanks to the neo-Gothic style it does not seem like a massive bulk; on the contrary, it creates the impression of “lightness” and fits organically into modern London. Although, it would be more correct to say that modern London is in harmony with the Palace of Westminster.

Parliament, which is perhaps the most famous in the whole world, consists of two chambers: the House of Commons and the House of Lords of England. They are located at different ends of the building and are connected by several gigantic halls, between which there are also corridors. It will take a long time to walk from one chamber of the Palace of Westminster to another. However, traveling through these halls and corridors turns into the most a real excursion around the museum! The walls of the rooms connecting the chambers are decorated with wall paintings. Most of paintings that depict almost the entire history of Foggy Albion, starting from the reign of King Arthur, belong to the brushes of the most famous artists in the world. They, according to art critics and numerous guides, have no price - they are priceless.

Monument to Richard the Lionheart

We can talk endlessly about the sculptures, stunning stucco moldings and gold decoration of the premises. It is simply impossible to describe all 1,200 rooms and numerous corridors in any material or even in a series of television programs. It is only worth noting that the richest and most beautiful room the entire Palace of Westminster is the House of Lords of England. It is here that important decisions for the country are considered (but not yet made), and it is there that the Lords make their fiery speeches. The House of Lords does not have a speaker; his role is played by a bag of wool. For those who don't know, in ancient times England was the main exporter of sheep's wool, which brought the lion's share of income to its budget. In memory of these times, the “speaker” of the House of Lords was made into an ordinary “piece of wool.”

It was decided to decorate the House of Commons a little more modestly: after all, the Lords do not sit there. This is where the most important decisions for the country are made. Representatives of the ruling party and the opposition sit in the House of Commons at the Palace of Westminster. There is a specially made distance between these stocks, which is equal to the length of two swords extended in the hand. As many have already guessed, the architects provided this “corridor” for a reason: this way, representatives of the opposition and the ruling party will not be able to hit their opponents with a sword. In England, political opponents are not beaten with fists in the House of Commons; nevertheless, we are talking about a country in which a constitutional parliamentary monarchy has won, and the representatives of the people in the House of Commons are somewhat different from the deputies sitting in their halls in the post-Soviet space.

Victoria Tower

By the way, in 2004 it was decided to open the Palace of Westminster to the people. Tourists who come to London will be able to personally see all the magnificent halls and even watch how efficiently the Lords work in their rich chamber. The work process in the House of Commons is not hidden from prying eyes either. True, it’s boring to watch the representatives of this chamber: you won’t see any fist fights, throwing eggs, or explosions of firecrackers there.

While the Lords and Commons are on holiday, a must see is the legendary and preserved Westminster Hall, built for the son of William the Conqueror. By the way, it was in this building that a memorial service was held for the “greatest Briton” in the entire history of Foggy Albion, Winston Churchill.

The Palace of Westminster, or the Houses of Parliament, one of the most famous buildings in the world, is undoubtedly a symbol and decoration of London. It houses the stronghold of English democracy, the British Parliament: the House of Lords and the House of Commons.

This building arose in 1840-1860 on the site of an old palace that burned down in 1834, which by that time was a combination of the most diverse buildings. However, during the fire, they managed to save, in addition to the badly damaged crypt under the chapel of St. Stephen, the most architecturally valuable part of the old palace - Westminster Hall. Fate turned out to be merciful to him for the second time: the hall survived the devastating German air raid in May 1941, when the adjacent House of Commons hall was destroyed.

For modern London, Westminster Hall is the best and most expressive monument of medieval secular architecture. Begun in 1097, it was rebuilt at the end of the 14th century. Henry Yevel, a talented London mason, laid out the walls. The famous wooden floors were erected with the participation of the royal carpenter Hugh Erland.

Westminster Hall covers an area of 1800 square meters. Its height is 28 meters. This is one of the grandest medieval halls known in architecture Western Europe, the wooden roof of which is also not supported by any support pillars. The hall's 21-meter-wide span is covered with carved oak open rafters, supported by a complex system of wooden brackets placed strongly forward. The shape of these ceilings is difficult to describe.

In 1965, England solemnly celebrated the 750th anniversary of the Magna Carta, usually called Magna Carta in Latin, and the 700th anniversary of the English Parliament. However, despite its ancient origins and wide popularity outside the country, the House of Commons did not have its own residence for a long time. It was necessary to hold meetings in the ancient Westminster Hall or share the territory of the Chapter Hall Westminster Abbey with its monk owners. Only in 1547 did Parliament receive a permanent seat in the chapel of St. Stephen's of the old Palace of Westminster. In order to adapt the chapel of the 13th - 14th centuries to the procedure of parliamentary meetings, it had to be completely built up with benches and galleries, which distorted the architectural appearance of the hall. In addition, the entrance to the chapel lay through Westminster Hall, where the Supreme Court of England sat. And yet, despite these inconveniences, the House of Commons met in the chapel of St. Stephen until the fire of 1834, which again left it without a permanent meeting place.

