Palace of Westminster 🇬🇧 London Video Guide - Travel & Discover

London is Europe's largest city, extending over a surface area of about 1,000 square kilometers. With a population of some 7 million people, it is approximately the same size as it was in 1900, when it was the biggest city on earth. Although it no longer ranks among the world's most populous cities, London is still one of the world's major financial and cultural capitals. The River Thames has served several roles in human history. It is at once an economic resource, a water highway, a boundary, a freshwater source, also a source of food, and more recently a leisure facility. The Marble Arch is a London landmark standing in an area that once represented a dark part of the capital's history, the site of the city's gallows for nearly 400 years. The Marble Arch, like many other elegant spots in London, was designed by architect John Nash. In the heart of central London's busiest shopping district lies Oxford Street, which runs from Marble Arch to St. Giles Circus, crossing Tottenham Court Road and Charing Cross Road on the way. For 500 years, until the late 18th century, Oxford Street was known as Tyburn Street, a name that struck fear into the hearts of condemned prisoners of the time. This was the final road for men on their way to the gallows at Tyburn from the nearby Newgate Prison. The street's present name comes from the Earl of Oxford, who, in the 18th century, bought up much of the surrounding land in order to develop it. This development continued into the early 20th century and resulted in the thriving shopping area we see today. Regent Street was originally part of the Middlesex Forest, a royal hunting ground. The Prince Regent, later George IV, commissioned the architect John Nash to create a park here in 1817. The architect's original concept was to establish an urban ideal, with 56 villas in the neoclassical style and a pleasure palace for the Prince Regent. But only eight villas and no palace were constructed inside the park, while three other villas have survived along the edge of the inner circle. Regent Street is one of the best-known shopping areas not just in London, but in all of Great Britain. In fact, it is far more than a shopping area, as it borders the heart of London nightlife, theatre district and tourist heart of London. The section between Piccadilly Circus and South DePaul Mall is called Lower Regent Street. North of Piccadilly Circus, up to Langham Place, is the main Regent Street, with the vast majority of shops and amenities. Piccadilly Circus is not only a road junction, but also one of the most popular tourist attractions in London. It is situated on the west side of the city of Westminster. The prime location of this bustling area in London adds to the widespread notoriety of this particular attraction. Even those who have not yet visited the city have likely heard the words Piccadilly Circus. The west end of London has been a vibrant centre for culture, entertainment and the arts for some time, and the areas of Regent Street and Piccadilly Street are no exceptions. The name Piccadilly originates from a 17th-century frilled collar called a Piccadill, since Roger Baker, a tailor who became rich making Piccadills, lived in the area. The word Circus refers to the roundabout around which traffic circulates. Trafalgar Square's 200-year history has been one of constant change, as the original layout has been modified and updated many times. In 1812, the architect John Nash set about developing a new concept for the space as part of his improvement plans for London. He wanted to develop a new street from Charing Cross to Portland Place, forming an open square in the King's Mews opposite Charing Cross. He wanted the space to be a cultural space, open to the public. One of the most prominent structures in London's Trafalgar Square is Nelson's Column. The Corinthian Column was built in 1842 and is approximately 52 metres high, including the base. At the base of the column are four huge lions, modelled by Sir Edwin Landseer. There are four plinths for statues in the square. Bronze statues stand on three of them. General Sir Charles James Napier is on the plinth in the southwest corner of the square, Major General Sir Henry Havelock on the southeast plinth, and King George IV on the northeast plinth. The fountains were added in 1845, and the mermaids, dolphins and tritons, which are male figures with tails like fish, were installed later. The fountains operate on most days. Trafalgar Square is a site of significant historic value, and its monuments and statues also have individual heritage classifications. The Strand was originally just a little muddy track in London that ran east along the Thames. But by the early 16th century, the well-to-do had settled in and built mansions down to the bank. Their style may be pure 13th century, but the Royal Courts of Justice were actually designed by George Edmund Street in the 1870s. They are where the country's high-profile civil cases are contested. The majestic St. Paul's Cathedral was built by Christopher Wren between 1675 and 1711. St. Paul's Cathedral is so much a part of the English character and heritage, and such a symbol of the City of London, that extraordinary efforts were taken to save it during the blitz bombings of World War II. The impressive façade at the west side of the church consists of a large portico and pediment. A relief on the tympanum depicting the conversion of Paul dates from 1706. The portico is flanked by two towers, which weren't part of the original plan. Wren added them at the last minute, in 1707. The dome reaches a height of 111 meters and