In what style was the Palace of Westminster built? Parliament

In official documents, the Parliament building is still referred to as " Palace of Westminster"or "New Palace of Westminster" and has the status of a royal palace.
When the court left the Palace of Westminster, which housed the Royal Court from the time of Edward the Confessor until the reign of Henry III, and moved to Whitehall Palace, Westminster was left with two most important inhabitants - parliament and the judiciary.


The courts held their sessions in Westminster Hall, and Parliament had to share two rooms: the House of Commons occupied St. Stephen's Chapel, and the House of Lords was the former premises of the Court of Petitions, dissolved in 1641.
Old Palace of Westminster(on the background - Westminster Abbey) from the side of the Thames River.

From the end of the eighteenth century until the accession of William IV, there was talk that Parliament needed a new building; Sir John Soane, the architect of the Bank of England building, presented his project for discussion, other architects followed his example, but the conversations were in vain.

But one night in 1834, the problem was resolved in just a few hours. Someone sent to burn the wooden dies from which treasury bills were printed went a little overboard in keeping the fire going; the flames, fanned by the sharp October wind, instantly engulfed the park and ancient buildings, of which soon only smoking brands remained.

Fire brigades rushed to the scene of the fire, but the flames were too strong for them to cope with. However, descendants are still indebted to the valiant London firefighters who saved Westminster Hall on that terrible night.

When young Victoria ascended the throne, she was surprised to find that her parliament had no refuge. Several years were spent clearing the area after the fire and holding a competition among architectural designs; The competitors were given one condition - the new building should be in the Gothic or Elizabethan style.

Victoria Tower(view from the monastery courtyard of Westminster Abbey).

Not since the building of St. Paul's Cathedral has a larger or more magnificent building been erected in England; its long river front, with the elegant Victoria Tower above the main building at one end and the Clock Tower at the other, represents architectural masterpiece, immediately recognized around the world as “quintessentially London”.

No other view of London, even St. Paul's Cathedral, has been depicted so often on the canvases of foreign artists. Preference was given to the project of Charles Barry.

Parliament Square, Parliament House and Westminster Hall (left), Victoria Tower (right).

Clock tower , also known as Big Ben, was officially renamed Elizabeth Tower in honor of the reigning Queen of Great Britain Elizabeth II. Big Ben, by the way, is not a clock, but a large bell, named after Sir Benjamin Hall, who served as Chief Commissioner for public works in those years when bells were hung on the tower. Its special, low and booming hum (associated, as they say, with a crack in the metal) penetrates literally into every corner of the globe.

A narrow spiral staircase of three hundred and seventy-four steps leads up; If bells begin to ring as you rise, a trembling permeates the stone slabs.

Westminster Hall- what remains of the old Palace of Westminster.

It is believed that the colossal oak trees, from the wood of which this majestic ceiling is made, sprouted from acorns no later than the sixth century. If this is true, then the ceiling of Westminster Hall is one of the oldest and most venerable architectural details not only in England, but in the whole world.

Acorns sprouted in England, shrouded in the darkness of the Dark Ages. This was the time of Celtic saints and tiny monasteries like Iona and Lindisfarne, the time of Viking bands fighting their way to the ruins of ancient Roman settlements; This was England, in which the ringing of the bell calling for prayer and the cry of the seagull were often drowned out by the cries of the rabble in horned helmets, who sailed to rob and kill, fill the longships with booty and return home to the North Sea.

For centuries, the Saxons and Normans drove deer, hunted wild boar and wolves on the very spot where Westminster Hall now stands; here they made love and had feasts. Meanwhile, the oak trees grew, becoming thicker in girth and casting ever denser shadows, and the world around was changing, the Middle Ages arrived, and in 1397 the foresters of King Richard II came here, looking for the oldest oak trees in Sussex in order to restore the roof of the royal palace in Westminster . They cut down mighty trees - the same trees that were called old already in the reign of Alfred the Great (Anglo-Saxon king).

Parliament Square- a large square in the center of Westminster, created in 1868 to streamline traffic around the Palace of Westminster. Parliament Square has a symbolic layout and represents all branches of government. On the eastern side, the legislative power is represented by the Houses of Parliament (Palace of Westminster), on the northern side, the embodiment of the executive power is Whitehall, on the western side, the judicial power is personified by the Supreme Court building, and on the southern side, the seat of spiritual power is Westminster Abbey.

