Town Halls and Public Buildings to visit London

The Houses of Parliament are held in Westminster Palace. Here, the House of Commons and the House of Lords of the United Kingdom sit. Originally created by Edward the Confessor in the 11th century, the building has long been used as a royal residence, even if no monarch has lived there since the 16th century. The oldest part of the palace, Westminster Hall, dates back to 1097. The rest of the building dates back to the 19th century because, in 1834, a gigantic fire destroyed the medieval palace, sparing only Westminster Hall, the 13th century crypt and the cloister of the St. Stephen's Chapel. The four-storey palace has more than 1,100 rooms. It is one of the jewels of neo-Gothic architecture designed by the architect Sir Charles Barry, who was largely inspired by the Tudor period. It is within the Westminster Palace that you can also discover The Clock Tower, home to Big Ben. The tower was renamed The Elizabeth Tower in 2012 following the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee celebration. After visiting the Houses of Parliament, you will understand how the United Kingdom Parliament works, how the House of Lords is organized and how the House of Commons is organized. Decorated with picturesque anecdotes, the place is pleasant to discover, the nerve centre of the United Kingdom's political power, still cluttered today with protocols and many traditions. The bright red rooms reserved for the Lords contrast with the bright green rooms of the deputies.

The building that once housed royal residences now embodies the Houses of Parliament, the prestigious precinct where the UK's House of Commons and House of Lords operate.
Originally built in 1097, Westminster Hall is the oldest part of the building. The rest of the building dates back to the ^19th century, after a gigantic fire destroyed much of it in 1834. Architect Sir Charles Barry (1795-1860) was commissioned to rebuild the building in a neo-Gothic style inspired by the Tudor era. Work lasted from 1840 to 1852. Today, the palace extends over 3.24 hectares and is almost 300 meters long. There are some 1,100 rooms, 100 staircases and 4.8 km of corridors. It also contains state apartments for the Speakers of both Houses.
On the north facade of the building, atop the clock tower (renamed the Elizabeth Tower in 2012), Big Ben is also one of the city's symbols. This 13.5-tonne bell stands 96 metres high and was installed in 1859. This iconic London tower is currently undergoing major renovation work. These have been the subject of numerous articles, as they are expected to cost a total of over £80 million, compared with the initial figure of £30 million. The work involves repairing damage caused by a World War II bomb, asbestos and pollution.

Inaugurated by Queen Victoria in 1882, the Royal Court of Justice houses the Supreme Court. George Edmund Street designed the entire neo-Gothic building. The rooms known as the "Bear Garden" with their beautiful panelled ceilings and wallpaper with the Court's emblems are on display. Their name would come from the atmosphere that emerged during the settlement of certain disputes, similar to that of a bear fight. In the main hall, two pillars of a very flowery style and under the arches a column that does not extend to the ground.

The changing of the guard takes place at 11 a.m. Monday to Saturday and at 10 a.m. on Sundays. The new guard leaves Wellington Barracks and passes through Birdcage Walk, Constitution Hill and The Mall. This ^18th-century building has its entrance porch watched over by two royal guards, who must neither smile nor address the public. This tradition is slightly less popular than the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace. The patience of the horses is equally admirable.

The Prime Minister's residence, number 10, has been located in this little street perpendicular to Whitehall since 1732. Following renovation in 1902, it also became the Prime Minister's principal residence. The building has not been open to visitors since Margaret Thatcher forbade it. The famous facade, seen over and over again on the news, can be seen behind a gate. Following Boris Johnson's resignation in 2022, Rishi Sunak is living in the building at the time of writing.

The most beautiful view of the Royal Naval College is on the other side of the Thames: you can admire the view of the buildings. The first part, the oldest, was built by John Webb, Inigo Jones' nephew and assistant, in the 1660s at the request of Charles II, who wanted a new palace. The project was abandoned due to financial obstacles and it was King William III and his wife who transformed the site into a hospital for wounded sailors. The construction of the building was entrusted to Christopher Wren and completed by Hawksmoor and then by Vanbrugh.

Commissioned in 1692 by King Charles II, this beautiful building was built by Christopher Wren and was used to rescue veterans wounded during the war. This mission is still relevant today. The museum traces the history of these residents from the 17th century to the present day. The entrance hall is dedicated to the Duke of Wellington and features articles about George Jones and the Battle of Waterloo (1820). He also has a contemporary painting of Queen Elizabeth II by Andrew Festing (1998). It is here that the Chelsea Flower Show is held every May.

It is the most famous criminal court in the country where the greatest trials take place, such as that of Oscar Wilde in 1895. The Old Bailey was built on the site of the former Newgate prison, one of the most terrible of its time. On the roof, with a sword in one hand and a balance in the other, the allegorical statue of Justice looks towards the Place de Grève, where the executions took place in the past. If major high-profile trials take place during your stay, you will need to get up early. Several guided tours are organized.

The Inns of Court are professional training institutions for lawyers who come to study here. London has four Inns of Court: Inner Temple (King's Bench Walk), Middle Temple (Middle Temple Lane), Lincoln's Inn (Lincoln's Inn Field) and Gray's Inn (Gray's Inn Road). In addition to their role in the training of lawyers, they also supervise the profession. Each barrister (lawyer) belongs to one of these schools. Barristers wear the traditional white wigs and only they are authorized to defend or prosecute the accused and to plead in court. Since the 13th century, the Inns of Court have strictly controlled admission to the English bar and those who wish to become barristers must still study at one of the four Inns of Court today. The system is actually a kind of patronage, in that it is difficult to become a barrister without a network of good contacts. These venerable and traditionalist institutions are built around a central courtyard, modelled on the Oxford and Cambridge colleges. The Inns of Court are a collection of passages, courtyards and lawns of undeniable charm. Lincoln's Inn is the oldest and certainly the most beautiful with its Tudor-style gate and chapel dating back to 1623. Famous figures such as Thomas More, Oliver Cromwell and Margaret Thatcher studied there. Just next door is Lincoln's Inn Field, London's largest square, built in 1640.