weighs about 66,000 tons. Eight arches support the dome. Anyone visiting London for the first time and walking along the Thames Embankment may be surprised to come across an original Egyptian obelisk. This obelisk is known as Cleopatra's Needle, though it has very little to do with Cleopatra at all. It was made in Egypt for the pharaoh Thutmose III in 1460 BC, making it almost 3,500 years old. By the 18th century, the Thames was one of the world's busiest waterways, as London became the center of the vast mercantile British Empire, and over the next century the docks progressively expanded in the Isle of Dogs and beyond. The London Eye, sometimes referred to as the Millennium Wheel, offers patrons one of the best views of the City of London. The London Eye Millennium Wheel has quickly become a popular tourist attraction in London, with about 2 million visitors per year. The main designers of the London Eye Ferris Wheel took inspiration from such mammoth viewing structures as the Statue of Liberty, and the London Eye Ferris Wheel stands at an impressive 135 meters above the South Thames Riverbank. The Palace of Westminster, or the Houses of Parliament as it is also known, has changed dramatically over the course of nearly a thousand years of history. Transformed from a royal residence to the home of a modern democracy, the Palace of Westminster is one of the most recognized buildings in the world. Now part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Palace contains a fascinating mixture of ancient and modern buildings, as well as an iconic collection of furnishings, archives, and works of art. Westminster Palace, rebuilt from the year 1840 on the site of important medieval ruins, is a fine example of neo-Gothic architecture. The site, which also comprises the small medieval Church of St. Margaret, built in the perpendicular Gothic style, and Westminster Abbey, where all the sovereigns since the 11th century have been crowned, is of great historic and symbolic significance. Westminster Palace is the place where the two Houses of Parliament, the House of Lords and the House of Commons, meet to conduct their business. The present-day Palace of Westminster is built in the perpendicular Gothic style, which was popular during the 15th century and was responsible for the Gothic revival of the 19th century. In 1835, a royal commission was appointed to study the rebuilding of the Palace. The neo-classical style, similar to that of the White House in the United States, was popular at that time. However, as the design was associated with revolution and republicanism, the commission announced in June 1835 that the style of the building should be either the more conservative Gothic or Elizabethan styles. In 1836, the commissioners organized a public competition to design a new Palace. The winning entry was submitted by Charles Berry, who had proposed a Gothic-styled Palace in harmony with the surviving buildings. The design and layout of the building were thus carefully designed to serve the needs and workings of Parliament. Berry was also careful to weld the old to the new, so that the surviving medieval buildings, Westminster Hall, the Cloisters and Chapter House of St. Stephen's, and the Undercroft Chapel formed an integral part of the whole. At the northeastern end of the Palace is the most famous of its towers, the 96-meter tall Clock Tower, more commonly known as Big Ben after its main bell. The tower also houses a large, four-faced clock designed by Augustus Bougain. The Great Clock of Westminster was first started in 1859. It has become a national symbol and is renowned the world over for its accuracy, which is always to within one second. Above the clock faces is the belfry, where the great bell and the four quarter bells hang. Together the quarter bells ring the Westminster Chimes, a tune based on Handel's Messiah. At the top of the clock tower is a lantern which houses what is known as the Eaton Light. It stands about 76 meters from the ground above the belfry. Big Ben rang out triumphantly to announce the end of the First World War, as people celebrated in the streets. Its voice, communicated via radio during the Second World War, offered reassurance as bombs fell and sirens sounded during the London raids. Located next to the Houses of Parliament in the heart of London, Westminster Abbey is one of the favourite destinations of visitors to the British capital. With its oldest parts dating to the year 1050, the Abbey contains some of the most glorious medieval architecture in London. Westminster Abbey is steeped in more than a thousand years of history. Benedictine monks first came to this site in the middle of the 10th century, establishing a tradition of daily worship which continues to this day. The Abbey has been the Coronation Church since 1066 and is the final resting place of 17 monarchs. Legend has it that a shrine was first founded here in 616 on a site then known as Thorny Island. While the existence of this shrine is uncertain, the historic Abbey was built by Edward the Confessor between 1045 and 1050 and was consecrated on December 28, 1065. The Abbey's two western towers were built between 1722 and 1745 by Sir Christopher Wren and Nicholas Hawksmore, constructed from Portland stone to an early example of a Gothic revival design. Further rebuilding and restoration occurred in the 19th century under Sir George Gilbert Scott. Westminster Abbey has always enjoyed close links with the monarchy, not least in its unbroken role as a Coronation Church since 1066. Kings and queens have long been significant benefactors of the Abbey. Westminster Abbey, or to use its formal