The Palace of Westminster ceased to be a residence. Palace of Westminster: from the past to our time

Built in the neo-Gothic style, it stretches along the banks of the Thames for three kilometers. (This reminded me of one of the most famous palaces in Russia - the Winter Palace)

Many can recognize this beautiful palace by one of its towers - the famous Big Ben, as everyone calls it.

It's funny, but many people, when they hear "Palace of Westminster", do not immediately understand what it is about. And no wonder - he is known to everyone as London Houses of Parliament.

It is here that both houses of the British government are located, and here its fate is decided.

History of the Palace of Westminster

The palace was built back in the 11th century for King Edward, who ascended the throne in 1042, and was completed and expanded over several centuries.

Thus, the famous Westminster Hall - the heart of the palace and the most elegant European hall - was built half a century later for William Rufus. Another two centuries later, Henry III added a new chamber to the hall. And on January 20, 1265, a meeting of the first English parliament took place there. This first parliament appointed (and later elected) individuals from the upper classes, the clergy and the aristocracy.

Parliament shared its residence with the royal one for another century, until the royal couple decided to move to Whitehall in 1547, and the Parliament of London became the sole owner of the Palace of Westminster.

The palace continued to deteriorate until... there was a fire in 1834. Fortunately, Westminster Hall and the crypts were preserved, but the main ensemble of the building was badly damaged. Parliament decided to restore its beloved and now dear residence, but at the same time make several adjustments.

It took more than thirty years to restore this masterpiece of architecture designed by Charles Barry, but it was worth it - now we can admire a beautiful example of a palace in the neo-Gothic style.

How to get to the Houses of Parliament in London

Tourists have two opportunities to visit the Houses of Parliament, while for residents of the UK it is much easier - any Briton can contact Parliament with a question, and also visit the palace with a representative of their region. And most importantly, they can visit Big Ben and see the tower from the inside! Envy-envy-envy.

How cool it would be to see this tower from the inside...

Since we are not British citizens, our options are much smaller.

• You can watch the Parliament debates for free from the guest gallery.
• Buy an audio tour to Parliament or a guided tour.

Free debates in Parliament

Anyone can get to the debate by simply standing in line for the event. Debates are held daily from Monday to Thursday, and also during the sitting of Parliament on Friday.

Debates are different. Okay, off to the debate. "Question Time" Only UK residents are admitted who have a ticket issued to them by their regional representative. Those Britons who don't have a ticket, as well as tourists, can attend this debate if there is space left.

On other debates There is no need to register, but you will have to wait in a long line. The wait usually takes one to two hours.

Schedule of Parliament meetings

Excursion to Parliament

To the joy of our compatriots who do not know English language and not wanting to overpay for individual tour in some agency (if there are any) - excursions to the Parliament are also conducted in Russian.

Audio tours runs from 9.20 to 16.30 on Saturdays, from 13.20 to 17.30 on Mondays and from 9.20 to 17.30 from Tuesday to Friday (from July 31 to August 29, from September 12 to October 19 - tours until 16.30) every 15 minutes. Duration - 1 hour.

Guided tours in English are held from 9.00 to 16.15 (except Mondays, on Mondays they start at 13.20) and start every 15-20 minutes.

Tours in other languages are carried out at a certain time 2-3 times a day.

• In French at 10.00, 12.20 and 15.00
• In German at 10.20, 12.50 and 15.20
• In Italian at 10.40, 13.00 and 15.40
• In Spanish 11.00, 13.20 and 16.00
• In Russian at 13.40 and 16.15

By the way, there is another offer for tourists - “Afternoon tea”. Those. You can drink tea right in the Parliament building! This pleasure costs a lot - £29.00 excluding the cost of a ticket for the excursion.

Afternoon tea is held at 13.30 and 15.15. The audio tour should be taken at least an hour and a half before this time, and the guided tour should be taken two hours in advance. It depends on everyone... but to me it seems like a waste.

Cost of visiting Parliament House

Tickets to individual excursions You can buy it on or order by phone.

