The seat of the Government and Houses of Parliament.

In the middle of the eleventh century, King Edward the confessor had moved his court to the place of Westminster, situated on the central site near the river Thames.

In 1265 a parliament was created with two parties: the lords and the Commons. The house of Lords met at the palace of Westminster while the House of Commons did not have a permanent location.

After King Henry VII moved his court to the palace of Whitehall in 1530,the House of lords continued to meet in Westminster. In 1547 the house of Commons moved here, confirming Westminster as the central seat of government, a position it still holds today.

The new place of Westminster

In 1834 a fire destroyed the palace of Westminster, leaving only the jewel Tower, the crypt and cloister of St. Stephens and Westminster Hall intact. After the fire, a competition was organized to create a new building for the two houses of Parliament.

A design by sir Charles Barry and his assistant Augustus Welby Plugin was chosen from ninety-seven entries. They created a large but balance complex in neo-Gothic style incorporated the building that survived the fire.

The whole complex was finished in 1870,more than thirty years after construction started. It includes the Clock Tower, Victoria Tower, House of Commons, House of Lords, Westminster Hall and the lobbies.

Central Lobby

One of several lobbies in the Houses of Parliament is Central lobby where people can meet the members of Parliament and persuade them to defend their interests. Hence the verb 'to lobby'.