Read the Palace of Westminster in Russian. Houses of Parliament in London

Rebuilt in 1840 after destruction in the Middle Ages, the Palace of Westminster today stands as an outstanding example of neo-Gothic architecture. The new Palace of Westminster is one of the landmarks of the English capital. It is located in the heart of London on the banks of the Thames and is its architectural center.

Location of the Palace of Westminster

Writer H.G. Wells wrote in 1911: “To me London is the most interesting, the most beautiful, the most amazing city in the world". Many who have at least once visited the capital agree with him. Today's London is large international center, the area of ​​the city is about 625 square meters. miles.

In ancient times, the site of Westminster was impassable. However, the swamp was dried up, and in its place a Royal Palace. The palace was located near the Thames, next to Westminster Abbey, a few miles from the City.

History of the Palace of Westminster

The Palace of Westminster, one of the most famous buildings in the world, houses parliament: the House of Lords and the House of Commons.

The first palace was built for King Edward the Confessor, who ascended the throne in 1042. Forty-five years later, Westminster Hall was built for William Rufus, son of William the Confessor, the most elegant hall in the city, where a feast was held in 1099. In the 13th century, Henry 3rd added the painted chamber, and during his reign the first parliament (from the French verb "parler" - to speak) was convened.

On January 20, 1265, the first English parliament convened at the Palace of Westminster, convened by Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester. In order to give the established order a semblance of legitimacy, Montfort put forward the initiative to create a council in which, along with the rest, the third estate would be represented. Convened on January 20, 1265, this council very quickly developed into a permanent body called Parliament.

After 30 years, parliament became more democratic, because representatives were no longer appointed, but elected. By 1550, members of the House of Commons and House of Lords met separately with Members of Parliament in the graceful chapel of St Stephen.

The Palace of Westminster was destroyed by fire in 1834. A special commission was created to restore this masterpiece of architecture, and soon a competition was announced for the development of the project, in which about a hundred people took part. As a result, ninety-seven options were considered, of which the project of Charles Barry (1795-1860) was recognized as the best. It was he who was entrusted with the restoration, which he did in a magnificent Gothic style with the help of Augustus Pugin, who performed the picturesque ornamental work. St Stephen's Chapel was renamed St Stephen's Hall. It's a wide hallway lined with paintings, marble sculptures and a lagoon sign where the Speaker's chair once stood.

The preparatory work dragged on for 3 years - it was necessary to build terraces on the banks of the Thames. It was only in 1840 that work began on the parliament building itself. The construction of the palace was completed in 1888.

The crypt and Westminster Hall survive, but the adjacent House of Commons was again destroyed during the Second World War due to heavy bombing German army. The new reconstruction was led by Gil Gilbert Scott. Restoration was a difficult and expensive process, as the highest quality wood was required. The palace was restored by 1950.

Features of the architecture and interior of the Palace of Westminster

The unusual layout and, as a result, the unparalleled volumetric-spatial composition of the palace are explained not only by the complex structure of the government office, but also by the inclusion in the overall volume of the building of a national relic - Westminster Hall - a masterpiece of English Gothic of the 11th-14th centuries and part of the walls that was badly damaged by fire of the medieval chapel of St. Stephen.

The total area of ​​the entire area occupied by the palace is 3.2 hectares. Stretching along the Thames for 300 meters, the complex includes more than 1,100 rooms, 100 staircases, and is connected by a corridor whose length is almost 3 kilometers. In addition to the various buildings in the palace itself, there are 11 more courtyards.

The palace is decorated very skillfully: outwardly, despite its large size, it does not seem bulky. The palace is decorated with two main towers - the 102-meter-high tower and the 98-meter-high St. Stephen's Clock Tower. The clock on the latter has four dials, each 9 meters in diameter. The creation of these was led by the famous astronomer Eri. Time is struck by an hour bell, which weighs almost 14 tons. This is the famous Big Ben. They are named after Benjamin Hall, who was the Minister of Public Works. It was he who supervised the installation of the clock. People nicknamed him Big Ben (Big Benn) for his considerable weight. At first the bell was called Big Ben, then the clock, and now this is the name for the entire tower, which has become business card London.

The Victoria Tower houses the Royal Passage. The royal cortege moved through it on special occasions.

