Houses of Parliament

Londons rich with culture and this place is no different. Stunning building and in a great location to many other sights Go have a gander and marvel at the architecture

The Houses of Parliament are worth a walk or drive by. The best thing is it is right there with parliament and Westminster Abbey so you can take the tube there and just wander. The Westminster tube station is very close and an easy ride. You can walk along the street and take pictures.

Didn’t get a chance to visit inside but the outside view of the pariament was just as beautiful.

The talk for the Festival of Freedoms was actually at Portcullis House opposite Houses of Parliament and no photography allowed!

If you ever want to reassess your place in the world, step foot into Westminster Hall, the entryway to the Houses of Parliament that was initially built in 1097 and stands almost a thousand years later as a reminder of what greatness sprouted from these walls. I do not know if the men who built Westminster Hall knew that in the millenium that followed arguments that changed the course of Western civilization would occur, but stepping into the Hall, all I could think of was Democracy (knowing full well that Britain exists as a constitutional monarchy) because this is where arguments that built one of the greater empires of the past few centuries were made.
I did not even attempt to get discounted tickets to this place. I bought tickets, in advance, online for the full tour. Tickets were 25 pounds each or $ 50 for my mother and I. Unfortunately, since we are not UK residents we were unable to ascend into Big Ben (the clock) and Elizabeth Tower (the actual tower that holds the clock). Note that while no pictures are allowed save for the entrance, this made me pay more attention to what the tour guide was saying.
My mother and I took a tour during last August when Parliament was not in session so the hour tour was not rushed and in addition to being able to stand in the Palace holding the House of Lords and the House of Commons, we were also able to step into the alleyways and corridors holding the Prime Minister’s office, the MPs and any foreign representatives allowed to hold offices in order to monitor issues germane to Great Britain and its remaining commonwealths. We also saw the Queen’s robing room and were told the past and present day customs followed by royalty when dealing with a matter of state before the Parliament
Although our tour guide explained that he was essentially a misogynist drunk, I am a fan of Churchill, as a writer, as an orator, as a tactician and for his meetings with FDR prior to Hitler attempting to invade England. Seeing the life-​sized statute of him on the floor of the Parliament was not something I thought I’d ever see, knowing all he did to make sure the Nazi forces did not overtake his island. Interestingly and making full sense knowing the history of those hallowed halls, MPs are not allowed to use their cell phones for talk or text when they are in office, such that there are specific receptionists at land lines taking messages for them. I did not even attempt to see if I could get a wireless signal since as I as walking through various rooms with the tour, a few Security guards were following our group.
The Battle of Waterloo is something that most British historical sites talk about as if it had happened yesterday because it was a monumental defeat of Napoleon by British forces. The gigantic tapestry detailing the battle either drives the point home that (a) these people are proud of their history; and/​or (b) they very much wanted to brag about defeating the French. Also quite telling and fascinating, were the portraits on wood panels in one room that held all the British monarchs from the past few hundred years. Seeing panels of Henry VIII with all six of his wives in the Prince’s chamber made me laugh because he founded the Church of England so he could legally divorce his first wife.
This place has an echo of something greater than the hallowed individuals who passed through it, so you would be doing yourself a disservice if you do not visit here if you are in London.

