 A stunning view from Tower Bridge 
The Houses of Parliament
Recommendation added: 07/11/2006 11:59
By: velvet202 (YSUK rating +191)velvet202 has been thanked 10 times for this contribution
"The Houses of Parliament, also known as The Palace of Westminster, are located next to the river Thames in London and consist of the House of Commons and the House of Lords. Built in the early eleventh century, these impressive buildings first were the official royal residence of Britain's Kings and Queens, until 1547, when these moved to London's Whitehall Palace. Ever since, the Houses of Parliament have been the residence of the English Parliament, and the official meeting place of the Lords, Britain's crème de la crème in politics. No words or photos will give you a real life impression of the magnitude of London's most famous buildings. Upon visiting, you will be impressed by the actual size and majesty of the Gothic décor, heavy, dark wood and rich colours.
After much of the palaces were destroyed in a fire in the nineteenth century, star architect Charles Barry was employed to create the Gothic Revival building you see nowadays to fit in style with the nearby Westminster Abbey church. The probably most well-known assets of the palace among tourists is the clock tower Big Ben and the Victoria tower with its Union Jack flag pole.
A guided tour of these impressive buildings is highly recommended. The octagonal Central Loby's walls are covered in shiny tiles with Latin inscriptions. Upon entering the vast medieval St. Stephen's hall with its beautiful vaulted ceilings and murals, one is taken to the lower and upper houses, of which some were used to hold England's highest court of law in the nineteenth century.
From the Central Loby, one is directed either to the House of Lords or the House of Commons, of which the House of Lords is the most impressive. Decorated in the colour of gold, it is the home of the royal throne with its exquisite wool cushions that date back to medieval times. The wall decors are rich in carvings and covered in ancient paintings, and one could spend hours just admiring their splendor.
The House of Commons has a more serious, political touch with single benches that are singled out on the floor by red lines. In older times, this was to achieve that all debates were kept strictly verbal. The décor is old dark wood with few decorations and carvings only.
The Houses of Parliament are one of London's biggest attractions. Consequently, it can be quite crowded sometimes. For an untroubled experience, it is always advisable to book tickets in advance to make the most of this architectural delight.
Visiting the Houses of Parliament is a long experience and is best be done over an entire morning or afternoon to ensure that you have enough time to admire the splendour in front of your eyes. For public debates, the doors are open Monday to Friday from 9.30.
The famous Prime Minister's Question Time takes place on Wednesdays from 12 pm to 12.30 pm. Tickets are not easily available but the Embassy is always willing to help.
Guided tours are the most common and can be booked at the entrance. Prices vary according to the guide."
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