Methodist Central Hall- Westminster Central Hall or Methodist Central Hall in Parliament Square is a public building used for holding meetings of the Methodist Church. It was built in 1912 in the French Renaissance style. Big hall crowned by a huge dome, this room is considered the second in the world in terms of capacity; it can accommodate 2,352 people at the same time.

The building to the right of Westminster Abbey.

Buckingham House- the official London residence of the British monarchs - became a royal palace, so to speak, involuntarily; this is a perfect illustration of the typical English reluctance to build palaces on a grand scale.

The area on which Buckingham Palace stands was occupied by mulberry plantations during the reign of James I; Yakov believed that sericulture “can save the people from idleness and the vices it engenders.” However, this theory died with Jacob, and on the site of the plantation a roadside inn arose, to which the gentlemen of Charles II brought their ladies and treated them to pies with mulberries.
In the Queen Anne etchings we see a handsome square red brick house in the Dutch style; two semicircular colonnades connect it with the stables and outbuildings. In front of the house there is a wide courtyard with a fountain, an iron fence and wrought iron gates, decorated with the crown and coat of arms of the Duke of Buckingham - the Garter and St. George.

Looking out of the windows of the upper floor, the Duke saw an alley of elms and lindens - the current Mall. In the distance rose the dome of St. Paul's Cathedral, surrounded by the spiers of the City churches, and a little closer and to the right, beyond the meadows and park, the bell tower of Westminster could be seen. When looking at the Mall, the Duke had a view of a long canal and a duck pool, dug by order of Charles II; today it is a lake in St James's Park.

Talking about the new house in a letter to a friend, the Duke said that right under the windows there was a patch of forest where blackbirds and nightingales lived. Immediately after the coronation, Victoria moved to this palace, and she rebuilt it; The queen's first order concerned the installation of a ceremonial throne at Buckingham Palace.

A crowd awaits the rehearsal of the parade marking the 60th anniversary of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.

Now let's just walk around London. As I mentioned before, you won't realize you're in London until you're near a famous landmark. This is a very green city.

Although, without a doubt, the spirit of such aristocracy reigns here that you still won’t be deceived :)

The entire city (as well as all other cities in Great Britain) is decorated with flags dedicated to the anniversary of the Queen's coronation.

One evening we went in search of King's Cross Station, from which Harry Potter was leaving for Hogwarts from the magical platform 9¾. There is a more remarkable building next to this station St Pancras station(St. Pancras station).

Architecturally, the station consists of a main room - a landing stage, enclosed in the facades of the neo-Gothic building "Midland Grand Hotel" (now the Renaissance Hotel).

But here we go King's Cross station(King's Cross - “Crossroads of Kings”).

On the top floor of the station, under the station clock, there is a giant bronze sculpture of a young couple, “The Meeting Place.”

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A royal residence and a symbol of parliamentarism, a Gothic building erected in the 19th century, an architectural masterpiece and a labyrinth of stairs and passages, a collection of artistic treasures and a state archive. All this is the Palace of Westminster, a real tangle of contradictions, amazingly embodying in stone the imperial spirit combined with the desire for freedom. In terms of recognition, it is quite comparable to Egyptian pyramids or the Moscow Kremlin. And we must admit - the British are rightfully proud of their Houses of Parliament.

A little history

There is a suspicion that on the site of the current Palace of Westminster there once stood a temple of Apollo, erected by the founders of Laundanum - Roman legionnaires on the marshy island of Thorney at the confluence of the Tyburn River with the Thames. The ruler of Denmark, England and Norway, Canute the Great, was the first to establish his residence here around 1016, then it went to the Saxon and Norman kings. Their vassals first met here for council in 1265.

At the beginning of the reign of Henry VIII, the building was almost completely burned down, the king moved to Whitehall, and the deputies were left in the ashes. Another fire occurred in 1834, after which the architect Charles Barry built the current magnificent palace in the neo-Gothic style, known throughout the world.