A whole complex of premises adjoins the House of Lords. In ancient times, the monarch ascended the Royal Staircase to the Norman Portico and from there went to the Hall of the Royal Robe. The Hall of the Royal Robe is still decorated with paintings by William Dick depicting scenes from stories about King Arthur. The Royal Gallery contains statues of rulers, ranging from King Alfred the Great to a sculpture of Queen Anne. From the Royal Gallery, the monarch walked into the Prince's Room with a statue of Queen Victoria located in it, and then solemnly entered the Lord's Chamber.

The most richly decorated room in the Palace of Westminster is the House of Lords. Decorative elements include wood and stone carvings, many paintings and frescoes painted by many great masters. The ceiling is covered with various heraldic emblems. Colored stained glass windows are inserted into the windows.

The House of Lords and the House of Commons are connected by several halls. The Hall of Peers is decorated with the coats of arms of the six royal dynasties. Through the Hall of Peers you can get to the Central Hall, which has an octagonal shape. As in the Royal Gallery, there are sculptural portraits of the royal family. The Commons corridor leads into the Commons Hall, beyond which is the House of Commons. It is decorated less magnificently than the House of Lords. The walls are decorated with red oak, and there are balconies on the sides for the press and spectators. Deputies are seated on central benches upholstered in green leather. Traditionally, representatives of the ruling party sit on the right, and representatives of the opposition sit on the left. Not far from the entrance there is a speaker's chair surrounded by bars.

In the center of the palace is the oldest part - Westminster Hall. It was built in 1097. It was destroyed many times, but was restored the same as it was from ancient times. The dimensions of the hall are quite impressive: length - 88 meters, width - 28 meters, height - 21 meters. Westminster Hall is connected to both chambers through long corridors.

In addition to the main halls, the palace has many rooms for commissions and committees.

Until recently, the Palace of Westminster was only a government residence, but since 2004 it still operates as a museum. Excursions are organized during the period summer holidays English Parliament - from August 7 to September 16. Tourists begin their tour of the palace from the royal dressing room, the royal gallery, then enter the debate chambers and end the tour in the oldest part of the palace - Westminster Hall, built in the 11th century. Here visitors can view an exhibition on the history of parliamentary democracy in England and look into the souvenir shop.

Previous photo Next photo

A royal residence and a symbol of parliamentarism, a Gothic building erected in the 19th century, an architectural masterpiece and a labyrinth of stairs and passages, a collection of artistic treasures and a state archive. All this is the Palace of Westminster, a real tangle of contradictions, amazingly embodying in stone the imperial spirit combined with the desire for freedom. In terms of recognition, it is quite comparable to Egyptian pyramids or the Moscow Kremlin. And we must admit - the British are rightfully proud of their Houses of Parliament.

A little history

There is a suspicion that on the site of the current Palace of Westminster there once stood a temple of Apollo, erected by the founders of Laundanum - Roman legionnaires on the marshy island of Thorney at the confluence of the Tyburn River with the Thames. The ruler of Denmark, England and Norway, Canute the Great, was the first to establish his residence here around 1016, then it went to the Saxon and Norman kings. Their vassals first met here for council in 1265.

At the beginning of the reign of Henry VIII, the building was almost completely burned down, the king moved to Whitehall, and the deputies were left in the ashes. Another fire occurred in 1834, after which the architect Charles Barry built the current magnificent palace in the neo-Gothic style, known throughout the world.

What to see

A huge building of 1,200 rooms, connected by 3 km of corridors and hundreds of stairs, stretches along the Thames and seems to float above the water. Lancet windows, high towers and turrets, stained glass windows and statues - all the signs of neo-Gothic are evident. If you look from the river, then on the right stands the Elizabeth Tower, familiar to everyone as Big Ben. Its clock has been chiming since 1859.

On the left, the façade is completed by the Victoria Tower - the state archives. To ensure the safety of documents, it was erected on a cast iron frame. On the side you can see the pointed Sovereign's Entrance, 15 m high, through which the monarch enters the Parliament building for the annual opening ceremony of the next session. During this time, his standard is raised on the flagpole; on other days, the British banner is visible above the tower.

