Houses Of Parliament Is The Largest Palace In The UK

The Houses of Parliament, often known as the Palace of Westminster, is one of the many architectural icons that London is proud of. It is situated in the London borough of Westminster on the left bank of the River Thames.

The royal palace, dubbed the biggest in the entire nation, was rumored to have stood there under the Danish monarch of England Canute. But the structure, described as an "incomparable structure" by William Fitzstephen, was constructed for Edward the Confessor on the 11th century and afterwards expanded by William I. (the Conqueror). The palace sustained severe fire damage in 1512 and was no longer used as a royal home. By 1550, the House of Commons meetings, which had previously been held in Westminster Abbey's chapter house while the Lords met in another chamber of the palace, were held in St. Stephen's Chapel. Except for the famous Westminster Hall, the Jewel Tower, the cloisters, and the crypt of St. Stephen's Chapel, the entire palace was completely destroyed by fire in 1834.

The current structures were created in the Gothic Revival style by Sir Charles Barry with A.W.N. Pugin's assistance. The building process started in 1837, the cornerstone was set in 1840, and the project was completed in 1860. One of the numerous air raids that hit London during World War II resulted in the Commons Chamber being completely destroyed; nevertheless, it was later rebuilt and reopened in 1950. The Commons is 70 feet (21 meters) long, while the elegant House of Lords is 97 feet (29.5 meters) long. The Victoria Tower in the southwest is 336 feet (102 meters) tall. With a height of about 320 feet (97.5 meters), Elizabeth Tower (formerly St. Stephen's Tower) houses the renowned tower clock Big Ben. In 1987, the Houses of Parliament received the same honor as Westminster Abbey and St. Margaret's Church as a UNESCO World Heritage property.