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Palace of Westminster

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     The Palace of Westminster lies on the bank of the River Thames in the
                                                           heart of London
                                                                   Enlarge
     The Palace of Westminster lies on the bank of the River Thames in the
                                                           heart of London

                    The Houses of Parliament, seen over Westminster Bridge
                                                                   Enlarge
                    The Houses of Parliament, seen over Westminster Bridge

   The Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament or
   Westminster Palace, in London, England is where the two Houses of the
   Parliament of the United Kingdom (the House of Lords and the House of
   Commons) meet to conduct their business. The Palace lies on the north
   bank of the River Thames in the London borough of the City of
   Westminster, close by other government buildings in Whitehall.

   The oldest part of the Palace still in existence, Westminster Hall,
   dates from 1097. The palace originally served as a royal residence but
   no monarch has lived in it since the 16th century. Most of the present
   structure dates from the 19th century, when the Palace was rebuilt
   after it was almost entirely destroyed by a fire in 1834. The
   architects responsible for rebuilding the Palace were Sir Charles Barry
   and Augustus Welby Pugin. The building is an example of Gothic revival.
   One of the Palace's most famous features is the clock tower, a tourist
   attraction that houses the famous bell Big Ben. The latter name is
   often used, erroneously, for the clock itself.

   The Palace contains over 1,000 rooms, the most important of which are
   the Chambers of the House of Lords and of the House of Commons. The
   Palace also includes committee rooms, libraries, lobbies, dining-rooms,
   bars and gymnasiums. It is the site of important state ceremonies, most
   notably the State Opening of Parliament. The Palace is very closely
   associated with the two Houses, as shown by the use of the word
   "Westminster" to refer to "Parliament". Parliamentary offices overspill
   into nearby buildings such as Portcullis House, and Norman Shaw
   Buildings.

History

   The Palace of Westminster was strategically important during the Middle
   Ages, as it was located on the banks of the River Thames. Buildings
   have occupied the site since at least Saxon times. Known in mediæval
   times as Thorney Island, the site may have been first used for a royal
   residence by Canute the Great (reigned 1016 to 1035). The penultimate
   Saxon monarch of England, St Edward the Confessor, built a royal palace
   in Thorney Island just west of the City of London at about the same
   time as he built Westminster Abbey (1045 to 1050). Thorney Island and
   the surrounding area soon became known as Westminster (a contraction of
   the words "West Monastery"). After the Norman Conquest (1066) King
   William I established himself at the Tower of London, but later moved
   to Westminster. Neither the buildings used by the Saxons nor those used
   by William I survive. The oldest existing parts of the Palace
   (Westminster Hall and the Great Hall) date from the reign of William
   I's successor, King William II.

   The Palace of Westminster was the monarch's principal residence in the
   late Mediaeval period. The predecessor of Parliament, the Curia Regis
   (Royal Council), met in Westminster Hall (though it followed the King
   when he moved to other palaces). The Model Parliament, the first
   official Parliament of England, met in the Palace in 1295. Since then,
   almost all Parliaments have met in the Palace. However, some
   Parliaments have met in other locations.

                           A detail from John Rocque's 1746 map of London.
                                                                   Enlarge
                           A detail from John Rocque's 1746 map of London.

     J. M. W. Turner watched the fire of 1834 and painted several canvases
    depicting it, including The Burning of the Houses of Lords and Commons
                                                                   (1835).
                                                                   Enlarge
     J. M. W. Turner watched the fire of 1834 and painted several canvases
    depicting it, including The Burning of the Houses of Lords and Commons
                                                                   (1835).

   Westminster remained the monarch's chief London residence until a fire
   destroyed part of the structure in 1529. In 1530 King Henry VIII
   acquired York Palace from Thomas Cardinal Wolsey, a powerful minister
   who had lost the King's favour. Renaming it the Palace of Whitehall,
   Henry VIII used it as his principal residence. Although Westminster
   officially remained a royal palace, it was used by the two Houses of
   Parliament and as a law court.

   Because it was originally a royal residence, the Palace did not include
   any purpose-built chambers for the two Houses. Important state
   ceremonies, including the State Opening of Parliament, were held in the
   Painted Chamber. The House of Lords usually met in the White Chamber.
   The House of Commons, however, did not have a chamber of its own; it
   sometimes held its debates in the Chapter House of Westminster Abbey.
   The Commons acquired a permanent home in the Palace — St Stephen's
   Chapel, a former royal chapel, but only during the reign of Henry
   VIII's successor, King Edward VI. The Chantries Act 1547 (passed as a
   part of the Protestant Reformation) dissolved the religious order of
   the Canons of St Stephen's (among other institutions); thus the Chapel
   was left for the Commons' use. Alterations were made to St Stephen's
   Chapel for the convenience of the lower House.

