Palace of Westminster (exterior) & Big Ben
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Westminster Palace - by deniz fuchidzhiev on unsplash
Description
The Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament, takes its name from the neighbouring Westminster Abbey. It is technically still owned by the Crown and where both the House of Commons and the House of Lords meet (the two houses of the UK Parliament). The original medieval building was destroyed in a fire in 1834 and the current structure in the Gothic Revival style replaced it. The scale of the building is quite incredible, it is nearly 300m long and contains over 1,100 rooms and 4.8km of passageways. Big Ben, famous the world over as one of London's icon, is commonly thought to represent the palace's clock tower but was originally the nickname of the 13.7 tonnes main bell of the 96m-tall tower.
Access & Transport
Very centrally located next to the river Thames and Westminster Abbey. It is directly opposite the Westminster underground stations (Circle, District and Jubilee lines) and is also serviced by many bus lines.
Instructions & Recommendations
We recommend walking around the neighbourhood and using Westminster Bridge as a good vantage point for pictures. The colours at dusk and lighting at night also provide a very different visual experience with the gothic architecture seemingly enhanced by the play of light and shadows. Besides Westminster Abbey, other attractions in the vicinity include St James Park and the Churchill War Rooms.
Environmental & Social
Besides renovation works and lighting at night, the environmental impact is low. Part of the city's and country's architectural heritages
Conclusion
Given its central location and iconic status, there is essentially no downside in spending some time discovering the Westminster area and taking some pictures of the Westminster Palace and Big Ben. It may not justify a trip to London on its own, but it is clearly worth a detour! Note that the visit of the Palace of Westminster provides a much more comprehensive and insightful experience
Key positive
Very central and convenient location
Visually impressive and different experience at night.
Key negative
Surrounded by traffic
Suitability
Suitable for all ages. Visitors with mobility issues will be able to get good views of the buildings from public areas (pavement, bridge, Parliament Square Garden)
About this Rating
TYPE
Desktop
RESEARCHED IN
May 2024
PROVIDER
Koreval
av. transport time:0h 20m
est. visit time:0h 40m
Sunrise / early morningOk
MorningOk
Lunch timeOk
AfternoonOk
Sunset / eveningOk
Night – bef. midnightNo
Night – aft. midnightNo