Westminster Hall, a masterpiece of wooden architecture, miraculously survived all the fires. Its grandiose vaults are supported not by columns, but by complex arched brackets, built by carpenter Hugh Erland in 1393. Coronations took place here, royal courts worked, and the famous trials of Charles I, Thomas More, and the arsonist Guy Fawkes took place here.

Parliament House is open to tourists on Saturdays and between sessions. Excursions are conducted by appointment; visitors explore the meeting rooms of the House of Lords and the House of Commons, their lobbies decorated with statues of English monarchs and commanders, the room where the Queen puts on regalia and jewelry before going out to the deputies, and the room with portraits of all the wives of Henry VIII.

Practical information

Address: London, Westminster. Website (in English).

How to get there: by metro to the station. Westminster, by buses No. 148, 211 to the stop. Parliament Square or Nos. 12, 53, 159, 453 to the stop. Westminster Station Parliament Square.

Opening hours from 9:00 to 17:00, detailed information on the palace website.

Ticket price for adults is 28 GBP, pensioners and students - 23 GBP, children over 5 years old - 12 GBP. Prices on the page are as of November 2018.

It is the hallmark of the capital of Great Britain and the seat of its parliament, consisting of the House of Lords and the House of Commons.

The architectural complex, also known as Parliament, is located in the Westminster area. This included masterpiece of architecture includes historical London Attractions, the main of which are Westminster Hall and the Big Ben and Victoria towers.

Palace of Westminster, history of construction

The first Palace of Westminster, according to surviving documents, was built in an uninhabited and swampy area in 1042. It was erected by order of the rulers of the kingdom instead of the Tower, which, with the expansion of the city, somehow incredibly ended up in the poorest quarter of the capital.

One has only to imagine what the authorities of the capital experienced among the poor, who still “smelled bad.” This state of affairs simply forced the main building of the city to be moved away from the impoverished “rabble” of London. How could monarchs rule a country in such a terrible place? The new residence in a marshy area, from the windows of which the situation in which England found itself in those distant times was not so clearly visible, was almost completely completed by 1042.

The Palace of Westminster was constantly growing: 45 years after its construction was completed, it was decided to add Westminster Hall to the architectural structure for the son of the legendary William the Conqueror. The son of the great commander, who won many victories over his enemies in his lifetime, was called William the Red II.

It was this man who decided that the palace must have the most luxurious hall, in which it would not be a shame to organize magnificent receptions and even conduct coronation ceremonies in front of representatives of other countries. In addition to these ceremonies, by order of William the Red II, meetings began to be held constantly in Westminster Hall supreme body The judicial branch of England is the Supreme Court of the country.

The Palace of Westminster is interesting not only for its architecture. Back in the 13th century, a very important document was signed here, which played a key role in the formation of the political structure of England. It is according to this document that many prestigious colleges are currently teaching students what a modern, secure democratic state should look like and how to get rid of bureaucracy and tyranny. It was in the 13th century that King John the Landless of England, under public pressure, signed a decree that went down in history as the Magna Carta.

Naturally, there was no talk of any anarchy. All the “liberties” consisted in the fact that the king was deprived of the right to rule the country alone: ​​since the 13th century, many important decisions regarding foreign and domestic policy were made by parliament, which was elected by the people. Monarchs became only a kind of symbol of the country, something like a coat of arms or flag.

Even taxes were introduced and calculated by parliament, which was simply a salvation for the impoverished population of the country. For this reason, the Palace of Westminster can be considered not only the “calling card” of London, its main attraction, an architectural and historical monument, but also a symbol of the constitutional parliamentary monarchy.

We can talk about the construction of the Palace of Westminster and its expansion for an infinitely long time: the people constantly supported improvements to the building, because parliament sat there, which at one time saved it from the tyranny of the monarchs. However, in 1834, almost the entire Palace of Westminster, built in 1042, burned to the ground. From the former majestic building where the Parliament of England met, two buildings remain: the same Westminster Hall and the Jewel Tower.

Restoring the building for Parliament was an urgent matter: immediately after the fire, the English government announced a competition for the best plan for the new Palace of Westminster. It was won without much difficulty by Charles Barry, who presented a grandiose and unique project of its kind.

True, Barry understood perfectly well that it was impossible for him to cope with all the work alone, so he invited Augustus Welby Pugin to cooperate, with whom he built the very Palace of Westminster, the view of which can be enjoyed by any tourist visiting the capital of England these days.