What to see

A huge building of 1,200 rooms, connected by 3 km of corridors and hundreds of stairs, stretches along the Thames and seems to float above the water. Lancet windows, high towers and turrets, stained glass windows and statues - all the signs of neo-Gothic are evident. If you look from the river, then on the right stands the Elizabeth Tower, familiar to everyone as Big Ben. Its clock has been chiming since 1859.

On the left, the façade is completed by the Victoria Tower - the state archives. To ensure the safety of documents, it was erected on a cast iron frame. On the side you can see the pointed Sovereign's Entrance, 15 m high, through which the monarch enters the Parliament building for the annual opening ceremony of the next session. During this time, his standard is raised on the flagpole; on other days, the British banner is visible above the tower.

Westminster Hall, a masterpiece of wooden architecture, miraculously survived all the fires. Its grandiose vaults are supported not by columns, but by complex arched brackets, built by carpenter Hugh Erland in 1393. Coronations took place here, royal courts worked, and the famous trials of Charles I, Thomas More, and the arsonist Guy Fawkes took place here.

Parliament House is open to tourists on Saturdays and between sessions. Excursions are conducted by appointment; visitors explore the meeting rooms of the House of Lords and the House of Commons, their lobbies decorated with statues of English monarchs and commanders, the room where the Queen puts on regalia and jewelry before going out to the deputies, and the room with portraits of all the wives of Henry VIII.

Practical information

Address: London, Westminster. Website (in English).

How to get there: by metro to the station. Westminster, by buses No. 148, 211 to the stop. Parliament Square or Nos. 12, 53, 159, 453 to the stop. Westminster Station Parliament Square.

Opening hours from 9:00 to 17:00, detailed information on the palace website.

Ticket price for adults is 28 GBP, pensioners and students - 23 GBP, children over 5 years old - 12 GBP. Prices on the page are as of November 2018.

Palace of Westminster

The British Parliament building (Houses of Parliament), known to our compatriots also under another name - the Palace of Westminster, is currently the seat of two parliamentary chambers of England: the House of Lords and the House of Commons. Commons).

Palace of Westminster in London: history of Parliament and modern times

The most famous landmark of the Houses of Parliament is its tower - the clock tower of the Palace of Westminster, better known as Big Ben ( Big Ben).

The Palace of Westminster began to serve as a stronghold of the monarchy in the mid-11th century, when King Edward the Confessor moved the royal court here and the monarchs' apartments were located in the center of London, near the River Thames.

In 1265, the British Parliament was created, consisting of two chambers: the House of Lords and the House of Commons. The House of Lords always met in the Palace of Westminster, but the House of Commons at that time did not have a permanent meeting place.

In 1530, the residence of the king (at that time he was Henry the Eighth) was moved to Whitehall Palace, and the House of Lords continued to meet in the Palace of Westminster. It was not until 1547 that the House of Commons also moved into the palace and Westminster received the status of the central seat of government. This state of affairs continues today.

If you want to see the Houses of Parliament from a full perspective, then you need to visit the London Eye, the city's Ferris wheel - you will have a magnificent view of the capital and the new Palace of Westminster. "Why new?" - you ask. Unfortunately, in 1834, a fire destroyed almost the entire building; only the Jewel Tower, the crypt, St. Stephens and Westminster Hall survived.

To rebuild the palace, an architectural competition was specially held. As a result, Sir Charles Barry and his assistant Augustus Welby Pugin received the right to develop an architectural project for the restoration of Westminster, which they did with success. The palace rose from the ashes in the same Gothic, and now in the neo-Gothic style and added to the ensemble those architectural structures that survived the fire. Construction took 30 years and was completely completed in 1870.

Today the Palace of Westminster includes:

• Clock Tower
• Victoria Tower
• House of Commons
• House of Lords
• Westminster Hall
• Lobby

Address: Westminster, London SW1A 0AA, UK, tel. +44 20 7219 3000

Big Ben

He is also called Big Ben. But in fact the correct name is the Clock Tower, at the top of which is the largest clock in England. The elegant design of Big Ben's creator, Charles Barry, still impresses the imagination today.

Initially, it (the Clock Tower) was called St. Stephen's Tower, but was soon renamed and received the name of the largest bell located inside it - Big Ben. If you are walking in the evening in the center of London and see that in The light at the top of Big Ben comes on, this means that Parliament is working in the Government building - the Palace of Westminster.

