Houses of Parliament

The Houses of Parliament are the place where a thousand years of history have shaped Great Britain. The building, which is also known as the Palace of Westminster, houses the two chambers of the Parliament of the United Kingdom: the House of Lords and the House of Commons. Most of the current structure of the building dates back to the 19th century when the palace was reconstructed after a fire in 1834. Initially the Houses of Parliament acted as a place of residence for the Royal family, but no monarch has lived there since the 16th century. It is where you’ll find the famous clock tower known as Big Ben.