Houses of Parliament

It appears much older than it actually is. Charles Barry, with the help of Augustus Pugin, constructed the Parliament buildings in 1860 to replace the ancient structure, which had been destroyed by fire in 1834. Today, the complex has more than 1,000 rooms, 11 courtyards, eight bars, six restaurants, and a visitor-only café. Only Westminster Hall and the Jewel Tower from the original palace are still standing today.

Visitors are welcome to visit the palace buildings or watch the political debates in the House of Lords and House of Commons (subject to strict security checks at the Cromwell Green entrance, the only public access point inside Parliament).

The center of political action in the UK is the Palace of Westminster, which is situated along the Thames.The British Parliament has a remarkably long history, which began with the first legislative session held there in 1275. However, the Palace of Westminster was not designated as the official residence of Parliament until Henry VIII moved to a new des-res in Whitehall in 1532.

With Gothic buttresses, towers, and arches predominating, the contemporary Palace is a stunning mash-up of architectural styles. Additionally, it has the well-known Elizabeth Tower, which houses Big Ben (inaccessible until 2021 due to restoration work).

Google Rating: 4.2/5.0
Address:Cromwell Green entrancePalace of WestminsterLondonSW1A 0AA
Phone: 0207 219 4114
Price:Pre-booked audio tours: £19.50, £8-£17 concs, free under 5’s. Pre-booked guided tours £26.50, £11.50-£22 concs, under 5s free.
Opening hours:Open every Saturday plus weekdays when not in session; Mon-Fri when in session (check the website for further details)
Website: www.parliament.uk/visiting