Group excursions - only by phone +44 161 425 8677

Photography is prohibited inside. The rules for visiting Parliament and its news can be found on the official website - http://www.parliament.uk/visiting/

Entering the Houses of Parliament is like touching the history and government of Great Britain. Of course, you won't be allowed to see the entire Palace of Westminster. You can only follow a clearly defined route visiting several rooms:

• Queen's Robing Room
• Royal Gallery
• Prince's Chamber
• House of Commons
• Lords Chamber
• Glossary (Moses Room)
• Central Lobby
• Members' Lobby
• Aye Lobby
• St Stephen's Hall
• Westminster Hall

How to get to the Palace of Westminster?

Metro station: Westminster.

Bus: all with a stop near Parliament Square

On this page you can see all the entrances to the Palace of Westminster, and how to get there.

The Palace of Westminster in London (in English “The Palace of Westminster”) is the modern face of the United Kingdom, which is proud of its thousand-year history. If Buckingham Palace is the residence of the Queen, then the British Parliament sits in this place. The building fascinates with its grandeur and magnificent panorama that stretches over the Thames. This Victorian-era Gothic gem continually attracts tourists and ordinary Londoners. Each of them wants to plunge into history and see up close the Palace of Westminster, where the main attractions of Great Britain are located: Big Ben, the Royal Gallery and Westminster Hall.

Panorama of the Palace of Westminster

History of the Palace of Westminster

Have you ever wondered why Westminster got its name? Its history goes back to the distant 11th century, when the Anglo-Saxons dominated these lands. They were the first to create a temple here, originally called the Western Church, that is, “west minster”. Over time, this name spread to the entire area located on the Thames coast.

In 1066, the first ever coronation of Duke William took place in Westminster. He turned the palace into his residence. Since then, all monarchs, except Edward V and Edward VIII, have held their ceremony here.

Since the 13th century, the palace has become the meeting place of the British government. And in 1512, after a large-scale fire in the building, King Henry VIII decided to completely transfer Westminster to the ownership of the Houses of Parliament. Since then, the palace has become the center of the country's political life. However, most ceremonies are still held here.

The Royal Gallery, where ceremonies take place

During its existence, Westminster was repeatedly destroyed. In 1834, part of the palace was destroyed in another fire. The parliament's decision to remain in the building simply saved it from decay, because a partial reconstruction was carried out here so that the Chambers could continue to work.

Another fatal page in the history of the parliament building was the Second World War. The numerous bombings that London experienced could not but affect the condition of the building. However, Westminster was restored quite quickly. Already in the 50s, the Palace of Westminster, the photo of which is given below, acquired its usual appearance.

Parliament House after the 1950 war

Now the palace includes:

• Westminster Hall where celebrations and various exhibitions are held
• Tower of the Royal Jewels, where the hereditary jewels of the British royal dynasty are kept, and there is a permanent exhibition dedicated to the history of parliament
• Church of the Intercession of St. Mary, to which only parliamentarians have access. Here they are allowed to conduct marriage ceremonies and baptisms.
• Corridor and meeting rooms, separated for staff offices.

Another integral part of the Palace of Westminster is the towers located on its territory. Once designed as a chimney, the Central Tower now houses more than 400 fireplaces. Victoria Tower continues to serve as the parliamentary archives, preserving more than 3 million documents. Still, the most famous among them remains the Elizabeth Tower, which features the work of Sir Edward Beckett - Big Ben.

To the west of the palace is the famous Westminster Abbey. They found theirs in it last refuge British kings, outstanding scientists and politicians. Here marriages were born that continued the British royal family, and baptisms of the heirs of the crown took place, changing the course of history. The monastery was built over 500 years, starting from the 13th century, but the first mentions of it date back to the 7th. It is here that you can fully feel the atmosphere that reigned at the coronation of British monarchs. After all, this place has witnessed all the outstanding ceremonies since the 11th century.

View of Westminster Abbey

Tour of the Palace of Westminster

The Palace of Westminster surprises with its grandeur and size inside. It contains 1,100 rooms, 100 staircases, and this despite the presence of only 4 floors, as well as almost 5 kilometers of corridors. The lower, so-called basement floor contains offices, dining rooms and bars. The first floor, also called the main floor, includes the main halls of the palace: libraries, meeting room, lobby. Another two floors are used for office space for parliamentary staff.