The Houses of Parliament is one of the main attractions that you should visit, as a tourist in London. It is located in arguably the center of London for tourists, with Big Ben adjoining, and also facing the London Eye and the River Thames, and is also close to 10 Downing Street.
Having simply skipped a tour on previous visits to London, I knew it was a must to get a tour, after hearing that I can get a free one organized by my MP. The Houses of Parliament is a magnificent building and even if you have to pay a fee to get in, it is worth it as the tour is very historic and interesting and covers the journey through the chambers, lobbies and houses of commons and lords (green and crimson respectively), visiting behind the scenes coverages, which would only otherwise be visited by news reporters and MP’s.
I got on a guided tour, which is £25 for Adults, and it is worth noting that disabled people can get a free carer in for free, when booking over the telephone, so it is always worth doing that to save some money !
Reviewing this magnificent building is hard in a way, I could go into details about the tour but I’m sure many people will be reading this, excited for the tour and I don’t want to spoil it. The tour is very interesting and mainly covers, The Queen’s Speech area, the Aye /​Nay lobby and both the houses of commons and lords, as well as a few meeting rooms and other rooms you may have seen on TV before, such as doing the journey that the Queen does before the Queen’s speech.
One thing that is very disappointing about the tour, which was a shame, was that taking photos was banned, and even the use of phones was not really liked, but it would be near enough impossible to use them as well as keeping up with the group and listening to your tour guide (on a headset anyway), and I don’t even understand why this rule is in place.
If you are getting a tour of Parliament, remember tickets can easily be picked up on the day, and you do have to go through a security check for bags etc, which is basically like security at the airport, with armed police officers, just much quieter and much smaller.
The Houses of Parliament is a beautiful, old building and now would probably be a great time to visit, with renovation work needing done that could take around 1 parliamentary term (4 – 6 years my tour guide said) or over 30 if they just work on a few rooms at the time, and that is a long time, by then the Monster Raving Loony Party could have risen up and could be in power, so if you are in London this is a great tour to do, where you can learn a lot about Britain and the history of democracy and history of monarchy in this country. (Even though we do have the 2^nd largest «house» it is unelected and undemocratic, and our FPTP voting system is too)
I can only give 3 stars as I felt rushed by the tour guide in some areas, and they was an incident with someone falling ill on my tour, hence it was delayed, I do understand this is something that can’t be helped, but they could have made it a lot smoother. This is a great tour, however due to no photography, I feel like that spoils it a little and is probably one of the major reasons, why I can only give 3 stars and not a higher rating, such as four.

A truly impressive place.
Due to the amount of comprehensive reviews on the Houses of Parliament, I will only add on a few observations from what I think is a must-​see place if you are visiting London.
The first thing I would note, the place where you get tickets is actually a bit down the street from the actual building. Secondly, the inside of the building is definitely impressive as the outside is. This actually surprised me a bit as I was looking for a slight letdown on the inside.
This was definitely not the case.
One last thing to note, in terms of architecture, I can’t think of a place that has as much detail at this building. Seriously. The photo opportunities are also endless, I suggest getting different angles. Mine turned out great this way. Also, across the river are some great shots as well.
If you get a chance to do the tour, for the love of all that is good and holy, do it. You won’t regret what you get to see and for the hour’s time, it is definitely worth it.

Beautiful architecture! Breathtaking!
If you have time, definitely take a tour inside.
It’s right next to Big Ben.
Another famous landmark in London. check out both day time and night time. Very different feel.

For some reason they thought putting the ticket office a block or two away would be good idea. I guess they ran out of space. Either way, after we finally found out where to get tickets and went through security we got inside and did the audio tour, which took just over an hour. I was actually impressed with how much you could see inside the place. It was worth a visit if you have never been inside, full of history for sure.

I was going to dock this location a star in protest at the recent General Election result. Then I realised that was slightly ridiculous of me… and perhaps slightly offensive to the concept of democracy, which I do consider myself pro…
Anyway I love the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben! Perhaps, in part, because I was born in Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital. Which is that building directly across the river from Big Ben. One thing I’ve never understood about London culture is that I can never say I’m a true cockney as I wasn’t born within earshot of the sound of Bow Bells… why on earth isn’t there a name for us babies born within the chimes of Big Ben? Surely Big Ben is way more iconic than St Mary-le-Bow’s church…
I digress. Parliament Square is a lovely little area of a green among the sprawling central Westminster urban jungle. Perhaps not the healthiest, what with the heavy traffic surrounding from every angle… but lovely nonetheless.
If you’re lucky enough to enter the Houses of Parliament you’ll get to witness some of the most important documents in British (and, indeed world) history. I must admit I haven’t seen as much of the HofP as I would like to, but I did get to sit in on a House of Commons session when my A-​Level Politics class made a trip there. It was surreal seeing those Gods of legislature, such as Iain Duncan Smith and Michael Portillo, a mere stone’s throw away.
I’d highly recommend this area to anyone with even the slightest interest in politics or British history. Intriguing.