name, the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter Westminster, is a Royal Peculiar. This means it is a free chapel of the Sovereign, exempt from any ecclesiastical jurisdiction other than that of the Sovereign. The most recent part of the Abbey is the North Entrance, completed in the 19th century. Until the 19th century, Westminster was the third seat of learning in England, after Oxford and Cambridge. It was here that the first third of the King James Bible Old Testament and the last half of the New Testament were translated. The New English Bible was also assembled here in the 20th century. The Cloister was built in the 13th century, though it was completely rebuilt after it was destroyed by fire in 1298. The Cloister was used by the Benedictine monks for meditation and exercise. The monks at Westminster Abbey wore the black habit of the Order of Saint Benedict, meaning that they took a vow of obedience, celibacy, and poverty. The simple celebration of the daily services in praise of God was their first duty, and work in reading took up the rest of their time. At a time when very few people, even kings, could write, monasteries were the main source of learning. The Cloister was the center of monastic life, where the monks spent most of their time when not at prayer or taking part in the daily services. The monks worked in the North Cloister, where they were sheltered from cold winds and got most of the sun. In the South Cloister was the entrance to the Refectory. In the East Cloister, the community met each day in the Chapter House to have a chapter of the Rule of Saint Benedict read to them, and to have any punishments meted out. Inside the Abbey, a monument to Sir Isaac Newton stands against the choir screen, in an area often referred to as Scientist's Corner. Among the famous people buried in the nave are Charles Darwin, David Livingstone, Sir Charles The present nave was nearly 150 years in building. It was begun in 1376 by Abbot Nicholas Littlington, who financed the work with money left by his predecessor, Cardinal Simon Langham. The stained glass in the west window dates from 1735. The choir was originally the part of the Abbey in which the monks worshipped, but there is now no trace of pre-Reformation fittings, for in the late 18th century Henry Keane, the surveyor at the time, removed the 13th century stalls and designed a smaller choir. In the north transept are the graves of Charles James Fox, William Gladstone and Lord Palmerston, as well as other memorials. One of the best known parts of Westminster Abbey, Poet's Corner, can be found in the church's south transept. It was not originally designated as a bureau place of writers, playwrights and poets. It is here that the choir of 22 boys and 12 lay vicars, the name given to the men of the choir, sing the daily services. Composers Orlando Gibbons and Henry Purcell were once organists at the Abbey. The anthem Zadok the Priest was written by Handel for the coronation of George II and is still included in the coronation ceremony. Westminster Abbey is also famous for its funerals. Every king and queen from Edward the Confessor to George II can be found inside the Abbey grounds, with the exception of just two, Henry VIII and Charles I, who are both buried at Windsor Castle. The sanctuary is the heart of the Abbey, where the high altar stands. The altar and reredos above it were designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott in 1867. The last supper mosaic is by Antonio Salviati. On the altar are two candlesticks bought with money bequeathed by a serving maid called Sarah Hughes in the 17th century. The Lady Chapel was begun in 1503 and constructed at the expense of Henry VII. It is the last great masterpiece of English medieval architecture. Behind the altar is the black marble sarcophagus of Henry VII and his wife Elizabeth of York, their gilded effigies modelled from their death masks. In 1725 the chapel was first used for installations of Knights of the Order of the Bath, and the heraldic banners of living knights hang above the oak stalls. The outstanding feature of the chapel is a spectacular fan-vaulted roof with its carved pendants. Lining the walls are 95 statues of saints. Behind the altar is the tomb of Henry VII and his queen Elizabeth of York. A treasure house of paintings, stained glass, pavements, textiles and other artefacts, Westminster Abbey is also the place where some of the most significant people in the nation's history are buried or commemorated. Taken as a whole, the tombs and memorials comprise the most significant single collection of monumental sculpture anywhere in the United Kingdom. Aristocrats were buried in the side chapels of Westminster Abbey, and monks and people associated with the Abbey were buried in the cloisters and other areas. One of these was Geoffrey Chaucer, who was buried here as he had apartments in the Abbey when he was employed as Master of the King's Works. Around the shrine lie the tombs of Henry III, Edward I, Eleanor of Castile, Edward III, Philippa of Hainaut, and Richard II with his queen, Anne of Bohemia. The interior is a veritable museum of English history. Among its many highlights are the Medieval Coronation Throne, Poets' Corner with its memorials to William Shakespeare, Charles Dickens, and other giants of literature, and the tombs of Queen Elizabeth I, Bloody Queen Mary, explorer David Livingstone, and naturalist Charles Darwin. St. Margaret's Church was built in the latter part of the 11th century, although the precise date of its construction is not known. From then until the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII in 1540, ministry to the ever-growing