House of Commons and House of Lords

The building in which the House of Commons met was destroyed during the Second World War, its restoration was completed in 1950, the project was designed by Giles Gilbert Scott, today you can admire the neo-Gothic style of the new House of Commons.

If we look at and compare the interior decoration of the chambers, we immediately get the feeling that the interiors of the House of Commons, made in green tones, look rather modest and austere compared to the interiors of the House of Lords.

The time that has passed since the formation of the Parliament of England has been more favorable to the House of Commons: today there is a sense of big influence decisions regarding the future of the country, passions run high here, and the ruling party sits opposite the opposition at a distance of the length of exactly two swords, at a distance of one human leg, which forces parliamentarians to be self-possessed and persistent.

Central Lobby

In this room - the Central Lobby - people gather who have come to defend their interests before the government and parliament, this is where they can make a speech and convince parliament to take this or that decision, which is necessary either for ordinary citizens of the country, or for some sector of the economy, or for a territorial community. Because in this building every British citizen can declare the protection and satisfaction of their interests, it was called the Lobby, from the English verb “to lobby” - to lobby, to protect interests.

Victoria Tower

The tower, which is located opposite Big Ben, is called Victoria Tower. It was built in 1860 and houses the archives of parliamentary decisions dating back to 1497. The Flag of the United Kingdom is raised above this tower during parliamentary sessions (its height is 98 meters).

Every Big City peace has its own unofficial symbol. Paris is famous Eiffel Tower, the “business card” of New York is the Statue of Liberty, Moscow is recognized by the Kremlin. The capital of England also has its own face. Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament in London are the subject of the material.

General information

The workers of this unique architectural landmark cite impressive figures. The approximate length of the corridors is 5 km, there are more than 100 staircases between floors, and the total number of rooms exceeds 1,100 units.

The famous building is located in a luxurious area called Westminster. First Royal Palace appeared here back in 1016. But after 1295, the families of the monarchs vacated this premises, and it came under the authority of Parliament.

All the beauty that had been built over centuries was consumed by fire on October 16, 1834. Despite the firefighters' struggle with the elements, the palace was on fire. Realizing the scale of the tragedy, the leadership gave the order to devote all efforts to saving Westminster Hall. A day later, the parliament building turned into ruins. But the unique hall with luxurious wooden beams was preserved.

After the decision was made to restore the historically important site, the design of Charles Barry was chosen. The style in which the building was designed is neo-Gothic. Initially, the task was set: to build a luxurious, majestic and impressive palace.

Oldest hall

Almost everything that is presented to the visitor today was rebuilt after the big fire. But most ancient part The castle is Westminster Hall. Its area is 1547 m². This room was saved from fire. Construction of the room began back in 1097. And two years later the architects completed the project. Everyone who enters the hall first of all pays attention to the amazing roof. At one time, this hall bore the honorary title of the largest in Europe. And only many years later did everyone find out where the Houses of Parliament in London were located.

The functions of this room were quite wide. Court sessions were held here. On the benches the fates of the most famous people of his time: both kings and politicians. In addition, foreign guests were received in the hall, receptions were held and feasts were held.

Ceremony of the year

The front door is considered the Sovereign's Entrance. It is located below. Every year the monarch and his retinue come here to open the new parliamentary year. Then he goes to another, no less majestic hall. The next room has only one purpose - it serves as a dressing room for the autocrats. Here the heads of the country changed into parliamentary robes and put on the imperial crown. This is one of the few traditions that the Palace of Westminster in London preserves.

By far the most luxurious room in the palace is Royal Gallery. The interior and decorations had to be worthy of a monarch. It should be noted that this is one of the largest premises. Its dimensions are 33.5 x 13.7 meters. The walls are decorated with frescoes. From this hall the procession moved to the Upper House to open the session. When a person of royal blood enters, deputies, judges and clergy rise from their seats.

Established traditions

Since the 16th century, parliament has been divided into two parts. The lower one consists of parties. Lords and representatives of the clergy work in Upper. Previously, deputies worked in the temple. They sat in church pews facing each other. The British Parliament still maintains this order. In the course of historical events, these two authorities “settled” in the same room.

