Arts and Music Atlas

Works, Makers, Traditions
Sign In
Text size
100%
Theme

Switch Atlas

Work

Palace of Westminster

Civic, Commercial and Institutional Buildings

The Palace of Westminster is the meeting place of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, located in London, England, and colloquially known as the Houses of Parliament after the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two legislative chambers that occupy the building. The Elizabeth Tower of the palace houses the bell nicknamed Big Ben and is a landmark of London and the United Kingdom, and the palace has been a Grade I listed building since 1970 and part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987.

Facts
Year Created
1870 1
Construction ran 1840 to about 1870; most work was complete by 1860 but the project was not finished until roughly a decade later.
Location
London, England 1
Architectural Style
Gothic Revival (Perpendicular Gothic) 1
Primary Material
Anston limestone, later partly replaced with Clipsham limestone 1
Building Type
Legislative palace, seat of Parliament 1
Commissioned By
A joint committee of the House of Commons and House of Lords, following the 1834 fire 1
Construction
from 1840 1
Floor Area (sqm)
112,476 1
Height (metres)
98.5 1
Height of the Victoria Tower, the tallest of the palace's three main towers.
Storey Count
4 1
UNESCO Inscription Year
1987 1
Current Use
Seat of the UK Parliament (House of Commons and House of Lords) 1
Visitor Access
Free guided tours for UK residents via their MP or a Lord, and paid tours for UK and overseas visitors during the summer recess and on Saturdays 1
Classification
Genre
Architecture 1
Connections

In Form

Architecture, Art Forms

Gothic Revival seat of the UK Parliament, London.

In the Other Atlases
Sources
1. Palace of Westminster (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia
  • Introduction (location)
    The Palace of Westminster is the meeting place of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and is located in London, England.
  • Introduction (building-type)
    The Palace of Westminster is the meeting place of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and is located in London, England.
  • Introduction (current-use)
    The Palace of Westminster is the meeting place of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and is located in London, England.
  • Introduction (construction-start-year)
    Construction started in 1840 and lasted for 30 years, suffering delays, cost overruns, and the deaths of Barry and his assistant, Augustus Pugin.
  • Introduction (year-created)
    Construction started in 1840 and lasted for 30 years, suffering delays, cost overruns, and the deaths of Barry and his assistant, Augustus Pugin.
  • Exterior (architectural-style)
    Charles Barry's collaborative design for the Palace of Westminster uses the Perpendicular Gothic style, which was popular during the 15th century and returned during the Gothic revival of the 19th century.
  • Exterior, Stonework (primary-material)
    They selected Anston, a sand-coloured magnesian limestone quarried in the villages of Anston, South Yorkshire, and Mansfield Woodhouse, Nottinghamshire.
  • History, Fire and reconstruction (commissioned-by)
    Each house created a committee and a Perpendicular Gothic Revival design by the architect Charles Barry was chosen.
  • Introduction (floor-area-sqm)
    The palace contains chambers for the House of Commons, House of Lords, and the monarch, and has a floor area of 1,210,680 ft2 (112,476 m2).
  • Towers, Victoria Tower (height-metres)
    The largest and tallest is the 323-foot (98.5 m) Victoria Tower, which occupies the south-western corner of the palace.
  • Interior (storey-count)
    The Palace of Westminster contains over 1,100 rooms, 100 staircases and 3 miles (4.8 km) of passageways, which are spread over four floors.
  • Introduction (unesco-inscription-year)
    The palace has been a Grade I listed building since 1970 and part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987.
  • Culture and tourism (visitor-access)
    Free guided tours of the palace are held throughout the parliamentary session for UK residents, who can apply through their MP or a member of the House of Lords.
  • Genre reference
    The Palace of Westminster is the meeting place of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, located in London, England, and colloquially known as the Houses of Parliament after the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two legislative chambers that occupy the building.
View the Source
Frequently Asked Questions

Who designed the Palace of Westminster and how long did it take to build?

Charles Barry designed it, and construction ran from 1840 for about 30 years.

After the 1834 fire, a joint committee of the House of Commons and the House of Lords chose a Perpendicular Gothic Revival design by the architect Charles Barry. Construction started in 1840 and lasted about 30 years, with delays and cost overruns, and Barry and his assistant Augustus Pugin died before it was done.
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first to share a thought.
Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.