By the summer of 1835, a special commission outlined its recommendation - to build new palace at the old place. According to legend, the choice of location was largely determined by the consideration that, being on the banks of the Thames, the Parliament building, in the event of popular unrest, could not be surrounded by a revolutionary crowd. It was recommended to build the palace in the Gothic or Elizabethan style.

The Houses of Parliament are the most significant creation of the architect Barry. And although it caused the most controversial judgments and assessments, this did not prevent it from immediately becoming one of the city’s attractions. The correctly found proportionality of the main volumes of such a significant structure is noteworthy. If you look at it from a distance, you are invariably impressed by the almost classical severity and wide scope of its facades, and at the same time by the picturesqueness of its outlines as a whole. The mighty Victoria Tower, square in plan, and the huge clock tower, asymmetrically located in the northern and southern parts of the palace, give it a unique identity. Together with a small tower with a spire placed above the central hall, they not only decorate it, but also with their height balance the enormous length of the facades.

The Victoria Tower, rising 104 meters in height, forms the royal entrance to Parliament. During the session they raise the British state flag. The clock tower is 98 meters high. It is better known as St. Stephen's Tower. It is equipped with a clock mechanism that is highly accurate. We can say that this is the “main clock” of the state. A huge bell, Big Ben, specially cast for the tower, weighing 13.5 tons, chimes the hours. The fight of Big Ben is constantly broadcast on English radio stations. The clock got its name from Benjamin Hall, one of the construction managers. During the parliamentary session, at nightfall, a spotlight is lit on the tower.

The British Empire erected for its parliament a building of rare pomp and size even by the tastes of that time. Directories provide figures: 3.2 hectares of area, 3 kilometers of corridors, 1,100 rooms, 100 stairs... Of course, dry numbers do not reveal artistic merits or demerits Palace of Westminster, but to some extent they indicate the complex layout of the building, which was influenced by the peculiarities of the parliamentary structure, and the traditions that have long accompanied meetings, and the daily business life of the English Parliament.

The interior of the House of Lords is of greatest interest. Decorative techniques found in interior decoration the entire palace, reach their culmination here. The ceiling is completely covered with images of heraldic birds, animals, flowers, etc. The walls are lined with carved wooden panels, above which there are six frescoes. Eighteen bronze statues The barons who obtained the Magna Carta from King John stand in the niches between the windows, looking at the inlaid canopy of the royal throne, at the rows of benches covered in bright red leather, at the famous sofa of the Lord Chancellor. This sofa recalls a long tradition: the Lord Chancellor used to sit in Parliament on a woolsack, symbolizing the foundations of British trade and prosperity. The original bag of wool has now become a museum exhibit, but the tradition remains: the Chairman of the House of Lords, dressed in a black and gold robe, in a fluffy white wig, opens the sittings of the House sitting on a soft sofa.

In 1605, Guy Fawkes, who led the “gunpowder plot,” tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament. Since then, on November 5 of every year, guards dressed in ancient costumes, with lanterns and halberds, search the basements and nooks and crannies of the palace, although it is well known in advance that they will not find any barrels of gunpowder in these rooms. Moreover, the search is taking place in the new palace building, built two and a half centuries after the “gunpowder plot.”

In 1987, the palace and the nearby Church of St. Margaret were given the honor of being included in the List world heritage.

If a meeting of the House of Commons ends late at night, then even now under the arches of the palace you can hear the cry: “Who is going home?” In ancient times, the dark streets of London were far from safe, and parliamentarians preferred to return home in a large group. Nowadays, the building of the Palace of Westminster and the surrounding streets are flooded with bright electric light, and comfortable cars await members of parliament at the entrances. However, “Who Goes Home?” still sounds like centuries ago. And there are a great many such traditions observed in Westminster today. The most important of these is the annual, magnificent and elaborate opening ceremony of the parliamentary session, attended by the Queen, all members of the government and members of both houses.

View from the Thames Westminster Hall

It is the hallmark of the capital of Great Britain and the seat of its parliament, consisting of the House of Lords and the House of Commons.

The architectural complex, also known as Parliament, is located in the Westminster area. This included masterpiece of architecture includes historical London Attractions, the main of which are Westminster Hall and the Big Ben and Victoria towers.

Palace of Westminster, history of construction

One has only to imagine what the authorities of the capital experienced among the poor, who still “smelled bad.” This state of affairs simply forced the main building of the city to be moved away from the impoverished “rabble” of London. How could monarchs rule a country in such a terrible place? The new residence in a marshy area, from the windows of which the situation in which England found itself in those distant times was not so clearly visible, was almost completely completed by 1042.

The Palace of Westminster was constantly growing: 45 years after its construction was completed, it was decided to add Westminster Hall to the architectural structure for the son of the legendary William the Conqueror. The son of the great commander, who won many victories over his enemies in his lifetime, was called William the Red II.

