The Parliament building in London. Westminster Palace (description)

Every major city in the world has its own unofficial symbol. Paris is famous for the Eiffel Tower, the "business card" of New York - the Statue of Liberty, Moscow is recognized by the Kremlin. There is also a face in the capital of England. Big Ben and the Parliament building in London - the theme of the material.

General information

The workers of this unique architectural landmark give impressive figures. The approximate length of the corridors is 5 km, between the floors there are more than 100 stairs, and the total number of rooms exceeds 1100 units.

The famous building is located in a luxurious area called Westminster. The first royal palace appeared here in 1016. But after 1295 the families of the monarchs liberated this building, and it passed into the power of the parliament.

All the beauty that was built for centuries was absorbed in fire on October 16, 1834. Despite the struggle of firefighters with the elements, the palace was blazing. Realizing the scale of the tragedy, the leadership gave the order to throw all the forces on the rescue of Westminster Hall. In a day the parliament building in London turned into ruins. But the unique hall with magnificent wooden beams managed to be kept.

After making a decision to restore the historically important object, the project of Charles Barry was chosen. The style in which the structure is designed is neo-Gothic. Initially, the task was set: to build a magnificent, majestic and impressive palace.

The oldest hall

Virtually everything that is presented today to the visitor, was rebuilt after a big fire. But the most ancient part of the castle is the Westminster Hall. Its area is 1547 m². This room managed to be kept from fire. The construction of the room began in the far 1097 year. And two years later the architects passed the object. Everyone who enters the hall, first of all, pays attention to the amazing roof. At one time this hall was the honorary title of the largest in Europe. And it was only many years later that everyone learned where the Parliament building is located in London.

The functions of this room were wide enough. Here the court sessions were held. On the benches were decided the fate of the most famous people of his time: both kings and politicians. In addition, foreign guests were received in the hall, held receptions and held feasts.

Ceremony of the year

The front door is the entrance of the Sovereign. It is located under the Victoria Tower. Every year the monarch and his entourage come here to open a new parliamentary year. Then he goes to another, equally grand 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 a parliamentary mantle, put on the imperial crown. This is one of the few traditions that Westminster Palace stores in London.

Of course, the most luxurious room of the palace is the Royal Gallery. Interior and decorations should have been worthy of the 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 passed to the Upper Chamber 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 House of Commons consists of parties. In the Upper the lords and representatives of the clergy work. Previously, the deputies worked in the church. They sat on church benches set opposite each other. This order is still maintained by the British Parliament. In the course of historical events, these two authorities "settled" in the same room.

Between the Chambers is a central hall, above which rises the Central Tower. The entrance to the Community Hall is made in the form of an arch. It is decorated with stones, on which there are traces of explosions. In 1941, during the Second World War, the Lower Chamber suffered very badly. Plates that were found in ruins, preserved as a symbol of the invincibility of Britain. Nearby are statues of the two most influential ministers of England - Lloyd George and Winston Churchill.

The owners of the palace

In the northern part is the Lower Chamber. After the restoration in 1950, it became less luxurious. Nevertheless, its beauty is amazing. The ruling parties and the opposition sit opposite each other. Between them there is a conditional corridor, marked with red lines.

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

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

The building itself stands on the left bank of the main river of the city - the Thames. It should be noted that many tourists choose water excursions, since the parliament building in London is reflected in the splendor of the waves. And this is a unique kind.

"Face" of England

Of course, the symbol of London is Big Ben. It is used as a visiting card and often appears in films, books and on greeting cards. Usually people call this the Clock Tower. However, in fact, this is the nickname of the largest of the five bells of the palace. His job is to count the hours. The "voice" of the chimes every 60 minutes is broadcasted by the BBC.

As already known, almost the entire palace was burnt in a fire in 1834. When the authorities decided to restore the parliament, the Clock Tower also entered the project. This amazing sight is the work of the English architect August Pugine.

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

The basis of the mechanism

Under the clock there is a Latin inscription, which translates as "God save Queen Victoria." Another sentence was minted: "Praise be to the Lord." During the Second World War, German bombers tried to destroy the symbol of the indestructible 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 minute hand is 4.2 m.

It should be noted that Big Ben is a kind of mosaic. Each of the four sides consists of 312 glass particles. Every 5 years, professional washers on the cables go down to the dial. A special solution they wipe the watch, while trying not to damage the fragile windows.

Until now, this architectural landmark is on the list of the world's largest watch movements 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 55 meters from the base. On the mountain you can climb using a narrow spiral staircase, consisting of 334 steps. They lead to a small area. However, tourists are not allowed there. Only caretakers can rise in the "heart" of the clock. Very rarely excursions are arranged for the press and guests of honor.

The tower is especially beautiful in the dark. The four-sided clock is illuminated with illumination. The battle of the chimes can be heard well even at a distance of 8 km. It is interesting that when the British Parliament sits at night, then Big Ben burns 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 has caused mixed opinions among the public. But, despite this, did not lose his magic Big Ben. Every tourist who has visited London can not return home without a photo with this landmark.