Between the Chambers there is a central hall, above which rises the Central Tower. The entrance to the Commons Hall is made in the form of an arch. It is decorated with stones with traces of explosions. In 1941, during the Second World War, the Lower House suffered greatly. The slabs that were found in the ruins were preserved as a symbol of the indestructibility of Great Britain. Nearby are statues of two of England's most influential ministers - Lloyd George and

Owners of the palace

In the northern part is the Lower House. After restoration in 1950, it became less luxurious. Nevertheless, her beauty is amazing. The ruling parties and the opposition sit opposite each other. There is a conditional corridor between them, indicated by red lines.

The width between the marks is equal to the length of two extended swords. The color in which the hall is decorated is green. The size of the hall is 14 x 20.7 meters. This is where everyone who forms parliament gathers. The Palace of Westminster remained the main residence of British kings for 400 years. This is official administrative center countries.

The meeting room of the House of Lords is very rich and luxurious. The main tone is red. The imperial throne is located here, where the monarch sits during the opening of parliament. The throne is amazing. The chair is gilded. The craftsmen spent three years decorating it. Here the current queen reads the ceremonial words. However, its authors are deputies and ministers. The speech includes parliament's plans for the next year. And only after this ritual is the parliamentary session considered open.

The building itself stands on the left bank main river cities - Thames. It should be noted that many tourists choose boat excursions, since the Houses of Parliament in London are reflected in the sparkle of the waves. And this is a unique view.

"Face" of England

Of course, there is Big Ben. It is used as a calling card and is often featured in films, books and greeting cards. People usually call the Clock Tower by this name. However, this is actually the nickname of the largest of the palace's five bells. His job is to count the clock. The “voice” of the chimes is broadcast every 60 minutes on the BBC.

As is already known, almost the entire palace burned down in a fire in 1834. When the authorities decided to restore parliament, the Clock Tower was included in the project. This amazing landmark is the work of Augustus Pugin.

The mechanism was designed by a group of amateurs. And by 1854 the clock was finally assembled. The last day of spring 1859 is considered the date of birth of Big Ben. It was then that the hour hand was started. Today it is impossible to imagine the Houses of Parliament in London without this structure.

Mechanism basis

Below the clock there is a Latin inscription that translates to “God Save Queen Victoria.” Next to it is another sentence: “Praise the Lord.” During World War II, German bombers tried to destroy the symbol of indestructible Great Britain. However, the tower survived.

The base of the bell reaches 3 meters. The height is 2 m. The diameter of the dial is 7 m. The length of the hour hands is 2.7 m, and the length of the minute hands is 4.2 m.

It should be noted that Big Ben is a kind of mosaic. Each of the four sides is made up of 312 pieces of glass. Every 5 years, professional rope washers descend to the dial. Special solution they wipe down the clock, being careful not to damage the fragile windows.

Until now, this architectural landmark is included in the list of the largest watch mechanisms in the world and ranks second. The weight of the famous bell is almost 14 tons.

New name

The height of the tower reaches 96 meters. However, the mechanism itself is located 55 meters from the base. You can climb the mountain using a narrow spiral staircase consisting of 334 steps. They lead to a small area. However, tourists are not allowed there. Only caretakers can climb into the “heart” of the clock. Very rarely excursions are organized for the press and honored guests.

The tower is especially beautiful in the dark. The four-sided clock is illuminated. The chimes can be clearly heard even at a distance of 8 km. Interestingly, when the British Parliament sits at night, Big Ben lights up in a different color.

Until September 2012 they were known as the Clock Tower of the Palace of Westminster. However, politicians decided to rename the monument in honor of the 60th anniversary of the reign of Queen Elizabeth. This change caused mixed opinions among the public. But, despite this, Big Ben did not lose its magic. Every tourist who has visited London cannot return home without a photo of this attraction.

Address: UK, London, Westminster
Start of construction: 1840
Completion of construction: 1860
Architect: Charles Barry, Augustus Welby Northmore
Coordinates: 51°29"58.6"N 0°07"27.9"W

Short description

View of the palace from the Ferris wheel

Quite recently, one of the sociological services conducted a rather interesting and, at first glance, strange study. The company's specialists visited most shops and small shops in the city, where they calculated the percentage of... refrigerator magnets that depict the main attractions of London. Surprisingly, 85% of these popular inexpensive souvenirs depict the Palace of Westminster in London. It’s strange, strange, if only because in the capital of Great Britain there is also Buckingham Palace, where the legendary Queen of England, the “London Eye” lives, and a huge number of attractions. But the overwhelming majority of tourists are invited to preserve the memory of the capital of the United Kingdom, nevertheless, by the Palace of Westminster.