So massive and breathtaking — surely some of the most beautiful architecture I have seen in all my travels throughout Europe (and I’ve seen a lot, so that’s saying something). More than once I caught myself paused on the sidewalk nearby staring in awe while my travel partner kept walking without me. It was just that amazing from every angle. The detail in every nook and cranny of the design is mind boggling! Do I wish I could have toured inside? Oh yes, yes I do. Sadly it did not work out on this particular visit. But I will most definitely go back and tour the inside next time. Out of all the countless sights to see in London, this one is at the top

A truly remarkable place, full of history and a privilege to visit the seat of Democracy.
Words do not do justice to simply describe the architecture and the essence what this institution represents. You must simply go and see it for your self.

Bien qu’il s’agisse véritablement du palais de Westminster, ce complexe architectural est plus communément connu sous le nom de maison du parlement. Il forme un ensemble avec un attrait phare de la ville qu’est sa tour d’horloge abritant la cloche de Big Ben.
C’est le siège du parlement. Lorsqu’ils sont en réunion, le drapeau flotte sur la tour. Avec l’avantage d’une visite guidée très instructive, j’avais été relativement impressionné par la découverte et la beauté de la chambre des Lords. L’intérieur n’est ouvert au public que durant les deux mois d’été, seule période où les membres du gouvernement né sont pas présent.

You have to put this on your list while in London. If you have a group you can book a tour guide. This tour is very informative and if House of Commons is not in session you can see it and the House of Lords. Highly recommended even if you are not into politics.

Sure, The Palace of Westminster has a LOVELY architectural design on the outside, but getting access INSIDE, to roam about The Houses of Parliament is just AWESOME!!! We attempted reserving the live guided tour 3 weeks in advance but no such luck with that. Apparently the magic happens when you book MONTHS in advance. So don’t wait too long to secure a spot ;) That doesn’t mean the self-​guided audio tour we were privy to was in ANY way inadequate. It was actually a wealth of information for this Yankee, a novice to the British political process. What’s cool with the audio tours is that you have the option of choosing a family version or adult version. While my grown-​up audio was very informative, the young squires & my wife were cracking up from all the commentary throughout the family audio tour. I kinda felt left out, hah! Now, I still had questions so I made 2 attempts @ engaging leaders of the live guided tours and both times I was politely denied, «I’m sorry, I only talk to my group.» Well, alright then. How about those people watching my every move? No luck either.
What I really got me in a tizzy was wanting to know was the significance of the House of Commons Sergeant At Arm’s Mace. So here’s what Google told me ;) It represents the authority of the Sovereign, and Parliament cannot lawfully meet without the mace present in their Chambers. Disrespecting the Mace apparently leads to suspension. Just so ya know ;)
GLORIOUS few hours spent! We arrived late from Tube troubles, and they didn’t mind at all. If you want to familiarize yourself with specific British History tidbits before, look up King Charles I, Queen Elizabeth, 1^st Duke of Wellington — Arthur Wellesley, and Vice Admiral Horatio Lord Nelson based on the portraits associated with them and their impact on the government process. Enjoy! We sure did :)

The view is simply majestic when you arrive at this place!
Try to visit at night when the city is glowing with lights! It makes this breathtaking to look at!
It’s not only a historic icon, but a timeless piece of architecture for you to look at endlessly!

The House of Parliament is located right next to the Big Ben and the London Eye and various other tourist attractions in London so you cannot miss this wonderful site! Make time to see this area in the daytime and nighttime. There is a great location on one of the bridges where you can get both the London Eye and the House/​Big Ben in one shot. Lots of activities to check out around the area and the tour is quite educational but no photos allowed inside!

