Westminster Palace

The Palace of Westminster, in London

The Palace of Westminster is the seat of the British Parliament, a majestic neo-Gothic ensemble by the Thames. The London audio-guided tour stops here to evoke this emblematic monument, heart of British democracy, listed as world heritage.

The seat of the British Parliament

The Palace of Westminster, also called the Houses of Parliament, is the seat of the legislative power of the United Kingdom and one of the most emblematic buildings of London. The site has been a place of power since the Middle Ages, when it sheltered a royal residence. After a great fire in the nineteenth century, which destroyed the old palace, the current building was rebuilt in a sumptuous neo-Gothic style, deploying along the Thames an immense worked façade, bristling with towers, pinnacles and sculptures. It shelters the two chambers of the Parliament, the House of Commons and the House of Lords, where the political life of the nation is decided. The ensemble also includes the famous clock tower, Big Ben, and the old medieval hall of Westminster Hall, a vestige of the original palace. A symbol of British parliamentary democracy and an architectural masterpiece, the palace is listed as UNESCO world heritage. A major monument and the heart of power, the Palace of Westminster is a must-see stop of the discovery of London.

What to see

You admire the seat of the British Parliament, a place of power since the Middle Ages, rebuilt in the nineteenth century in sumptuous neo-Gothic after a fire, deploying along the Thames an immense façade bristling with towers, pinnacles and sculptures, sheltering the House of Commons and the House of Lords, as well as Big Ben and Westminster Hall, listed by UNESCO. The Palace of Westminster is the heart of British power. It is a must-see stop, to be explored on foot.

Practical information

The Palace of Westminster lies by the Thames, in London, reachable on foot and by public transport. You admire it freely from outside; the visits of the Parliament follow their own hours and conditions, which vary. It is best to check them before coming.

What is the Palace of Westminster?

The seat of the British Parliament, a place of power since the Middle Ages, rebuilt in the nineteenth century in sumptuous neo-Gothic after a fire; it shelters the House of Commons and the House of Lords, as well as Big Ben and Westminster Hall, and is listed as UNESCO world heritage.

Where is the Palace of Westminster?

By the Thames, in London, in the United Kingdom.