Seat of power · England · Still standing

Palace of Westminster

The Palace of Westminster is the seat of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, housing the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The present Gothic Revival building, completed in the mid-19th century, stands on the north bank of the River Thames and incorporates older surviving elements such as Westminster Hall.

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Photograph via Wikimedia Commons

Its prime

1870

Today

Still standing

As it stood in 1870

The shape it held in its prime.

A long, sand-coloured, Gothic Revival riverside palace with a continuous, heavily articulated façade of vertical buttressed bays and tall mullioned windows, punctuated by several tall towers and pinnacles. The largest square Victoria Tower anchors the south-west corner with a high flagstaff; the slim Elizabeth (Clock) Tower with four large circular clock dials stands at the north end. The building is faced in pale limestone, with carved stone tracery, parapets, pinnacles and steeply pitched rooflines visible above the façade along the Thames.

Step inside

10 places to explore in 1870.

The record describes 10 distinct spots at Palace of Westminster — including 4 interiors: great clock mechanism room, westminster hall interior, house of lords chamber and more. Create your own photoreal reconstruction and walk through every one — more scenes means more photos, more angles and more of the immersive experience.

Riverside approach on the ThamesSovereign's Entrance at Victoria TowerElizabeth Tower clock facesGreat Clock mechanism roomWestminster Hall exterior and entranceWestminster Hall interiorHouse of Lords ChamberHouse of Commons Chamber (original 19th-century chamber)Central high façade and central towerRiverside terrace and quay

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