This structure is so massive it was hard to tell where it begins and ends sometimes when you’re next to it. I have no idea how far back I had to go across the bridge to capture the whole thing during sunset. So much intricate artisan work put in every inch of it’s architecture. I could only stand in awe for a good long time trying to take it all in. A truly magnificent, though sometimes redundant work of builders.

What a magnificent palace (yep, it’s officially the Palace of Westminster, but everyone calls it Houses of Parliament). A friend and I pre-​booked a live guided tour, and though it’s a bit pricey, it was fantastic and worth it. They show you all around the place: the Great Hall, the House of Lords, House of Commons, all the lavish art and architecture all over the place. You learn about the history of the place and how parliament works. You can also book an afternoon tea in one of the amazing rooms, but since we were already paying for the pricey tour we didn’t opt for that part.
Downside for me: no photos allowed. Too many places in London have this annoyance, as I love taking photos.
The day we were there, they were filming a Meryl Streep movie about suffragettes right outside, and the extras were wandering around in between scenes and coming inside to use the loo. As much as a liked the tour, I was hoping to catch a glimpse of Meryl the whole time — apparently some of the others in the group did before we got there! But alas, she didn’t appear and I therefore didn’t faint. The Palace/​Houses were still a cool place to see.

Ein Hochsicherheitsbereich erwartet einen, wenn man am U-​Bahnausgang direkt am Palamentsgebäude hochkommt. Wie in einem Quantanamo-​Käfig kommt man sich vor, aber das war vor 25 Jahren auch schon so, nicht erst seit der weltweiten islamistischen Bedrohungslage!
Ich war noch nie drinnen, aber von außen ist es ein beeindruckender Gebäudekomplex, der auf nordöstlicher Seite von Big Ben bewacht und abgeschlossen wird.
Zusammen mit Big Ben das Standardbauwerk für den London-​Touristen. Tagsüber schon beeindruckend, finde ich die Atmosphäre rund um Big Ben bei Dunkelheit mit Beleuchtung noch fantastischer!

Oui, je suis un jukie politique et quel plaisir que d’être de nouveau dans la galerie des visiteurs du parlement britannique. Accueil très professionnel, très organisé et bien structuré. Bravo

An iconic picture postcard image, the House of Parliament overlooks the famous Thames river.
Thanks to our tour guide, we got a «glimpse» of the landmark and on our own time, strolled along the Thames from the London Eye and across the bridge for a closer look. If we had more time, we might have ventured in, but we were too fascinated with hopping the underground Tube to stop. Next time!

Wir hatten eine Führung durch das House of Parliament bereits frühzeitig über das Internet gebucht, wobei man Tag, Uhrzeit und Sprache aussuchen konnte.
Etwa 5 Minuten entfernt mußten wir die Reservierung gegen reguläre Karten umtauschen und es stand bereits ein Angestellter dort und hatte Briefumschläge, einen davon mit unserem Namen und Karten. Prima !
Die Sicherheitskontrollen waren wie am Flughafen und dann waren wir endlich im Innern :
Eine große Halle, in der wie wir später erfuhren auch Obama zum Ober– und Unterhaus gesprochen hatte und in der bekannte Persönlichkeiten beim Tode aufgebahrt wurden. Dies ist der einzige Raum, wo Fotos gemacht werden dürfen.
Die Führung war gut und informativ. Man sah u.a. das House of Lords (Oberhaus) und das House of Commons (Unterhaus) und wurde gut informiert.
Am Ende steht man wieder in der großen Halle, wo man auch Souvenirs kaufen kann und auch in das Café gehen kann. Auch öffentliche Toiletten gibt es hier.
Fazit: absolut sehenswert.

