PIN The Palace of Westminster

Home to both Houses of Parliament

The Palace of Westminster is home to the Houses of Parliament (Lords and Commons), Big Ben and Westminster Hall. Sitting alongside the River Thames it is a Victorian Gothic masterpiece that was designed by Sir Charles Barry and A.W. Pugin to replace the medieval parliament buildings, which burnt to the ground in 1834. The result of their creation is one of the great buildings of the Victorian era and perhaps the most recognisable landmark in London

History

Tradition has it that a Roman temple to Apollo stood on the site by the River Thames. That temple was apparently destroyed in an earthquake although no trace of it remains. What is more certain is that there was a timber church build here during the Saxon period and dedicated to St. Peter in the 8th century
To distinguish this new church from the ‘old’ St Paul's in the centre of London, the new church was known as the West Minster, while St Paul's was known as the East Minster. The name changed over time until the area around the church became known as Westminster. In the 10th century the original Westminster church was re-established as a Benedictine monastery.
The present-day Palace of Westminster was constructed after the Great Fire of 1834.

TripTide Thoughts

Unmissable from either side of the river - and what a story!

Owner

Lucy TripTide

Lucy is a TripTide stalwart and has been with the company since inception. She is a font of knowledge of all things in our metropolis but she has a special penchant for London's historical past. She says:"London is a multi-layered confection of hi...