It was this man who decided that the palace must have the most luxurious hall, in which it would not be a shame to organize magnificent receptions and even conduct coronation ceremonies in front of representatives of other countries. In addition to these ceremonies, by order of William the Red II, the highest body of the judiciary in England, the Supreme Court of the country, began to hold permanent meetings in Westminster Hall.

The Palace of Westminster is interesting not only for its architecture. Back in the 13th century, a very important document was signed here, which played a key role in the formation of the political structure of England. It is according to this document that many prestigious colleges are currently teaching students what a modern, secure democratic state should look like and how to get rid of bureaucracy and tyranny. It was in the 13th century that King John the Landless of England, under public pressure, signed a decree that went down in history as the Magna Carta.

Even taxes were introduced and calculated by parliament, which was simply a salvation for the impoverished population of the country. For this reason, the Palace of Westminster can be considered not only the “calling card” of London, its main attraction, an architectural and historical monument, but also a symbol of the constitutional parliamentary monarchy.

We can talk about the construction of the Palace of Westminster and its expansion for an infinitely long time: the people constantly supported improvements to the building, because parliament sat there, which at one time saved it from the tyranny of the monarchs. However, in 1834, almost the entire Palace of Westminster, built in 1042, burned to the ground. From the former majestic building where the Parliament of England met, two buildings remain: the same Westminster Hall and the Jewel Tower.

True, Barry understood perfectly well that it was impossible for him to cope with all the work alone, so he invited Augustus Welby Pugin to cooperate, with whom he built the very Palace of Westminster, the view of which can be enjoyed by any tourist visiting the capital of England these days.

Over such a long period of time, not only the Palace of Westminster was built, but also St. Stephen's Tower, which can be found in our time on a huge number of posters, calendars and other printed materials - the same famous and legendary Big Ben, which he undoubtedly knows about almost every civilized inhabitant of our planet.

St Stephen's Tower or Big Ben

Despite the fact that the Palace of Westminster and Big Ben were built relatively recently, there is no exact evidence of where the name of St. Stephen's Tower "Big Ben" came from. There are only versions, and versions, as you know, are quite easy to refute.

Some historians claim that Benjamin Hall, affectionately known as Ben, who led the construction of the Palace of Westminster and St. Stephen's Tower, was enormous in stature. Others claim that Big Ben got his “nickname” in honor of the popular boxer. However, the most interesting and, at the same time, most confusing version says that the tower was named after one representative of parliament. His name was also Benjamin and his last name was Hall. He went to the podium and began to explain at length what the clock tower should be called.

He spoke for so long that he himself became confused in historical facts, and no one listened to his muttering. Finally, after an hour and a half, he ended his tirade, which made no sense at all. The parliament breathed a sigh of relief and one of its members asked the speaker a question: “So what do you propose in the end?” Benjamin Hall was confused, and someone shouted: “Let's name the tower after this long and boring speech - Big Ben!” The joke was well received and the tower got its name. Which of these three versions to believe, everyone decides for himself. It is worth repeating that not a single official evidence in favor of this or that opinion has been found these days.

Only Edmund Beckett Denison took up the development of the plan, and in five years he managed to fulfill all the requirements. The clockwork of Big Ben kept pace by more than a second per day. By the way, the weight of the watch, designed by Edmund Beckett Denison, is just over 5,000 kilograms.

The height of St. Stephen's Tower or Big Ben is almost 96 and a half meters. Many may think that this is the tallest building of the architectural ensemble called the Palace of Westminster. However, this opinion is far from the truth; the tallest tower of the palace is the Victoria Tower, its height is 102 meters. Some tourist brochures indicate a different figure - 98.4 meters, but it has nothing to do with reality.

The tower, named after Victoria, was built so huge for only one purpose, to fit in it the entire archive of documents considered by the Parliament of England. Big Ben and the Victoria Tower, however, like other rooms, are made entirely of fireproof materials: the fire of 1834 in the Palace of Westminster remains forever in the memory of Londoners.

During World War II, the Palace of Westminster in London became a prime target for Nazi pilots. Hitting him with a bomb was an honor for every Luftwaffe ace. For this reason, the main symbol of London, where Parliament met and where Prime Minister Winston Churchill made his fiery speeches, was seriously damaged. The Palace of Westminster, which, as mentioned above, is a symbol of the constitutional parliamentary monarchy, was completely reconstructed in 1950.

It cannot be said that the building suffered only minor damage; on the contrary, the damage to the Palace of Westminster was serious: it was possible to completely revive it in 5 years only thanks to the huge budget and the heroism of the English workers. Alas, bombs also hit the legendary Big Ben. The clock mechanism “suffered a serious malfunction”; it began to lag by as much as 2 seconds per day. The British solved the problem quite quickly and simply: all they did was attach a coin to a huge pendulum. The weight of just one penny affected Big Ben's clock and it started running again with extreme accuracy.