   On 16 October 1834, most of the Palace was destroyed by fire. Only
   Westminster Hall, the Jewel Tower, the crypt of St Stephen's Chapel and
   the cloisters survived. A Royal Commission was appointed to study the
   rebuilding of the Palace and decided that it should be rebuilt on the
   same site, and that its style should be either Gothic or Elizabethan. A
   heated public debate over the proposed styles ensued. In 1836, after
   studying 97 rival proposals, the Royal Commission chose Charles Barry's
   plan for a Gothic style palace. The foundation stone was laid in 1840;
   the Lords' Chamber was completed in 1847, and the Commons' Chamber in
   1852 (at which point Barry received a knighthood). Although most of the
   work had been carried out by 1860, construction was not finished until
   a decade afterwards.

   The Palace of Westminster continued to function normally until 1940. In
   1941, the Commons' Chamber was destroyed by German bombs in the course
   of the Second World War. Sir Giles Gilbert Scott was commissioned as
   architect for the rebuilding of the Chamber; he chose to preserve the
   essential features of Sir Charles Barry's design. Work on the Commons'
   Chamber was completed by 1950.

Exterior

   Sir Charles Barry's design for the Palace of Westminster uses the
   Perpendicular Gothic style, which was popular during the 15th century
   and returned during the Gothic revival of the 19th century. Barry was
   himself a classical architect, but he was aided by the Gothic architect
   Augustus Pugin. Westminster Hall, which was built in the 11th century
   and survived the fire of 1834, was incorporated in Barry's design.
   Pugin was displeased with the result of the work, especially with the
   symmetrical layout designed by Barry; he famously remarked, "All
   Grecian, sir; Tudor details on a classic body."

Stonework

   The stonework of the building was originally Anston, a sand-coloured
   magnesian limestone quarried in the village of Anston in South
   Yorkshire. The stone, however, soon began to decay due to pollution and
   the poor quality of some of the stone used. Although such defects were
   clear as early as 1849, nothing was done for the remainder of the 19th
   century. During the 1910s, however, it became clear that some of the
   stonework had to be replaced.

   In 1928 it was deemed necessary to use Clipsham Stone, a honey-coloured
   limestone from Rutland, to replace the decayed Anston. The project
   began in the 1930s but was halted due to the Second World War, and
   completed only during the 1950s. By the 1960s pollution had once again
   begun to take its toll. A stone conservation and restoration programme
   to the external elevations and towers began in 1981, and ended in 1994.
   The House Authorities have since been undertaking the external
   restoration of the many inner courtyards and this is due to continue
   until approximately 2010.

Towers

   The Palace of Westminster's two most famous towers are the Victoria
   Tower (left) and the Clock Tower (with the clock faces).
   Enlarge
   The Palace of Westminster's two most famous towers are the Victoria
   Tower (left) and the Clock Tower (with the clock faces).

   Sir Charles Barry's Palace of Westminster includes several towers. The
   tallest is the 98 m (323 ft) Victoria Tower, a square tower at the
   south-western end of the Palace. The tower was named after the reigning
   monarch at the time of the reconstruction of the Palace, Queen
   Victoria. The tower is home to the Parliamentary Archives. Atop the
   Victoria Tower is an iron flagstaff, from which the Royal Standard (if
   the Sovereign is present in the Palace) or the Union Flag is flown. At
   the base of the Victoria Tower is the Sovereign's Entrance to the
   Palace. The monarch uses this entrance whenever entering the Palace of
   Westminster for the State Opening of Parliament or for any other
   official ceremony.

   Over the middle of the Palace lies St. Stephen's Tower, also called the
   Central Tower. This tower is 91 m (300 ft) tall, making it the shortest
   of the three principal towers of the Palace. Unlike the other towers,
   St Stephen's Tower possesses a spire. It stands immediately above the
   Central Lobby, and is octagonally shaped. Its function was originally
   as a high-level air intake.

   A small tower is positioned at the front of the Palace, between
   Westminster Hall and Old Palace Yard, and contains the main entrance to
   the House of Commons at its base, known as St. Stephen's entrance.

