Parliament Square
Westminster
LONDON SW1

The Houses of Parliament are housed in a magnificent building designed by Charles Barry and Augustus Pugin and built in the splendours of the high Victorian age.   They were opened in 1834.  They occupy the site for the former great Palace of Westminster, built in 1512, where Kings and Queens of England lived for over 400 years.

The Palace stretched from the present site of Big Ben clock tower (more correctly known as St Stephen's Tower - Big Ben refers to the name of the huge bell!)along the whole length of Whitehall as far as the present Banqueting House. It was burned to the ground  in 1834 when a pile of wooden tally sticks caught fire - and no-one noticed until it was too late to save the building.

The Houses of Parliament from the Thames - photo by S Worsfold

 The two Houses of Parliament are called  the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The House of Commons is where England's principal political parties, such as Labour, Liberal and Conservative, meet to decide the country's social, foreign and economic policies. The sessions in the Commons assume a greater relevance in the running of the country than the sessions in the House of Lords, where the peers of the realm meet to discuss in a more sedate manner the Bills presented to it by the Commons for assent.  They have been known to throw out draft bills, or to demand drastic amendments to the efforts of the Commons.

The Houses of Parliament also contain the mediaeval St Stephen's Hall  - the only part of the original Palace still standing.  It has the most magnificent hammer-beam roof constructed from huge oak beams and was the location for the trial of King Charles 1st and for the lying in state of King George VI and Winston Churchill, among other notaries.

It is sadly very difficult to watch the proceedings of either House since the terrorist bombs which killed MPs.You need to obtain tickets well in advance by writing to your local Member of Parliament, which will enable you to attend a debate and watch from the Strangers'  Gallery. Visits to both Houses can be made in August when Parliament is not usually sitting.

The world-famous clock tower on top of  Parliament is popularly known as "Big Ben"  - although this title properly belongs to the great bell, which weighs 14 tonnes and consistently chimes on the hour, whilst four smaller bells ring every 15 minutes.

For information on the House of Commons call 0207 219 4272. For information on the House of Lords call 0207 219 3107.

Nearest Tube station: Westminster