Architecture and landmarks of the Palace of Westminster

The Palace of Westminster stretches far along the banks of the Thames and covers an area of more than three hectares. Despite its size, the Parliament building does not overwhelm with its enormity, but, on the contrary, caresses the eye with the lightness and beauty of its majestic romantic forms, although it has elements of late Gothic and some asymmetry in the silhouette and individual details.

On the outside it is crowned with countless small turrets, and its walls are decorated with lancet windows, lovely rosettes and lace stone trim on the cornices and windows. The Parliament is especially beautiful in the evenings, when its towers and spiers, flooded with spotlights, stand out like a fantastic crown against the dark sky.

11 courtyards, each of which is unique, just over 100 staircases, corridors whose total length exceeds five kilometers and 1,200 rooms - where else in the world can you find such a scale and such magnificence? The area of the palace is huge, but thanks to the neo-Gothic style it does not seem like a massive bulk; on the contrary, it creates the impression of “lightness” and fits organically into modern London. Although, it would be more correct to say that modern London is in harmony with the Palace of Westminster.

Parliament, which is perhaps the most famous in the whole world, consists of two chambers: the House of Commons and the House of Lords. They are located at different ends of the building and are connected by several gigantic halls, between which there are also corridors. It will take a long time to walk from one chamber of the Palace of Westminster to another. However, a journey through these halls and corridors turns into a real museum tour!

The walls of the rooms connecting the chambers are decorated with wall paintings. Most of the paintings, which depict almost the entire history of Foggy Albion, starting from the reign of King Arthur, belong to the brushes of the most famous artists in the world. They, according to art critics and numerous guides, have no price - they are priceless.

The greatest interest in the Palace of Westminster is the interior of the House of Lords and the premises associated with it by the parliamentary ceremony: the Royal Gallery for ceremonial processions; the room in which the Queen is dressed for her ceremonial appearance in Parliament; waiting room for exchanging opinions and making private decisions and others.

The ceiling of the House of Lords is completely covered with images of heraldic birds, animals, flowers, etc.; its walls are lined with carved wooden panels, above which there are images of six frescoes. Eighteen bronze statues of the barons who got the king to sign the Magna Carta stand in niches between the windows, overlooking the inlaid canopy of the royal throne, the rows of benches upholstered in bright red leather, and the famous “woolsack” of the Lord Chancellor.

Several centuries ago, this bag, covered with red cloth, was stuffed with wool, representing the emblem of English industry. Nowadays, the original “woolsack” has become a museum exhibit, but the tradition remains: the chairman of the House of Lords, dressed in a black and gold robe and a fluffy white wig, opens the meetings, sitting on a soft red sofa without a back.

Adjacent to the House of Lords is an entrance hall, decorated with the same sumptuous luxury as the hall of the upper chamber itself. Its northern doors lead to a corridor that ends at the octagonal Central Hall. In niches around the entire hall there are statues of English kings.
The chamber of the House of Commons does not have the majestic pomp that is present in the chamber of the House of Lords. It is not a very large room, paneled in dark oak, and its dark green benches, running in parallel rows, leave only a small passage in the middle.

Members of the lower house of parliament can even sit in a hat during their meetings, but the chairman (speaker) is always dressed solemnly: in an old black suit, stockings and shoes, and his head, according to the old tradition, is covered with an indispensable wig. In the chamber of the House of Commons, in front of the speaker's chair there is a large table on which lies a mace - a symbol of the speaker's power, and three secretaries in judicial robes and wigs sit at the table.

Another long-standing tradition has been preserved in the English Parliament since the 17th century. In 1605, a group of conspirators dug under the building of the Palace of Westminster and planted gunpowder there in order to blow up all the deputies along with the king at the time of the ceremonial meeting. The plot was discovered, and Guy Fawkes, who led the “gunpowder plot,” was executed along with his accomplices. But every year, guards dressed in ancient costumes, with lanterns and halberds in their hands, search all the basements and nooks and crannies of the palace.

The guards' lanterns are candleless, as the lower floors of Parliament are well lit by electricity. It is known in advance that they will not find any barrels of gunpowder, especially since the new palace was built two and a half centuries after the “gunpowder plot.” But every year, on November 5, the guards, led by the bailiff of the chamber (“the bearer of the black rod”), go around the basements and check for new intruders….

Rebuilt in 1840 after destruction in the Middle Ages, the Palace of Westminster today stands as an outstanding example of neo-Gothic architecture. The new Palace of Westminster is one of the landmarks of the English capital. It is located in the heart of London on the banks of the Thames and is its architectural center.

Location of the Palace of Westminster

The writer H.G. Wells wrote in 1911: “To me London is the most interesting, the most beautiful, the most wonderful city in the world.” Many who have at least once visited the capital agree with him. Today's London is a major international center, the city area is about 625 square meters. miles.

In ancient times, the site of Westminster was impassable. However, the swamp was dried up, and in its place a Royal Palace. The palace was located near the Thames, next to Westminster Abbey, a few miles from the City.

