London Attractions

Houses of Parliament

Originally built for Edward the Confessor more than 1,000 years ago, the Houses of Parliament, or Palace of Westminster, remained the principal residence of Britain’s monarchs for the next 400 years. Thereafter it became the administrative centre of the country. In 1834 the great fire burnt everything except Westminster Hall, and the present Gothic building was completed in the 1840s. It is perhaps most famous for the clock tower, St Stephens, which is commonly, but mistakenly called Big Ben, after the name of the bell inside. Although Parliament is closed to visitors during session, it is still a popular attraction to tourists for its exterior architecture.

Address: Westminster; Post code: SW1A 0AA; E-mail: hcinfo@parliament.uk; Website: www.parliament.uk; Telephone: 0870 906 3773; Transport: Westminster underground station; Opening time: Open during summer recess, see the website for details.; Admission: £12 (adults), £5 (children)