I got in somehow (legally, even), made it up to the visitor’s gallery overlooking the stage. I say «stage» deliberately because, as an American, I was in for a shock watching a barely-​disguised display of refined name-​calling as one «Right Honorable gentleman» told another «Right Honorable gentleman on the left» that he was full of odious pig excrement. There seemed to be little or no control over the rancor but somehow they plugged on through their agenda, entertaining as it was. It was hard to keep from laughing out loud.
The large gold mace, one of three representing the union of N. Ireland, Scotland and Wales sat at the head of the floor. The Parliament of the United Kingdom cannot lawfully meet without the mace present as it represent the authority of the Sovereign and they are carried before the speakers of both Houses when they enter or leave the Chamber. It is not a weapon though some MPs have used it as such.
After awhile, I rose and left the gallery with a smile knowing that no matter how «Colonial» I was as a Yank, our two main political parties at least faked a friendlier point-​counterpoint to the issues at hand. And we don’t need a huge golden member (i.e., phallic symbol) to remind us we live in a «man’s world». We have Bill Clinton to remind us of that. I wonder if they’ll ever replace the mace with something more indicative of the true legislative body? What would it be? I wonder what M. Thatcher would’ve said? Maybe I wonder too much.
Today, they discussed some of the very same issues we argue: immigration, drugs, the war in Afghanistan and the economy.
It’s right honorable «politics as usual» from across the pond.

Se visite uniquement à certaines heures de la journée. C’est gratuit, mais il faut faire une longue queue.
Se renseigner avant d’y aller.

Mon préféré …
J’adore cet endroit: Big Ben et les maisons du Parlement presque flottants sur la Tamise, l’architecture, les dorures, le quartier sans oublier l’Abbaye de Westminster juste en face…

Aller à Londres sans voir Big Ben c’est comme venir à Paris et né pas voir la Tour Eiffel.

Wunderschönes Gebäude

1994 waren wir mit der Schule dort — leider nicht drin; aber allein das imposante Bauwerk ist einen Besuch wert!

Comme dans les films
Certains monuments sont décevants quand on arrive finalement à les visiter. Ce n’est pas le cas pour le Parlement anglais, qui est magnifique, pareil pour le Big Ben. Qu’on le voit du fleuve, de la sortie du métro, de Westminster, l’ensemble est impressionnant.

Monumental !!
C’est un coin vraiment incroyable, Big Ben est vraiment colossal et majestueux !!! Et dès qu’on entend sonner les cloches on en a des frissons ! J’adore ce coin Londonien avec la Tamise à proximité, la grande roué, et Westinster. Big Ben est vraiment le symbole de la capitale. So British !!!

Palais de Winstminster, absoulement immense
Déco superbe et bien british et d’époque
Accolé au Big Ben

Es impresionante llegar a este lugar y no saber para donde mirar, de la cantidad de iconos que nos encontramos aqui, (El Parlamento, la Abadia de Wetminster, el Big Ben).
Nosotros estuvimos en Septiembre y pudimos hacer una visita guiada por su interior. Lo recomiendo, ya que por dentro es mas espectacular aún.
Me llamó mucho la atención la cantidad de seguridad que habia, incluso antes de acceder al interior, nos comprobaron las mochilas que llevabamos y nos cachearon.
La vista del Parlamento una vez que cruzas el puente es aun mas impresionante.

Normalerweise wartet man sehr lange bis man endlich da drin ist. Ein Tipp geht Abends ab 17 Uhr, dann gibt es weniger Leute und ihr könnt trotzdem überall reingehen. Im Parlament kann die House of Lords und der Normale Parlament sehen. Es sieht genau wie im Fernsehen: die sitzen links und rechts und diskutieren. Es ist sehr interessant. Ihr werdet etwas höher aber Zentral, hinter eine Glasscheibe sitzen. Man darf net laut reden, und man darf nicht Fotografieren. Die Sicherheitsvorkehrungen sind enorm. Man darf ab und zu an einige Stellen Fotos machen, aber grundsätzlich ist das vertobten.
Es lohnt sich dahin zu gehen.

Unbedingt einen Besuch wert!
Ich habe einen Freund, der hier im Archiv arbeitet: Richard.
Auch Wales wird teilweise noch von Westminster regiert. Es ist interessant, den Ort zu erleben, wo wichtige politische Entscheidungen getroffen werden.
Die Architektur der Houses of Parliament finde ich sehr beeindruckend, die Politik nicht immer.