History of the Palace of Westminster

The Palace of Westminster, one of the most famous buildings in the world, houses parliament: the House of Lords and the House of Commons.

The first palace was built for King Edward the Confessor, who ascended the throne in 1042. Forty-five years later, Westminster Hall was built for William Rufus, son of William the Confessor, the most elegant hall in the city, where a feast was held in 1099. In the 13th century, Henry 3rd added the painted chamber, and during his reign the first parliament (from the French verb "parler" - to speak) was convened.

On January 20, 1265, the first English parliament convened at the Palace of Westminster, convened by Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester. In order to give the established order a semblance of legitimacy, Montfort put forward the initiative to create a council in which, along with the rest, the third estate would be represented. Convened on January 20, 1265, this council very quickly developed into a permanent body called Parliament.

After 30 years, parliament became more democratic, because representatives were no longer appointed, but elected. By 1550, members of the House of Commons and House of Lords met separately with Members of Parliament in the graceful chapel of St Stephen.

The Palace of Westminster was destroyed by fire in 1834. A special commission was created to restore this masterpiece of architecture, and soon a competition was announced for the development of the project, in which about a hundred people took part. As a result, ninety-seven options were considered, of which the project of Charles Barry (1795-1860) was recognized as the best. It was he who was entrusted with the restoration, which he did in a magnificent Gothic style with the help of Augustus Pugin, who performed the picturesque ornamental work. St Stephen's Chapel was renamed St Stephen's Hall. It's a wide hallway lined with paintings, marble sculptures and a lagoon sign where the Speaker's chair once stood.

The preparatory work dragged on for 3 years - it was necessary to build terraces on the banks of the Thames. It was only in 1840 that work began on the parliament building itself. The construction of the palace was completed in 1888.

The crypt and Westminster Hall survive, but the adjacent House of Commons was again destroyed during the Second World War due to heavy bombing German army. The new reconstruction was led by Gil Gilbert Scott. Restoration was a difficult and expensive process, as the highest quality wood was required. The palace was restored by 1950.

Features of the architecture and interior of the Palace of Westminster

The unusual layout and, as a consequence, the unparalleled volumetric-spatial composition of the palace are explained not only by the complex structure of the government institution, but also by the inclusion in overall volume the building of a national relic - Westminster Hall - a masterpiece of English Gothic of the 11th-14th centuries and part of the walls of the medieval Chapel of St. Stephen, badly damaged by fire.

The total area of the entire area occupied by the palace is 3.2 hectares. Stretching along the Thames for 300 meters, the complex includes more than 1,100 rooms, 100 staircases, and is connected by a corridor whose length is almost 3 kilometers. In addition to the various buildings in the palace itself, there are 11 more courtyards.

The palace is decorated very skillfully: outwardly, despite its large size, it does not seem bulky. The palace is decorated with two main towers - the 102-meter-high tower and the 98-meter-high St. Stephen's Clock Tower. The clock on the latter has four dials, each 9 meters in diameter. The creation of these was led by the famous astronomer Eri. Time is struck by an hour bell, which weighs almost 14 tons. This is the famous Big Ben. They are named after Benjamin Hall, who was the Minister of Public Works. It was he who supervised the installation of the clock. People nicknamed him Big Ben (Big Benn) for his considerable weight. At first the bell was called Big Ben, then the clock, and now this is the name for the entire tower, which has become the hallmark of London.

The Victoria Tower houses the Royal Passage. The royal cortege moved through it on special occasions.

A whole complex of premises adjoins the House of Lords. In ancient times, the monarch ascended the Royal Staircase to the Norman Portico and from there went to the Hall of the Royal Robe. The Hall of the Royal Robe is still decorated with paintings by William Dick depicting scenes from stories about King Arthur. The Royal Gallery contains statues of rulers, ranging from King Alfred the Great to a sculpture of Queen Anne. From the Royal Gallery, the monarch walked into the Prince's Room with a statue of Queen Victoria located in it, and then solemnly entered the Lord's Chamber.

The most richly decorated room in the Palace of Westminster is the House of Lords. Decorative elements include wood and stone carvings, many paintings and frescoes painted by many great masters. The ceiling is covered with various heraldic emblems. Colored stained glass windows are inserted into the windows.

The House of Lords and the House of Commons are connected by several halls. The Hall of Peers is decorated with the coats of arms of the six royal dynasties. Through the Hall of Peers you can get to the Central Hall, which has an octagonal shape. As in the Royal Gallery, there are sculptural portraits of the royal family. The Commons corridor leads into the Commons Hall, behind which is the House of Commons. It is decorated less magnificently than the House of Lords. The walls are decorated with red oak, and there are balconies on the sides for the press and spectators. Deputies are seated on central benches upholstered in green leather. Traditionally, representatives of the ruling party sit on the right, and representatives of the opposition sit on the left. Not far from the entrance there is a speaker's chair surrounded by bars.

