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Review of Parliament of the United Kingd...

The Palace of Westminster (also known as the House...

The Palace of Westminster (also known as the Houses of Parliament) is the London building that houses the two Houses of Parliament of the United Kingdom (the House of Lords and the House of Commons). It is located on the left bank of the Thames in the City of Westminster, near the other Whitehall government buildings.

The oldest part of the palace still existing, Westminster Hall, dates back to 1097. The original purpose of the palace was that of a royal residence, but no monarch has lived there since the sixteenth century. Most of the current structure dates back to the nineteenth century, when the palace was rebuilt after being, with the exception of Westminster Hall, completely destroyed by fire in 1834. The architects responsible for the rebuilding of the palace were Sir Charles Barry and Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin , and the palace is an example of neo-Gothic. One of the most famous features of the building is the clock tower (the Elizabeth Tower), a notable tourist attraction that houses the world-famous Big Ben.