According to the plan of Charles Barry, it was decided to build a new building for parliament in the neo-Gothic style (new Gothic style). To say that the construction of the Palace of Westminster took place in record time short time and “without a hitch” would be untrue. There were difficulties, and they constantly arose for the architects and the huge number of workers involved in the construction of the facility. The construction site had to be prepared for more than three years, and the construction of the Palace of Westminster itself took just over 48 years (from 1840 to 1888).

Over such a long period of time, not only the Palace of Westminster was built, but also St. Stephen's Tower, which can be found in our time on a huge number of posters, calendars and other printed materials - the same famous and legendary Big Ben, which he undoubtedly knows about almost every civilized inhabitant of our planet.

St Stephen's Tower or Big Ben

Despite the fact that the Palace of Westminster and Big Ben were built relatively recently, there is no exact evidence of where the name of St. Stephen's Tower "Big Ben" came from. There are only versions, and versions, as you know, are quite easy to refute.

Some historians claim that the man who led the construction of the Palace of Westminster and St. Stephen's Tower, Benjamin Hall, affectionately known as Ben, was enormous growth. Others claim that Big Ben got his “nickname” in honor of the popular boxer. However, the most interesting and, at the same time, most confusing version says that the tower was named after one representative of parliament. His name was also Benjamin and his last name was Hall. He went to the podium and began to explain at length what the clock tower should be called.

He talked for so long that he became confused historical facts, and no one listened to his muttering anymore. Finally, after an hour and a half, he ended his tirade, which made no sense at all. The parliament breathed a sigh of relief and one of its members asked the speaker a question: “So what do you propose in the end?” Benjamin Hall was confused, and someone shouted: “Let's name the tower after this long and boring speech - Big Ben!” The joke was well received and the tower got its name. Which of these three versions to believe, everyone decides for himself. It is worth repeating that not a single official evidence in favor of this or that opinion has been found these days.

Quite a long time passed before the clock was installed on St. Stephen's Tower. The delays were due to the requirements of the London authorities. The clock should lag or advance by no more than 1 second per day. All the most respected watchmakers simply laughed at this condition: 19th-century technology simply did not allow the creation of a giant clock that had to be placed on a high tower and run with extreme precision.

Only Edmund Beckett Denison took up the development of the plan, and in five years he managed to fulfill all the requirements. The clockwork of Big Ben kept pace by more than a second per day. By the way, the weight of the watch, designed by Edmund Beckett Denison, is just over 5,000 kilograms.

The height of St. Stephen's Tower or Big Ben is almost 96 and a half meters. Many may think that this is the tallest building architectural ensemble called the Palace of Westminster. However, this opinion is far from the truth, the most high tower The palace is the Victoria Tower, its height is 102 meters. Some tourist brochures indicate a different figure - 98.4 meters, but it has nothing to do with reality.

The tower, named after Victoria, was built so huge for only one purpose, to fit in it the entire archive of documents considered by the Parliament of England. Big Ben and the Victoria Tower, however, like other rooms, are made entirely of fireproof materials: the fire of 1834 in the Palace of Westminster remains forever in the memory of Londoners.

During World War II, the Palace of Westminster in London became a prime target for Nazi pilots. Hitting him with a bomb was an honor for every Luftwaffe ace. For this reason, the main symbol of London, where Parliament met and where Prime Minister Winston Churchill made his fiery speeches, was seriously damaged. The Palace of Westminster, which, as mentioned above, is a symbol of the constitutional parliamentary monarchy, was completely reconstructed in 1950.

It cannot be said that the building suffered only minor damage; on the contrary, the damage to the Palace of Westminster was serious: it was possible to completely revive it in 5 years only thanks to the huge budget and the heroism of the English workers. Alas, bombs also hit the legendary Big Ben. The clock mechanism “seriously malfunctioned”; it began to lag by as much as 2 seconds per day. The British solved the problem quite quickly and simply: all they did was attach a coin to a huge pendulum. The weight of just one penny affected Big Ben's clock and it started running again with extreme accuracy.