In the center of the palace is the oldest part - Westminster Hall. It was built in 1097. It was destroyed many times, but was restored the same as it was from ancient times. The dimensions of the hall are quite impressive: length - 88 meters, width - 28 meters, height - 21 meters. Westminster Hall is connected to both chambers through long corridors.

In addition to the main halls, the palace has many rooms for commissions and committees.

Until recently, the Palace of Westminster was only a government residence, but since 2004 it still operates as a museum. Excursions are organized during the period summer holidays English Parliament - from August 7 to September 16. Tourists begin their tour of the palace from the royal dressing room, the royal gallery, then enter the debate chambers and end the tour in the oldest part of the palace - Westminster Hall, built in the 11th century. Here visitors can view an exhibition on the history of parliamentary democracy in England and look into the souvenir shop.

On the banks of the Thames. It is connected to Trafalgar Square by Whitehall Street.

The first palace on this dream was built almost a thousand years ago as the residence of the English kings. Construction began in 1042 on the initiative of King Edward the Confessor, as a replacement for the Tower, a fortified palace in the old part of London. By that time the Tower was surrounded urban development, he found himself in the thick of life of the London poor, among the poverty and overcrowding of ordinary people.

So, the English monarchs decided to move to a more secluded place.

The swamp on the banks of the Thames next to the Benedictine monastery turned out to be secluded. The swamp was drained and a new royal residence was built in 1042. Forty-five years later, Westminster Hall was built for William II the Red, the second son of William the Conqueror, where meetings of the Supreme Court of England and coronation banquets were held. It was the most elegant building in Europe.

At the end of the 14th century, Westminster Hall was rebuilt. The talented London mason Henry Yevel laid out the walls. Royal carpenter Hugh Erland took part in the construction of the famous wooden floors.

This is one of the most grandiose medieval halls known in the architecture of Western Europe. The area of Westminster Hall is 1800 square meters. Its height is 28 meters. The wooden roof does not have any supporting pillars. The hall's 21-meter-wide span is spanned by exposed carved oak rafters, which rest on a complex system of strongly forward wooden brackets.

In Westminster Hall, one is amazed by the impeccability of proportions, the integrity of the composition and the beauty of the lines of the carved design. The wood of the ceilings has darkened over the centuries, and now they seem immersed in a mysterious twilight. The space of the hall is flooded with silvery-lilac light penetrating through the colored stained glass of the pointed Gothic windows. The British say that in any weather the walls blow cold. Everything reminds of the antiquity of the hall, of the events that once took place in it.

From the 14th to the 19th centuries, for five hundred years, Westminster Hall had mainly two purposes: it was the hall where the Supreme Court of England sat, and the place for coronation banquets. Its history is closely connected with the history of England. All the major trials of these five centuries took place here. In this hall, the death sentence was pronounced for Charles I, Thomas More, and Guy Fawkes, who led the “gunpowder plot.” In Westminster Hall in 1653, Oliver Cromwell was proclaimed Lord Protector of the English Republic, and eight years later, after the restoration of the monarchy, Cromwell’s remains were removed from the grave, and his head was displayed on the roof of the same Westminster Hall.

Westminster Hall ceased to be the center of the turbulent events of London life already in the 19th century. Cloth and book dealers, whose stalls at the end of the 17th century brought noisy bustle to the walls of the hall, were forever expelled from the hall. A Courthouse was built in the City, and the last coronation banquet took place in this hall in 1832.

And this hall has survived to this day. It is almost a thousand years old! Westminster Hall in London is the best and most expressive monument of medieval secular architecture.

It is connected to the Parliament building, built in the 19th century, by the portal of St. Stefan.

Until 1529, English kings lived in the palace. Already in the first centuries of its existence, the building began to perform another function. It all started with the fact that eighteen barons, who were in opposition to royal power, in 1215 forced the English king John the Landless to sign the Magna Carta, which marked the beginning of the English constitution. A few years later, one of the opposition leaders, Baron Simon de Montfort, convened the first English parliament. Parliament for a long time did not have his own residence: he had to hold meetings either in Westminster Hall or share the Chapter Hall of Westminster Abbey with the monks. Only after the Palace of Westminster ceased to be royal residence, the English Parliament in 1547 received its permanent meeting place in the palace in St. Stephen's Chapel.

This was not very convenient, since the entrance to the chapel was through Westminster Hall, where the Supreme Court of England sat. Despite these inconveniences, the House of Commons met in St. Stephen's Chapel until the fire of 1834.

The fire of 1834 almost completely destroyed the palace. Only Westminster Hall and the Tower of the Jewels, which were built in the 14th century to store the treasury of Edward III, survived.

It was decided to build a new palace on the same site. According to legend, this decision was largely determined by the location on the banks of the Thames, since the Parliament building, in the event of popular unrest, cannot be surrounded by a revolutionary crowd.