Every November, the opening ceremony of Parliament takes place in Westminster. The monarch is always present. During the opening it goes through the Royal Staircase, the Norman Veranda, the Royal Gallery, the Prince's Chamber and ends with the House of Lords. Despite all the destruction that the palace had to endure during the Second World War, and numerous examples of art, in particular wall paintings, destroyed after fires, its modern appearance attracts crowds of amazed tourists. Lush decor, stucco moldings and wooden decoration of the halls, candelabra that captivate attention - the interior of the parliament is not at all inferior to royal residences. Externally, the building looks no less magnificent, its monumentality takes your breath away: sharp spiers, tall walls with stained glass windows, wide arches. The Palace of Westminster, overlooking the Thames, truly has something to captivate the eyes of its guests.

House of Lords in the palace

Interesting facts about Westminster Abbey and Palace

Since Westminster Abbey and the Palace of Westminster are one of the most historical landmarks not only in the United Kingdom, but throughout the world, most of the facts about them are no longer new to the British and even people who have never been here. However, we still found interesting facts for you in the history of the Palace of Westminster.

1. Although visitors to Westminster Abbey have become accustomed to calling it that, its real name is St. Peter's Collegiate Church, Westminster.
2. During World War II, the coronation chair was sent to Gloucester Church for preservation, and the stone was buried under the building of Westminster Abbey.
3. Big Ben isn't really Big Ben. The tower is called the Elizabeth Tower and the clock inside is called the Great Clock of Westminster. The origin of the name Big Ben is still unknown.
4. Westminster Hall is the oldest part of the castle that survives from when the palace was built, and its roof is the oldest medieval structure in Britain.
5. The colors of the palace actually have a hidden meaning: gold is the color of the monarch, red is the House of Lords and green is the House of Commons. Their hierarchy is also followed here - gold on top, red in the middle, and green at the bottom.

Delivery of Parliament over the Thames

Where is the Palace of Westminster: address, opening hours

You can get to the Palace of Westminster by using the metro. The nearest station is Westminster. You can buy entrance tickets on the spot by ordering by phone or online; you can also print them here. Entry prices range from £18 to £28, depending on whether you have a guide or an audio guide. Children under 5 years of age have the right free entry. If necessary, tourists with disabilities can be provided with an escort to move around the territory. The Palace of Westminster also offers excursions for groups of 10 people or more.
Please note that tours are available in April, May and August, similar to Buckingham Palace, however, it is better to check the exact dates and times on the Internet.

Night panorama of Westminster

Ganna Koval

Share:

The Palace of Westminster has 1,200 rooms, 100 staircases and 5 kilometers of corridors. Anyone can observe the work of the House of Commons and the House of Lords - the parliament premises are open all week at different times of the day. Queue at St. Stephen's Gate and, after passing through several security checkpoints, you can reach the visitors' gallery.

In August and September, when Parliament is not in session, you can take a guided tour of the entire building.

Of the palace towers, the most famous clock tower is the Elizabeth Tower, most often called Big Ben, although this is actually the name of the 13-ton bell that rings the chimes. Big Ben is known throughout the world, and the tower is a universally recognized symbol of London. Perhaps the best view of the Houses of Parliament is from the south side, from the river, and at night the illuminated towers and spiers look extremely romantic.

Story

In the 11th century, Edward the Confessor built the first Palace of Westminster on the banks of the Thames. All the monarchs lived here until Henry VIII, who had to move from Westminster after the fire. Since then, parliament has been housed here. In 1834, the old palace again almost completely burned down, leaving only the Palace Hall and the Jewel Tower. After the fire, it was decided to rebuild the complex and as a result the building acquired its current appearance with the famous Gothic spiers.

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 to share the territory of the Chapter Hall of Westminster Abbey with its monastic 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, the British national flag is raised on it. 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 the interior decoration of 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 of the barons who secured Magna Carta from King John stand in the niches between the windows, looking down on the inlaid canopy of the royal throne, on the rows of benches upholstered in bright red leather, on 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

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 by urban development; it found itself 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. For a long time, Parliament did not have its own residence: it 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 a 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 numbers 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 using the latest technology from the latest alloy, the 16-ton bell 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” took 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 structure 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, that recently they began to add wool produced in other Commonwealth countries 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 installed there 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.