Architecture and landmarks of the Palace of Westminster

The Palace of Westminster stretches far along the banks of the Thames and covers an area of ​​more than three hectares. Despite its size, the Parliament building does not overwhelm with its enormity, but, on the contrary, caresses the eye with the lightness and beauty of its majestic romantic forms, although it has elements of late Gothic and some asymmetry in the silhouette and individual details.

On the outside it is crowned with countless small turrets, and its walls are decorated with lancet windows, lovely rosettes and lace stone trim on the cornices and windows. The Parliament is especially beautiful in the evenings, when its towers and spiers, flooded with spotlights, stand out like a fantastic crown against the dark sky.

11 courtyards, each of which is unique, just over 100 staircases, corridors whose total length exceeds five kilometers and 1,200 rooms - where else in the world can you find such a scale and such magnificence? The area of ​​the palace is huge, but thanks to the neo-Gothic style it does not seem like a massive bulk; on the contrary, it creates the impression of “lightness” and fits organically into modern London. Although, it would be more correct to say that modern London is in harmony with the Palace of Westminster.

Parliament, which is perhaps the most famous in the whole world, consists of two chambers: the House of Commons and the House of Lords. They are located at different ends of the building and are connected by several gigantic halls, between which there are also corridors. It will take a long time to walk from one chamber of the Palace of Westminster to another. However, a journey through these halls and corridors turns into a real museum tour!

The walls of the rooms connecting the chambers are decorated with wall paintings. Most of the paintings, which depict almost the entire history of Foggy Albion, starting from the reign of King Arthur, belong to the brushes of the most famous artists in the world. They, according to art critics and numerous guides, have no price - they are priceless.

The greatest interest in the Palace of Westminster is the interior of the House of Lords and the premises associated with it by the parliamentary ceremony: the Royal Gallery for ceremonial processions; the room in which the Queen is dressed for her ceremonial appearance in Parliament; waiting room for exchanging opinions and making private decisions and others.

The ceiling of the House of Lords is completely covered with images of heraldic birds, animals, flowers, etc.; its walls are lined with carved wooden panels, above which there are images of six frescoes. Eighteen bronze statues of the barons who got the king to sign the Magna Carta stand in niches between the windows, looking down on the inlaid canopy of the royal throne, the rows of benches upholstered in bright red leather, and the famous “woolsack” of the Lord Chancellor.

Several centuries ago, this bag, covered with red cloth, was stuffed with wool, representing the emblem of English industry. Nowadays, the original “woolsack” has become a museum exhibit, but the tradition remains: the chairman of the House of Lords, dressed in a black and gold robe and a fluffy white wig, opens the meetings, sitting on a soft red sofa without a back.

Adjacent to the House of Lords is an entrance hall, decorated with the same sumptuous luxury as the hall of the upper chamber itself. Its northern doors lead to a corridor that ends at the octagonal Central Hall. In niches around the entire hall there are statues of English kings.
The chamber of the House of Commons does not have the majestic pomp that is present in the chamber of the House of Lords. It is not a very large room, paneled in dark oak, and its dark green benches, running in parallel rows, leave only a small passage in the middle.

Members of the lower house of parliament can even sit in a hat during their meetings, but the chairman (speaker) is always dressed solemnly: in an old black suit, stockings and shoes, and his head, according to the old tradition, is covered with an indispensable wig. In the chamber of the House of Commons, in front of the speaker's chair there is a large table on which lies a mace - a symbol of the speaker's power, and three secretaries in judicial robes and wigs sit at the table.

Another long-standing tradition has been preserved in the English Parliament since the 17th century. In 1605, a group of conspirators dug under the building of the Palace of Westminster and planted gunpowder there in order to blow up all the deputies along with the king at the time of the ceremonial meeting. The plot was discovered, and Guy Fawkes, who led the “gunpowder plot,” was executed along with his accomplices. But every year, guards dressed in ancient costumes, with lanterns and halberds in their hands, search all the basements and nooks of the palace.

The guards' lanterns are candleless, as the lower floors of Parliament are well lit by electricity. It is known in advance that they will not find any barrels of gunpowder, especially since new palace built two and a half centuries after the “gunpowder plot”. But every year, on November 5, the guards, led by the bailiff of the chamber (“the bearer of the black rod”), go around the basements and check for new intruders….