Il y un millier pièces dans ce palais, une centaine d’escaliers et 4,8 km de couloirs ! L’Unesco a inscrit l’édifice au patrimoine mondial de l’humanité en 1987.
Les visites pour le commun des mortels né se font que pendant les deux mois d’été, pendant lesquels le parlement né siège pas et encore faut-​il réserver. En revanche, les résidents du Royaume-​Uni peuvent assister aux débats depuis les galeries publiques après obtention d’un ticket auprès du parlementaire les représentant.
Big Ben, la plus grosse cloche de la tour de l’horloge a fêté le 10 avril 2008 ses 150 ans. Elle avait été coulée dans la fonderie White chapel à l’est de Londres le 10÷4÷1858.
Happy birthday !

le Palais de Westminster, le siège du parlement britannique (House of Parliament) avec Big Ben son beffroi et La Victoria Tower, la plus haute tour du Parlement (103m). C’est à son pied que se trouve la porte par où entre la reine dans le palais pour l’ouverture de la session parlementaire.
c’est big Ben qui nous plait le plus j’avoue mais continuons la visite!!!

Tellement cliché et tellement british
J’adore cet endroit de la capitale, les Houses of Parliament sont majestueuses et Big Ben tellement… Big Ben ! Winston Churchill trôné tout près et veille au grain, le tout à un jet de pierre de Westminster Abbey. Beaucoup de symboles concentrés en si peu d’espace ! Le quartier est imbibé d’une ambiance british que j’aime beaucoup, il m’est aussi agréable de contempler les édifices que d’observer le va et vient des hommes costumés et des college boys en uniforme. Si vous avez de la chance (ce qui né fut pas mon cas au dernier passage) vous pourrez aussi admirer la vue en traversant le pont, et depuis l’autre côté de la Tamise. Avantage aussi: Le London Eye est à deux pas une fois le pont traversé.

Big Ben
Je né m’attendais pas du tout à ça. J’ai été très agréablement surprise et très émue. Très grand, magnifique, doré et juste à côté du métro. C’était, de loin, le monument que j’ai préféré.

Passage obligé !
Si on né visite pas Big Ben en allant à Londres, on passé pour un plouc ! En plus, ce lieu est superbe, totalement dans le style anglais, avec la Tamise (la promenade sur le bord est vivement conseillée !). Pour ma part, le mieux pour le voir est à la tombée de la nuit avec les lumières et le soleil couchant, cela donne un effet surréaliste !

Vraiment impressionnant !
Mon coin préféré en terme de visite. Monumental et vraiment superbe. Indispensable avec petite balade le long de la Tamise.

Incontournable
On a eu de la chance car le jour où on était allé voir big ben il faisait gris avec un peu de brume en supplément, parfait pour recréer l’ambiance de ce lieu mythique. La tour est impressionnante et magnifique. A voir absolument.

So british
Moi qui suis une lectrice inconditionnelle de Sherlock Holmes, je me suis retrouvée là dans l’atmosphère britannique !!! Je n’ai pas été déçue, Big Ben est impressionnante … Super !

Magnifique
C’est un lieu incontournable de Londres, au même titre que le palais de Buckingham, l’architecture est tout bonnement impressionnante, la hauteur et la majesté de ce monument nous laisse vraiment bouche bée ! C’est magnifique ! À voir absolument de nuit !

Incontournable !
Comment visiter Londres sans passer voir les Maisons du Parlement et Big Ben qui est à deux pas. C’est un passage obligé, deux momuments importants de Londres. Ensuite, on peut poursuivre la balade vers Buckingham.

le mieux
Malgré que je n’aimais pas l’ambiance de Londres, c’est un des monuments qui m’a fasciné… un monument clé de Londres… De plus, quand la pendule sonne, ça me fait penser aux vieux films anglais. Très impressionant!

magnifique
La hauteur de Big Ben est vraiment impressionnante! Rien à voir avec les photos! C’est vraiment la Tour Eiffel londonienne! A voir aussi, la station de métro à l’architecture ultra-​moderne pour y accéder.