HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT
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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.
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Members' reviews on HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT
N'hésitez pas a faire un tour sur la grande roue pour découvrir le paysage des airs
Les lieux sont magnifiques. Visites guidées possibles
La visite comprend les deux salles du parlement (chambre des communes et des Lords) mais aussi plusieurs pièces adjacentes qui ne sont pas sans importance au niveau du poids des coutumes parlementaires (notamment le fameux"couloir des votes"). Impossible malheureusement de prendre des photos.
Ne surtout pas hésiter aussi a prendre l'audio guide (même si c'est du coup un peu plus cher): le lieu étant a l'évidence toujours actif, il n'y a quasiment aucune explication écrite dans les salles. La visite perd alors tout de suite de son intérêt.