The decoration of London and the seat of parliament is the Palace of Westminster, stretching along the banks of the Thames. It is curious that the enormous neo-Gothic splendor is eclipsed in terms of fame by its small part - St. Stephen's Tower or Big Ben.

In 1834, the predecessor of the palace caught fire; all that remained from the fire victims was the crypt under St. Stephen's Chapel and Westminster Hall, on the basis of which a new building was rebuilt in 1840-1860. Subsequently, he got it too, but even during the attack by German bombers in 1941, the lucky one Westminster Hall survived.

What is remarkable about the hall, which does not burn in fire and is not afraid of bombs? Proportionality, completeness, intricacy of carving. Over the years, the tree darkened, and the silver light oozing through the stained glass windows was framed by twilight. They say that no matter how hot it is outside the hall, you can freeze inside without a jacket.

Perhaps it’s worth talking about the “untouchable” in more detail. Built in the 11th century and rebuilt in the 14th century, the building reached 28 meters in height and occupied 1.8 thousand “squares”.

Within the Middle Ages analogues of the structure on the territory Western Europe there was practically no. What's so special about it? Here, for example, are the ceilings: the roof was not supported by pillars. This “mechanism” cannot be described in detail, but in short, the oak rafters were fixed with brackets placed forward at a decent distance. A similar technique was used in the construction of residential buildings and parish churches in the country; it can safely be called an achievement of English architecture.

Crossing the threshold of the hall - you take a step into the past. Once upon a time, parliament began to sit here, at the end of the 13th century the House of Commons moved into the building, then for 5 centuries in a row the Supreme Court of England “quartered” in the hall, and coronation banquets were also held here. Within the walls of Westminster Hall, Thomas More, Guy Fawkes, Charles the First, Kilmanrock, Lovat and Balmerino heard their death sentences, and Oliver Cromwell was proclaimed Lord Protector of the Republic. True, 8 years passed, and the remains of the lord were exhumed, and his head was displayed on the roof of Westminster Hall. But that's a completely different story...

In the 19th century, a new courthouse appeared; the last coronation celebrated in the abbey’s hall took place in 1832; a little earlier, the book and cloth dealers who had animated the hall since the end of the 17th century were driven out of the building. Westminster Hall was combined with the new Houses of Parliament using St Stephen's Portal.

It would seem that, House of Commons and for many years her fame thundered far beyond the borders of England, and got his own residence to her not right away. At first, members of the House had to “converse” in Westminster Hall, which was shared with them by the monastic proprietors. Finally, in the 16th century, the parliament got its own “corner” in St. Stephen’s Chapel, which for this occasion was equipped with galleries and benches, which radically modified the hall. True, the path to the chapel, one way or another, ran through the hall. The members of the Supreme Court must have been constantly irritated. This did not bother the Lords of the House of Commons; the idyll was destroyed by the fire of 1834. There was nowhere to sit.

A year later, it was decided to build a new one on the ashes of the old one. Eat interesting theory as to why the parliament was built right on the river bank for a reason. After all, even with a strong desire, a crowd of revolutionaries could not surround the building, unless the rebels discovered the talent of walking on water. The basis was taken in the Elizabethan (Gothic) style, characteristic of English architecture of the late 16th century.

As a result, out of 97 options, we chose the 91st, developed by Charles Berry. The result caused a significant resonance in society, but no matter what anyone said, the building instantly turned into one of the main attractions of the city. Harmonious proportionality, coupled with classical severity, sweeping facades and beauty of outlines still attract attention today. One cannot help but notice a small flaw - the asymmetry of the location of the Victoria and Big Ben towers, which, in combination with the central tower with a spire, seem to hold back the building, which occupies 3.2 hectares. It seems that if it weren’t for them, the palace would have covered the whole of London!

140 meter Victoria Tower precedes the royal portal to parliament, and the 98-meter St. Stephen's Tower equipped with a clock mechanism and a bell named Big Ben weighing 13.5 tons! During the sessions, the national flag flies above the first tower, and the second is snatched out of the darkness by a spotlight. Three kilometers of corridors, a hundred staircases, more than a thousand rooms, a complex layout - this is already impressive, but “bare” facts will not get by here. The Houses of Lords and Commons, state halls, voting rooms, libraries, refectories, utility rooms - Berry managed to calculate with pinpoint accuracy exactly what should be located and where exactly, what corridor should be connected to and what should be adjacent to what. Bravo to the architect!