Before traveling to London, you don’t even have to rely on statistics from sociological services, don’t pay attention to tourist brochures, just go to any social network and look at photos of your friends who have already visited the capital of England. There is no doubt that most of their photos in London were taken with the Palace of Westminster in the background. Near the building where the Parliament of England sits, as mentioned above, there is always a huge crowd of people. It seems as if a festival of peoples of the world is taking place next to the Palace of Westminster.

View of the palace from the opposite side of the Thames

Different speech is heard from everywhere: English, German, French, Japanese, Chinese and Russian merge into a single, continuous hum. All this in Once again proves that the Palace of Westminster is not only one of the main attractions of England, but, without a doubt, of the entire vast Old World.

Palace of Westminster - ancient history and legendary event

The first Palace of Westminster, according to surviving documents, was built in an uninhabited and swampy area in 1042. It was erected by order of the rulers of the kingdom instead of the Tower, which, with the expansion of the city, somehow incredibly ended up in the poorest quarter of the capital. One has only to imagine what the authorities of the capital experienced among the poor, who still “smelled bad.” This state of affairs simply forced the main building of the city to be moved away from the impoverished “rabble” of London. How could monarchs rule a country in such a terrible place? The new residence in a marshy area, from the windows of which the situation in which England found itself in those distant times was not so clearly visible, was almost completely completed by 1042. Immediately after its construction was completed, King Edward and his family moved there. Looking ahead a little, I would like to immediately note that the old building had nothing in common with the modern majestic Palace of Westminster, which is a symbol of London and which is depicted in tens of thousands of paintings and professional photographs.

View of the palace from Lambeth Bridge

The Palace of Westminster was constantly growing: 45 years after its construction was completed, it was decided to build a building for the son of the legendary William the Conqueror. architectural structure Westminster Hall. The son of the great commander, who won many victories over his enemies in his lifetime, was called William the Red II. It was this man who decided that the palace must have the most luxurious hall, in which it would not be a shame to organize magnificent receptions and even conduct coronation ceremonies in front of representatives of other countries. In addition to these ceremonies, by order of William the Red II, the highest body of the judiciary in England, the Supreme Court of the country, began to hold permanent meetings in Westminster Hall. By the way, Westminster Hall, built just under 1,000 (!) years ago, is the only building that has survived to this day. According to modern architects, Westminster Hall was designed and built in the Gothic style. By the way, even the most ordinary tourist, who has absolutely nothing to do with architecture, can easily determine this: just compare Westminster Hall and other buildings of the palace.

View of the palace from Westminster Bridge

The Palace of Westminster is interesting not only for its architecture (whether new or old). Back in the 13th century, a very important document, who played a key role in the formation of the political structure of England. It is according to this document that many prestigious colleges are currently teaching students what a modern, secure democratic state should look like and how to get rid of bureaucracy and tyranny. It was in the 13th century that King John the Landless of England, under public pressure, signed a decree that went down in history as the Magna Carta.

Naturally, there was no talk of any anarchy. All the “liberties” consisted in the fact that the king was deprived of the right to rule the country alone: ​​since the 13th century, many important decisions regarding foreign and domestic policy were made by parliament, which was elected by the people! Monarchs became only a kind of symbol of the country, something like a coat of arms or flag. Even taxes were introduced and calculated by parliament, which was simply a salvation for the impoverished population of the country. For this reason, the Palace of Westminster can be considered not only the “calling card” of London, its main attraction, an architectural and historical monument, but also a symbol of the constitutional parliamentary monarchy. It is this model of power that is currently considered the most effective in the world.

Westminster Bridge with the Palace of Westminster in the background

We can talk about the construction of the Palace of Westminster and its expansion for an infinitely long time: the people constantly supported improvements to the building, because parliament sat there, which at one time saved it from the tyranny of the monarchs. The thing is that in 1834, almost the entire Palace of Westminster, built in 1042... burned to the ground. Until the 19th century, two buildings remained from the former majestic building where the Parliament of England met: the same Westminster Hall and the Jewel Tower. True, the last room, which served as a treasury, was built only in the 14th century, by order, and then by subsequent approval by Parliament (!), King Edward III.