Of the ninety-seven projects submitted to the competition, ninety-one were completed in the Gothic style. The project of the architect Charles Barry (1795-1860), a young architect who had already attracted attention with a number of buildings, was recognized as the best.

Only the preparatory work before the start of construction took three years - terraces had to be built along the Thames. The architect carried out the construction of the palace in 1840-1888. together with Augustus Welby Pugin, building the parliamentary complex in the neo-Gothic style. The British Empire built for its parliament a building of rare pomp and size even by the tastes of that time.

The Palace of Westminster, now simply called the Houses of Parliament, is currently one of the largest buildings in the world. The following figures are amazing: 3.2 hectares of area, 1,200 rooms, 5 kilometers of corridors, 100 stairs.

Despite its size, the Parliament building is not overwhelming in size. The correct proportionality of the main volumes of such a significant structure deserves admiration. From a distance, the broad scope and almost classical severity of its facades makes a great impression. The Parliament is especially beautiful in the evenings, when its towers and spiers, flooded with spotlights, clearly appear in the dark sky. Its unique identity is given by two towers, asymmetrically located in the northern and southern parts of the palace. The mighty Victoria Tower, square in plan, and the huge clock tower, together with a small turret with a spire placed above the central hall, not only decorate the palace, but also with their height balance the enormous length of its facades.

The architect Charles Barry owed much of his success in the construction of the Palace of Westminster to his collaboration with O. Pugin, an enthusiast and expert on English Gothic architecture. Being an excellent draftsman, passionately in love with the art of the Middle Ages, O. Pugin also participated in the development of details of the palace facades. It was thanks to his inventive imagination that the facades of the Palace of Westminster and its towers were decorated with intricate stone carvings.

The most famous tower is often called Big Ben. This is actually St. Stephen's Tower. And Big Ben is the name of a bell specially cast for the tower. As often happens, later the tower itself began to be called “Big Ben,” which became the hallmark of London.

This tower was conceived as a clock tower, and it was decided to install a clock and a bell on it, which would be the largest in the world.

Seven years passed between the moment this decision was made and the start of work. Over the years, a number of projects were considered, and in the end the commission settled on the project of Edmund Beckett Denison, who promised that all requirements would be met. The clock and bell created according to his design remained the largest in the world for a long time.

The tower is equipped with a clock mechanism that is highly accurate.

When creating the Big Ben clock, the commission set a condition: the advance or lag of the clock mechanism should not exceed one second per day. Most watchmakers argued that this requirement, given the development of technology, is unrealistic. However, Edmund Beckett Denison was able to produce such a mechanism in five years. Its weight is 5 tons, and the accuracy required until the Second World War. During the war, due to bombing, the accuracy violation increased to 2 seconds per day. Using a one-penny coin, which is placed on a four-meter pendulum, they figured out how to adjust the movement of the mechanism.

The clock of St. Stephen's Tower is sometimes called the “main clock” of the state. Having four 9-meter dials, the clock was constructed under the direction of the famous astronomer Eri. Time is struck by an hour bell, which weighs almost 14 tons. This is the famous Big Ben!

True, the bell, due to the pursuit of weight, began to fulfill its functions only on the third attempt. Cast by Edmund Beckett Denison latest technology The 16-ton bell, made of the latest alloy, broke after the first blow. Two months later, the bell cracked due to the tongue being too heavy. And only from the third time, when all the parameters were taken into account, the bell began to fulfill its functions. The fight of Big Ben is constantly broadcast on English radio stations. Millions of people hear it on the radio every hour.

Where did this name come from - Big Ben, or "Big Benjamin"? There are as many as three versions today.

Most often, the origin of the name is associated with Benjamin Hall, a construction foreman. His height was great.

According to the second version, the bell was named after the then popular boxer Benjamin Count. His fists were big.

According to the third version, Benjamin Hall, nicknamed Big Ben, was the name of the chairman of the parliamentary commission (there is an option that this was the name of the Minister of Public Works). The discussion on the topic “How to name a bell” has gone on for too long. After Benjamin Hall's long speech on this topic, no one understood the essence of his proposal. At the end of the speech, while the speaker was catching his breath, one of the listeners, in order to save the situation, suggested calling the bell “Big Ben”! Those present, delighted by the unexpected rescue, applauded.

Big Ben is not the tallest tower of the palace - its height is 96.3 meters, while the height of the Victoria Tower is 102 meters (according to other sources - 98.45 meters).

During the construction of the Victoria Tower, it was taken into account that its purpose was to store parliamentary documents. Its external and internal organization had to be fireproof. It was necessary to take into account the sad experience of the events of 1834, when all the documents except the Jewels in the tower were burned in a fire. The design of the walls was quite bold for those times - a cast-iron frame surrounded by masonry. The first stone for the tower was laid by Queen Victoria herself.

The Victoria Tower forms the royal entrance to Parliament. During the session, the British national flag is raised on it.