In the northern part Parliament contained the House of Lords, the Royal Gallery, which included a hall where the royal person changed clothes, as well as a waiting room in which members of the chamber argued before making private decisions. In the southern part The building housed the House of Commons, its lobby, voting room and the speaker's office. From both parts of parliament, along the corridors, the lords came to the central hall: petitions were considered here, press conferences were held, tourists and curious townspeople scurried about. From this hall you can get to St. Stephen's Hall, which appeared on the site of a burnt chapel, from here you can clearly see the interior of Westminster Hall.

Berry owes a lot to Pugin, thanks to whose imagination the ornate carvings on the facades and towers of the palace appeared. Auguster Pugin I was also involved in interior decor, but I didn’t really know what to do, and therefore there are rooms in which there is no room for “living” left. All wood, velvet, mosaic, frescoes, wallpaper and niches. The floors are covered with tiles in shades of cinnamon, blue and yellow. The patterns are small, overly detailed, the colors are rich. The bourgeoisie cried with delight, but modern visitors want to squint - their eyes are dazzled. Alas, overload, skill is lost.

House of Lords got the best of everything: on the ceilings there is heraldry of birds, flowers, animals and others like them. On the walls there is wooden cladding, above which there are frescoes, 18 bronze statues of barons occupy inter-window niches, from where they “look” at the canopy of the royal throne, rows of benches in red leather and the place of the Lord Chancellor, reminiscent of interesting tradition. The Chancellor, dressed in a black and gold robe, always sat on a bale stuffed with wool, the source of British wealth. The bag moved to the museum a long time ago, but the tradition lives on. The chairman of the chamber puts on a white wig and opens the meeting, sitting on the “soft” one. At the north end of the room there is a bronze railing indicating the "seat" of the members of the House of Commons and their Speaker during sessions.

During the Second World War, the part of the palace that belonged to the House of Commons was damaged. During the reconstruction, the previous Gothic style was preserved. But the stone and wood carvings and decorative elements that intertwined all the interior details into a single picture could not be repeated. And the appearance of modern spotlights completely dispelled the spell. In fairness, it should be noted that even with the former elegance the House of Commons was inferior to the House of Lords. What hasn't changed is the oak paneling on the walls and the green leather on the benches.

By the way, at the beginning of the 17th century, Guy Fawkes tried to blow up parliament, and since then, on an annual basis on November 5, the trada, dressed up in the ancient manner, arms itself with halberds and lanterns, going to search the corridors and basements of the palace. Everyone understands that no one will find powder barrels, but tradition of exposing the gunpowder plot has been observed for 3 centuries.

Another tradition has survived to this day. If the meeting lasts until late at night, then the question echoes from the palace walls "Who's going home?". Previously, the streets of London could not be called safe, and members of the chamber did not take risks independent walks, forming into “flocks”. Today London is flooded with electric light, and parliamentarians are waiting for respectable cars, but as before, “Who's going home?” is heard.

The brightest tradition can be called opening ceremony of the parliamentary session, in which the queen, all members of the government and both houses take part.

Palace of Westminster OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Considering London as one of the most attractive cities, it is impossible not to mention its traditions, culture and many valuable attractions, one of which plays a leading role in Foggy Albion. This is the Palace of Westminster.

In 2004, the British authorities decided to open the Palace of Westminster for public access. All tourists visiting London have an outstanding opportunity to see with their own eyes all the splendor of the internal halls and even observe the efficiency of the work process of the Lords and representatives of the House of Commons.

If you have the chance to visit the Houses of Parliament, you should not miss the opportunity to see Westminster Hall, the surviving legendary building built for the son of William the Conqueror. It is also important to mention that Westminster Hall became the venue for a memorial service for Winston Churchill.

History of reconstruction and significant significance

The first version of the parliamentary building was erected about a thousand years ago in a swampy area, then still uninhabited. Its construction was necessary for only one purpose - to replace the Tower, which in the expanded city was surrounded by the poverty of the poor living in that quarter.

Authorities began to experience difficulties associated with such a “foul-smelling” neighborhood. This fact simply forced them to organize a move to some distance from the lower class of citizens. King Edward of England and members of his family also moved to the new residence, completed by the middle of the 11th century. It is worth noting an important detail that the first Palace of Westminster did not have any similarities with the current rich building.

