Main Attractions
Where Parliament now stands has been a centre of authority for over a thousand years. Once the home of the royal family, and still officially a royal palace, the buildings that now make up the modern Houses of Parliament have developed through design, accident and attack.
Parliament is open to all members of the UK public and overseas visitors. You can watch laws being made, attend debates and committees, tour the buildings, or climb the Clock Tower.
Westminster Hall is the oldest part of Parliament. The walls were built in 1097 and the hall is one Europe’s largest medieval halls with an unsupported roof. It was extensively rebuilt during the 14th century.
Once used as a law court, the hall has held several notable trials, including that of Sir William Wallace (1305), the Gunpowder Plot conspirators (1606) and King Charles I (1649).
Today the hall is often used for important State occasions such as the Queen’s Golden Jubilee and the lying-in-State of the late Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, both in 2002.
The Parliamentary Archives holds millions of records from both Houses and other historical material relating to Parliament. The Archives is open to all members of the UK public and overseas visitors from Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 5pm. Visitors who tour Parliament will see the key areas of the estate, such as the Commons and Lords debating chambers and the Queen's Robing Room. UK residents can tour throughout the year; overseas visitors may only tour during the Summer Opening.
Accompanied by a trained guide, visitors travel through designated areas of the parliamentary estate. Tours take about 75 minutes. Please refer to the The House of Parliament web site for further details: http://www.parliament.uk/index.cfm
