6/9 Palace of Westminster and Parliament

Westminster is the home of Parliament.  A church existed here in the 8th century although nothing of it remains.  It became the Palace of Westminster and the royal home to many English kings, beginning with Edward the Confessor in 1042.  Henry III did some major construction on this site, but unfortunately, nearly all of the medieval monastery and palace was destroyed in the Great Fire of London. 

Because this is where the British Parliament meets, very little of the building is open to visitors except on Saturdays.  On Saturdays, you can enter parts of Westminster for a self-guided tour, or you can sign up in advance for a guided tour and get access to more parts of the building, including the rooms where the House of Lords and the House of Commons meet.  The rest of week, Parliament is in session, so almost everything is closed.  I bought tickets a month in advance so was able to get on a tour.  The bad news is that photos are not allowed in many parts of the building.  Here is what I did take of the outside and limited areas inside. 

If it looks like most of London is under construction, that's because it is.  

Underneath all of this scaffolding is what is often called "Big Ben," however, Big Ben is the name of the largest bell in this tower, which is really called the Elizabeth Tower.  Here is a site which shows what the side of Westminster and the Elizabeth Tower should look like when the scaffolding is removed in 2021:  https://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/building/palace/big-ben/elizabeth-tower-and-big-ben-conservation-works-2017-/all-your-questions-about-the-works-answered/   

Got to admit that the scaffolding is pretty impressive, however.  

Fancy entrance. 

Westminster Hall is the oldest part of the building because it survived the Great Fire, but even it has got scaffolding because they are going to be replacing the roof soon.  

This impressive roof was commissioned in 1393 by Richard II and is the largest roof of its kind in northern Europe. Click this link for more information on this roof:  https://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/building/palace/westminsterhall/architecture/the-hammer-beam-roof-/https://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/building/palace/westminsterhall/architecture/the-hammer-beam-roof-/

One of the few rooms we were able to photograph.  This hall connects the two parts of Parliament. 

This small plaque indicates where Scottish hero William Wallace, Braveheart, was tried and found guilty as a traitor the king in 1305.  He was hung and drawn and quartered.  His head was placed on London Bridge and his arms and legs displayed in various English cities. 

For a more accurate history of Wallace, you can read this: https://owlcation.com/humanities/williamwallacebraveheart 

I wish I could show you photos of the two chambers of government, but I can tell you they are very small with chairs only and no desks.  Members have offices elsewhere, and since there are not enough seats for everyone, it is hoped that not everyone shows up!