The Palace of Westminster acquired historical importance after the signing of a key agreement that influenced the formation of the political system of England in the 13th century. We are talking about the Magna Carta, signed under pressure from society by the English King John the Landless.

Nowadays, this decree has become, in a sense, exemplary, demonstrating a model of a modern full-fledged state, the fundamental principles of which should be democracy, getting rid of tyranny and bureaucratic delays. With the entry into force of the “liberties”, the king lost the rights of sole governance of the country, then most of the decisions made fell on the competent shoulders of the people’s parliament. The power of the monarchical dynasty remained symbolic, essentially performing only representative functions of leadership.

New Westminster

The construction and expansion of the Houses of Parliament was constantly carried out over the next several centuries. The turning point in its history was a terrible fire in 1834, after which the main bulk of the building turned into ashes, but two parts of the palace survived: Westminster Hall and the tower that preserves the jewels.

Planned restoration architectural monument in London, the issue remained first on the agenda of the parliamentary meeting. The government immediately announced a competition for the most preferred option for the new Parliament House. The grand tender was won by Charles Barry. Collaborating with Welby Pugin, they completed their task and erected the colossal Palace of Westminster, which became the hallmark of modern London.

In accordance with the construction project of Charles Barry, who meticulously approached the layout of each room, the construction of the new building was approved in the new Gothic style. Thousands of workers were involved in lengthy, voluminous labor, as construction dragged on for almost 50 years.

As a result, 1888 was marked by the completion of the Palace of Westminster and St. Stephen's Tower, which can still be admired today. The famous British Big Ben is St. Stephen's Tower, which is known on all continents.

Inside the epoch-making palace

All the luxurious rooms, corridors and halls defy simple description, and you can only feel the weight of the structure by visiting it in person. Moreover, if you believe today's architectural figures, then any attempt to find something similar in the world will end in vain.

The incredible area of ​​the building does not seem huge due to its execution in the neo-Gothic style. The Palace of Westminster consists of 11 courtyards, each of which is original and unique in its own way, about 100 staircases, almost 5.5 kilometers long corridors and more than 1000 rooms. Giving the impression of grace, it fits harmoniously into modern London.

The famous parliament is represented by two chambers: the House of Commons and the House of Lords of England. Each of them is located at opposite ends of the structure, so the path from one chamber to another turns into a real journey through the picturesque heritage of the British past. All the walls of the halls are occupied by wall paintings depicting fragments of British history, and according to the guides, these works of art are truly priceless. An impressive part of the paintings belongs to the brushes of world classics, who began to create since the reign of the English King Arthur.

I can continue to describe the sculpture, the incomparable stucco molding and the golden decor of the premises ad infinitum. However, it is worth noting the most compelling and richest part of the palace premises - the House of Lords of England. Its purpose is to consider the main decisions for the state, where the Lords speak with their eloquent monologues.

A special feature of the House of Lords is the absence of a speaker, but his functions are taken over by an ordinary bag of sheep's wool. Even in ancient times, the sale of wool brought a significant share of income to the state treasury, and as a sign of gratitude to the valuable export product, he was appointed “Speaker” of the House of Lords.

In contrast to the pathos of the first chamber, the House of Commons received more modest decorations, since the Lords are not present there. At the same time, it is here that the main and important resolutions for the entire country are adopted. The House of Commons contains representatives of the ruling and opposition parties. The specially created distance between their stocks is equal to the length of two swords held out in the hands. The foresight of such a “green corridor” was explained by the medieval hot temper of political opponents - this way they would not be able to harm each other with a sword. Although disputes are not resolved by force in the House of Commons in Great Britain. Indeed, despite changes in the political system, the parliamentary monarchy retained main role, therefore, the behavior of members of the House of Commons, vested with powers from the people, is comparatively different from the meeting of deputies in the post-Soviet powers.

Having a long and fascinating history, the English Parliament House has become famous throughout the world for the uniqueness of its architectural form. Huge architectural structure enjoys recognition among millions of people. Travelers and tourists from dozens of countries constantly follow each other on excursions around the legendary house. All these facts indicate that the Palace of Westminster is one of the main attractions in all of Europe.