The Palace of Westminster and Big Ben
No trip to London is complete without a visit to the Palace of Westminster and Big Ben - home to the Houses of Parliament
The Houses of Parliament and their famous the Clock Tower, properly called the Palace of Westminster, are probably the single most recognized landmark in all of London. In fact the 316 foot high Clock Tower, which is commonly refered to as Big Ben after the nickname of it's heaviest bell, is famous throughout the world. The giant bell chimes each hour while four smaller bells chime every 15 minutes.
The site of the Palace of Westminster has a rich history going back nearly 1000 years to the 11th century. While it originally served as a royal residence it has been the location for meetings of the Parliament of England since 1295. In 1834 a huge fire broke out and destroyed the majority of the complex. Two Chambers where quickly repaired in order to be used by the Houses of Lords and Commons by February of the following year. After debating different designs for rebuilding the palace it was finally decided to stay with a convservative Gothic style. Rebuilding was completed in stages between 1840 and 1870. Palace of Westminster and the famous Clock Tower were again damaged heavily by a total of 14 different bomb strikes during the course of World War II, however everything was again rebuilt and repaired after the war.
During your visit to Houses of Parliament (Palace of Westminster) you can enjoy viewing and photographing the impressive architectural details and you can enjoy the Tower Gardens, a park that runs along the Thames River next to the Palace.
Public tours are available on Saturdays and during the Summer Opening. Tickets are required. For more information see Parliamentary Tours for overseas visitors
There are many other attractions within easy walking distance of Houses of Parliament (Palace of Westminster). Some of these include Saint James's Park, Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park, Westminster Abbey, Westminster Cathedral and the Westminster Cathedral. These attractions can be nicely combined into a memorable one or two day walking tour.
Facts For Your Visit
Fee: NoAddress: London SW1A 0AA, UK
Phone: 020 7219 3000
Official Website: Palace of Westminster
Palace of Westminster Reviews
Rated out of 5
Iconic. Simply iconic. You can get great views from the London Eye of course, but if you’re just walking past where the Eye is, keep walking and you can see the palace from across the river. It’s a great spot for a picture.
I have never been inside, but it’s on my bucket list for sure.
R. “R” R. - 6 months ago
This iconic architectural gem is the symbol of London and worth multiple visits to enjoy its details. My favorite time is around 6:00 am in the summer when you basically have Westminster bridge to yourself to watch the rising sun strike the building and reflect its image on the water of the Thames River. A recent restoration of Big Ben makes it shine, particularly when the sun hits the golden design elements.
What a wonderful home for Great Britain’s democracy. Just beautiful!
John Webber - 9 months ago
Great historical aesthetics all round, very exciting experience. Close to the city, easy to reach and see. Very calm and cool atmosphere.
The Palace of Westminster is where meetings of the Parliament of the UK are held and is located in England. Commonly known as Houses of Parliament after the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two chambers which occupy the building. It was built in 1016, rebuilt in 1870 and later. The architects were Charles Barry and Augustus Pugin.
SuperJ 1240 - 10 months ago
2024.04/ I choose for an English Guided Tour and it was a very good decision, the tour being an extremely interesting one and the guide very pleasant.
It is said that no nails were used in the construction of the hall roof, only the power of physics.
I liked the Robing room, a Love letter to queen Victoria from her husband prince Albert.
A very interesting fact is that everyone can attend and watch the debates in the house of lords or chambers Wednesdays for free and without any reservation.
For the this guided tour on 29th of April I booked from the beginning of February ( there are not many places and thus the options run out quickly ). You can also opt for a self audio tour.
The foto are permitted only in the hall and in the first room.
CAPATINA ROXANA - 9 months ago
An amazing experience, it was second time there and I never get tired of it. The multimedia tour is really well done, you can go at your own pace and you get the choice to dive dipper into more knowledge if you wish to do so.
I spent an hour and a half doing the tour but I probably could have stayed a lot longer. From the hall, to House of Lords and the House of Commons, everything you look at, brings you to our amazing heritage and is a constant reminder that even in the darkest times of our lives we can raise back from the aches and be even greater than we were in the first place.
Ricky Laurens - a year ago
Directions
| Tube Line | Nearest Station | Walking Time |
|---|---|---|
| Circle, District and Jubilee Line | Westminster | 2 Minutes |
| Northern and Bakerloo Line | Charing Cross | 14 Minutes |
| Victoria Line | Victoria | 19 Minutes |
How to get to Palace of Westminster by Tube
From Westminster Station you will exit onto Bridge St. right across from Big Ben.
From Charing Cross Station walk west on Strand then bear right at Trafalger Square and head south along Whitehall St.
From Victoria Station walk east along Victoria Street.
Map & Instant Route Finder
Click&Go Map and Route Finder with public transit, walking, driving or cycling directions. Get up-to-the-minute transit times for your route.
Accommodations near Palace of Westminster:
Photo Gallery
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Intricate Details of the Palace of Westminster Clock Tower often called Big Ben cc licensed photo by Mark Ramsay -
Photo Credit: Croydon Clicker - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Stuart Smith. - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Doolallyally - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: TerryDOtt - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: kBandara - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: www.mgaylard.co.uk and thanks for looking - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: TerryDOtt - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: TerryDOtt - cc license via Flickr
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