population of Westminster was undertaken by the monks of the Abbey. This arrangement was the basis for the close relationship between St. Margaret's and Westminster Abbey, which has existed ever since. The monks of the newly founded monastery of St. Peter in Westminster were disturbed by the people who came to hear Mass at the Abbey, so they set about building a smaller church next to the Abbey, where local people could receive all the sacraments and ministrations of the Church, thus leaving the monks in the Abbey undisturbed. The church was dedicated to St. Margaret of Antioch. The first church was Romanescan style and survived until the reign of Edward III. Towards the end of the 15th century, however, the whole church had fallen into such a state of dilapidation that it needed almost total reconstruction. The work continued over many years and the church was consecrated in 1523. The altar and candlesticks were designed by Peter Foster, Surveyor of the Fabric, in charge of the restoration of the church from 1984 to 1992. The east window contains some of the finest pre-Reformation Flemish glass in London. The present organ was installed by J.W. Walker in 1897. It was restored in 1978 and again in 1993. The elaborately decorated late 19th century pulpit was designed by Sidney Thatcher in memory of his father, Thomas Britton Thatcher. The church is notable particularly for the Flemish stained glass in the east window, presented by Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain on the occasion of the marriage of Prince Arthur, Henry VIII's elder brother, to Catherine of Aragon. Standing as it does between Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament, and commonly called the parish church of the House of Commons, St. Margaret's has witnessed many important events in the life of England. Westminster Palace, Westminster Abbey and St. Margaret's Church, a site of great historical and symbolic significance, were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1987. The London Tower Bridge design was both aesthetically pleasing and functional. Tower Bridge history reflects that at the time of its construction, the London Tower Bridge was powered by steam. Although the steam pumps were replaced by an electrical system in 1976, the old steam pumps of the Tower Bridge in London can still be viewed today. London was founded as a communications centre by the Romans shortly after they invaded Britain in 43 AD. Londinium, as it was called then, was a little village on the Thames on the route to the provincial capital in eastern England. In its early incarnation, London consisted of narrow congested streets lined with tiny shops and houses, built of wood and plaster. Even the London Bridge, which was considerably more than just a river crossing, also exhibited such narrow, crowded spaces. The city of London grew, and so did its population. By 1600 there numbered 200,000 souls, a population that shot up to 575,000 by the end of the 17th century, surpassing Paris as the largest city in Europe. At the same time, London also became a cultural centre, the centre of the English Cultural Renaissance, thanks to such luminaries as William Shakespeare. The city continued to grow and develop to what we see today, always combining the past with the present. Buckingham Palace attraction, with a firm place in Buckingham Palace history, is the changing of the guard. The changing of the guard generally happens once a day, at 11.30 am, all year long, during which the new guard takes over from the old guard, all to the accompaniment of a military band, escorting the guard to and from their barracks. Buckingham Palace is not only the official residence of the Queen. Over the years, this sprawling palace has entertained countless heads of state from around the world, issued official statements during times of war, and as of late has become a major tourist attraction. Visitors of London will surely be impressed by the magnificence of this historical palace, and tourists can be found at any time of day, standing outside Buckingham's gates, awestruck at its size. Apart from the lovely landscaping, Hyde Park also features a number of activities for patrons to enjoy. The Grand Entrance is itself a sight to see, stretching 32 metres along the central entrance with columns and intricate stonework, creating a majestic entrance to the park itself. Hyde Park is the largest of the parks in London that make up the Green Long system of London city parks. Hyde Park, London covers an area of 608 acres, and over the years has hosted everyone from the boisterous hunting parties of King Henry VIII in the 16th century, to the raucous Rolling Stones in 1969. The London gardens and parks located in the heart of the city make up one the largest park systems of any city in the world. The Serpentine, a large artificial lake, is located at the south end of the park and extends into the neighbouring Kensington Gardens, where the lake is called the Longwater. Queen Caroline, wife of King George II, had the lake constructed in 1730. Today it is a popular place for boating and swimming. London is divided into many districts, which still seem to function in many ways as separate villages, just as they did in the past, and which have preserved their own characteristic identities. London's many faces offer a wealth of attractions for tourists, including picturesque urban scenery, historical monuments and vast green parks, as well as important cultural sites such as museums and theatres. Because of its long history and many centuries as the capital of a vast empire, London has many splendid monuments and places of interest for visitors to explore.