Palace of Westminster - a new story

Restoring the building for parliament was an urgent matter: immediately after the fire, the government of England announced a competition for best plan new Palace of Westminster. It was won without much difficulty by Charles Barry, who presented a grandiose and unique project of its kind. True, Barry understood perfectly well that it was impossible for him to cope with all the work alone, so he invited Augustus Welby Pugin to cooperate, with whom he built the very Palace of Westminster, the view of which can be enjoyed by any tourist visiting the capital of England these days.

View of the palace at night

According to the plan of Charles Barry, it was decided to build a new building for parliament in the neo-Gothic style (new Gothic style). To say that the construction of the Palace of Westminster took place in record time and “without a hitch” would be a lie. There were difficulties, and they constantly arose for the architects and the huge number of workers involved in the construction of the facility. The construction site had to be prepared for more than three years, and the construction of the Palace of Westminster itself took just over 48 years (from 1840 to 1888).

Over such a long period of time, not only the Palace of Westminster was rebuilt, but also St. Stephen's Tower, which can be found in our time on a huge number of posters, calendars and other printed materials. For those who have not yet been brought to London, and who were too lazy (or maybe just didn’t have time) to get acquainted with its history and attractions, let us clarify that St. Stephen’s Tower is the same famous and legendary Big Ben. Almost every civilized inhabitant of our planet undoubtedly knows about this name of the tower.

By the way, despite the fact that the Palace of Westminster and Big Ben were built relatively recently, there is no exact evidence of where the name “Big Ben” came from for St. Stephen’s Tower. There are only versions, and versions, as you know, are quite easy to refute.

View of the eastern façade of the palace

Some historians claim that Benjamin Hall, affectionately known as Ben, was a huge foreman for the construction of the Palace of Westminster and St. Stephen's Tower. Others claim that Big Ben got his “nickname” in honor of the popular boxer. However, the most interesting and, at the same time, most confusing version says that the tower was named after one representative of parliament. His name, by the way, was also Benjamin and his last name was Hall. He went to the podium and began to explain at length what the clock tower should be called. He talked for so long that he became confused historical facts, and no one listened to his muttering anymore. Finally, after an hour and a half, he ended his tirade, which made no sense at all. The parliament breathed a sigh of relief and one of its members asked the speaker a question: “So what do you propose in the end?” Benjamin Hall was confused, and someone shouted: “Let's name the tower after this long and boring speech - Big Ben!” The joke was well received and the tower got its name. Which of these three versions to believe, everyone decides for himself. It is worth repeating that not a single official evidence in favor of this or that opinion has been found these days.

Quite a long time passed before the clock was installed on St. Stephen's Tower. The delays were due to the requirements of the London authorities. The clock should fall behind or advance by no more than 1 second per day. All the most respected watchmakers simply laughed at this condition: 19th-century technology simply did not allow the creation of a giant clock that had to be placed on a high tower and run with extreme precision. Only Edmund Beckett Denison took up the development of the plan, and in five years he managed to fulfill all the requirements. The clockwork of Big Ben kept pace by more than a second per day. By the way, the weight of the watch, designed by Edmund Beckett Denison, is just over 5,000 kilograms.

A little official information wouldn't hurt either: the height of St. Stephen's Tower or Big Ben (as you like) is almost 96 and a half meters. Many may think that this is the tallest building architectural ensemble called the Palace of Westminster. However, this opinion is far from the truth, the most high tower The palace is the Victoria Tower, its height is 102 meters. Some tourist brochures indicate a different figure - 98.4 meters, but it has nothing to do with reality. The tower, named after Victoria, was built so huge for only one purpose, to fit in it the entire archive of documents considered by the Parliament of England. Big Ben and the Victoria Tower, however, like other rooms, are made entirely of fireproof materials: the fire of 1834 in the Palace of Westminster remains forever in the memory of Londoners.