Parliament consists of two houses: the House of Lords and the House of Commons.

The northern part of the building, with the Victoria Tower rising above it, is occupied by the House of Lords and the premises associated with it by the parliamentary ceremony.

The monarch ascends the Royal Staircase to the Norman Portico and from there enters the Hall of the Royal Robe. The Royal Robe Hall is still decorated with paintings by William Dick, which depict historical scenes from the reign of King Arthur. Passing further, through the Royal Gallery, where statues of English rulers are installed - from King Alfred to Queen Anne - the monarch passes into the Prince's room with a sculpture of Queen Victoria, and then solemnly enters the House of Lords.

The House of Lords is the most ornate room in Parliament. Decorative techniques found in the interior decoration of the entire palace reach their culmination here. Stone and wood carvings, many frescoes and paintings - the best masters created to fill this hall for many years, turning into centuries. The ceiling is completely covered with images of heraldic animals, birds, flowers, etc. Colored stained glass windows are inserted into the windows. A royal throne with an inlaid canopy, rows of benches covered in bright red leather, eighteen bronze statues of the barons who obtained the Magna Carta from King John, standing in the niches between the windows - this is what you will see when you visit the famous hall. In the House of Lords, parliamentarians are divided into two categories - lords temporal and lords spiritual.

The majority in the chamber in past centuries belonged to the Lords Spiritual - representatives of the Church of England. Currently, the advantage is on the side of secular lords, who bear the title of baron or baroness. As in former times, the Speaker - the Lord Chancellor - sits on a woolsack. This tradition recalls the time when England, as the world's main wool producer, exported this valuable commodity. Interesting fact, what in Lately Wool from other Commonwealth countries began to be added to the bag.

In the southern half of the palace, which is crowned by Big Ben, is the hall of the House of Commons. It is decorated much more modestly than the House of Lords. The walls are decorated with red oak, and at the top there are balconies for spectators and the press. Benches upholstered in green leather are provided for deputies. To the right of the speaker are representatives of the ruling party, and to the left are representatives of the opposition party. Not far from the entrance is the speaker's chair, surrounded by an iron grille. Red lines are drawn between the rows of benches. The distance from line to line is two sword lengths. This is also a tradition, the distance is such that the venerable parliamentarians do not reach each other with their blades. Anyone who crosses the line is considered to have attacked the opponent.

During World War II, German aircraft destroyed the House of Commons. The new reconstruction was led by Gil Gilbert Scott. Restoring the palace was a difficult and expensive process, as the highest quality wood was required. During the restoration work, the general Gothic character of the architecture was preserved. But the finishing details carved in stone and wood, and many furnishings that previously formed a single stylistic complex with the entire room, were not repeated. The artistic integrity of the appearance of the hall was further disrupted by the introduction of lighting spotlights of modern forms. The restoration dragged on until 1950.

Between the House of Lords and the House of Commons there are several halls and corridors. The Hall of Peers is decorated with the coats of arms of the six royal dynasties. From here you can get to the Central Hall, which has an octagonal shape. As in the Royal Gallery, there are sculptural portraits of the royal family. In the center of the palace is the oldest part - Westminster Hall.

In addition to the main halls, the palace has many rooms for commissions and committees.

The Palace of Westminster has been open to tours since 2004. During the tour you can see the royal gallery, the royal dressing room, the debate chamber and, at the end of the tour, Westminster Hall, the same one that was built in the 11th century. Here visitors can view an exhibition dedicated to the history of parliamentary democracy in England and visit the souvenir shop. Such an excursion can only be taken from August 6 to September 16 of each year, during parliamentarians' holidays.

But you can attend meetings of the House of Lords or the House of Commons throughout the year, every day, except weekends. After the check, you will be given reminders with a list of what you should never do: read during a discussion, applaud and look at parliamentarians with binoculars.

Many traditions are associated with the English Parliament.

In 1605, Guy Fawkes, who led the Gunpowder Plot, attempted to blow up the Houses of Parliament. Since then, guards dressed in ancient costumes, with lanterns and halberds, search the basements and nooks and crannies of the palace on November 5 of each year, although everyone knows in advance that they will not find any barrels of gunpowder in these rooms. This tradition of searching for attackers continues in the new palace building, built two and a half centuries after the “gunpowder plot.”

Another interesting tradition is observed if the meeting of the House of Commons ends late at night. At the end of the meeting, under the arches of the palace, even today you can hear the exclamation: “Who is going home?” The dark streets of London were far from safe in ancient times, and parliamentarians tried to return home in large groups. And although the Palace of Westminster and the surrounding streets are currently bathed in bright electric lights, and comfortable cars await members of parliament at the entrances, “Who Goes Home?” still sounds like centuries ago. And there are a great many such traditions observed in the Palace of Westminster today. And the most important of them is the annual, magnificent and complex opening ceremony of the parliamentary session with the participation of the Queen, all members of the government and deputies of both houses.