View of the palace from Parliament Square

During World War II, the Palace of Westminster in London became a prime target for Nazi pilots. Hitting him with a bomb was an honor for every Luftwaffe ace. For this reason main symbol London, where Parliament met and where Prime Minister Winston Churchill made his fiery speeches, was seriously damaged. The Palace of Westminster, which, as mentioned above, is a symbol of the constitutional parliamentary monarchy, was completely reconstructed in 1950. It cannot be said that the building suffered only minor damage; on the contrary, the damage to the Palace of Westminster was serious: it was possible to completely revive it in 5 years only thanks to the huge budget and the heroism of the English workers. Alas, bombs also hit the legendary Big Ben. The clock mechanism “suffered a serious malfunction”; it began to lag by as much as 2 seconds per day. The British solved the problem quite quickly and simply: all they did was attach a coin to a huge pendulum. The weight of just one penny affected Big Ben's clock and it started running again with extreme accuracy.

Palace of Westminster in London - short tour

The phrase " short tour" in the subtitle of the material does not mean at all that there is nothing to see in the Palace of Westminster. On the contrary, it is simply not possible to describe all its rooms, luxurious halls, corridors and, of course, Big Ben in one article. Trying to find a palace on our vast planet that could be compared with Westminster is a thankless task: it has no equal and, according to modern architects, there will not be in the near foreseeable future.

View of the eastern façade of the palace from Westminster Bridge

11 courtyards, each of which is unique, just over 100 staircases, corridors whose total length exceeds five kilometers and 1,200 (!) rooms - where else in the world can you find such a scale and such splendor? The area of ​​the palace is huge, but thanks to the neo-Gothic style it does not seem like a massive bulk; on the contrary, it creates the impression of “lightness” and fits organically into modern London. Although, it would be more correct to say that modern London is in harmony with the Palace of Westminster.

Parliament, which is perhaps the most famous in the whole world, consists of two chambers: the House of Commons and the House of Lords of England. They are located at different ends of the building and are connected by several gigantic halls, between which there are also corridors. It will take a long time to walk from one chamber of the Palace of Westminster to another. However, a journey through these halls and corridors turns into a real museum tour! The walls of the rooms connecting the chambers are decorated with wall paintings. Most of the paintings, which depict almost the entire history of Foggy Albion, starting from the reign of King Arthur, belong to the brushes of the most famous artists in the world. They, according to art critics and numerous guides, have no price - they are priceless.

Monument to Richard the Lionheart

We can talk endlessly about the sculptures, stunning stucco moldings and gold decoration of the premises. It is simply impossible to describe all 1,200 rooms and numerous corridors in any material or even in a series of television programs. It is only worth noting that The richest and most beautiful room in the entire Palace of Westminster is the House of Lords of England. It is here that important decisions for the country are considered (but not yet made), and it is there that the Lords make their fiery speeches. The House of Lords does not have a speaker; his role is played by a bag of wool. For those who don't know, in ancient times England was the main exporter of sheep's wool, which brought the lion's share of income to its budget. In memory of these times, the “speaker” of the House of Lords was made into an ordinary “piece of wool.”

It was decided to decorate the House of Commons a little more modestly: after all, the Lords do not sit there. This is where the most important decisions for the country are made. Representatives of the ruling party and the opposition sit in the House of Commons at the Palace of Westminster. There is a specially made distance between these stocks, which is equal to the length of two swords extended in the hand. As many have already guessed, the architects provided this “corridor” for a reason: this way, representatives of the opposition and the ruling party will not be able to hit their opponents with a sword. In England, political opponents are not beaten with fists in the House of Commons; nevertheless, we are talking about a country in which a constitutional parliamentary monarchy has won, and the representatives of the people in the House of Commons are somewhat different from the deputies sitting in their halls in the post-Soviet space.

Victoria Tower

By the way, in 2004 it was decided to open the Palace of Westminster to the people. Tourists who come to London will be able to personally see all the magnificent halls and even watch how efficiently the Lords work in their rich chamber. The work process in the House of Commons is not hidden from prying eyes either. True, it’s boring to watch the representatives of this chamber: you won’t see any fist fights, throwing eggs, or explosions of firecrackers there.

While the Lords and Commons are on holiday, a must see is the legendary and preserved Westminster Hall, built for the son of William the Conqueror. By the way, it was in this building that a memorial service was held for the “greatest Briton” in the entire history of Foggy Albion, Winston Churchill.