   At the north-western end of the Palace is the most famous of the
   towers, the Clock Tower (often incorrectly referred to as Big Ben)
   which is 96 m (316 ft) tall. The Clock Tower houses a large clock known
   as the Great Clock of Westminster. On each of the four sides of the
   tower is a large clock face. The tower also houses five bells, which
   strike the Westminster Chimes every quarter hour. The largest and most
   famous of the bells is Big Ben (officially, the Great Bell of
   Westminster), which strikes the hour. This is the third heaviest bell
   in England, weighing 13 tons 10 cwt 99 lb (about 13.8 t). Although the
   term "Big Ben" properly refers only to the bell, it is often
   colloquially applied to the whole tower.

Grounds

   There are a number of small gardens surrounding the Palace of
   Westminster. Victoria Tower Gardens is open as a public park along the
   side of the river south of the palace. Black Rod's Garden (named after
   the office of Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod) is closed to the public
   and is used as a private entrance. Old Palace Yard, in front of the
   Palace, is paved over and covered in concrete security blocks (see
   security below). Cromwell Green (also on the frontage, and in 2006
   enclosed by hoardings for the construction of a new visitor centre),
   New Palace Yard (on the north side) and Speaker's Green (directly north
   of the Palace) are all private and closed to the public. College Green,
   opposite the House of Lords, is a small triangular green used for
   television interviews with politicians.
   The layout of the Palace of Westminster. Click on the image for a key
   to the annotations.
   Enlarge
   The layout of the Palace of Westminster. Click on the image for a key
   to the annotations.

   The Palace of Westminster includes approximately 1,100 rooms, 100
   staircases, and 3 miles (5 km) of passageways. The building includes
   four floors; the ground floor includes offices, dining rooms, and bars.
   The 'first floor' (known as the principal floor) houses the main rooms
   of the Palace, including the Chambers, the lobbies, and the libraries.
   The Robing Room, the Royal Gallery, the Prince's Chamber, the Lords'
   Chamber, the Peers' Lobby, the Central Lobby, the Members' Lobby, and
   the Commons' Chamber all lie in a straight line on this floor, from
   south to north, in the order noted. (Westminster Hall lies to a side at
   the Commons end of the Palace.) The top two floors are used for
   committee rooms and offices.

   Formerly, the Palace was controlled by the Lord Great Chamberlain, as
   it was (and formally remains) a royal residence. In 1965, however, it
   was decided that each House should control its own rooms. The Speaker
   and Lord Chancellor exercise control on behalf of their respective
   Houses. The Lord Great Chamberlain retains custody of certain
   ceremonial rooms.

Interior

Lords Chamber

   The Chamber of the House of Lords is located in the southern part of
   the Palace of Westminster. The lavishly decorated room measures 14 by
   24 m (45 by 80 ft). The benches in the Chamber, as well as other
   furnishings in the Lords' side of the Palace, are coloured red. The
   upper part of the Chamber is decorated by stained glass windows and by
   six allegorical frescoes representing religion, chivalry and law. The
   upper part, or the viewing gallery, features a small curtain, around
   ten inches high. This was constructed in the 1920s to hide the ankles
   and lower legs of viewing women; fashion was becoming increasingly
   promiscuous, as they saw it, and the sight of bare legs was deemed
   unsuitable for Lords.

   At one end of the Chamber are the ornate gold Canopy and Throne;
   although the Sovereign may theoretically occupy the Throne during any
   sitting, he or she attends only the State Opening of Parliament. Other
   members of the Royal Family who attend the State Opening use Chairs of
   State next to the Throne. In front of the Throne is the Woolsack, a
   backless and armless red cushion stuffed with wool, representing the
   historical importance of the wool trade. The Woolsack is used by the
   officer presiding over the House (the Lord Speaker since 2006, but
   historically the Lord Chancellor or a deputy). The House's mace, which
   represents royal authority, is placed on the back of the Woolsack. In
   front of the Woolsack are the Judges' Woolsack (a larger red cushion
   occupied by the Law Lords during the State Opening) and the Table of
   the House (at which the clerks sit).

   Members of the House occupy red benches on three sides of the Chamber.
   The benches on the Lord Chancellor's right form the Spiritual Side and
   those to his left form the Temporal Side. The Lords Spiritual
   (archbishops and bishops of the established Church of England) all
   occupy the Spiritual Side. The Lords Temporal (nobles) sit according to
   party affiliation: members of the Government party sit on the Spiritual
   Side, whilst those of the Opposition sit on the Temporal Side. Some
   peers, who have no party affiliation, sit on the benches in the middle
   of the House opposite the Woolsack; they are accordingly known as
   cross-benchers.

   The Lords' Chamber is the site of important ceremonies, the most
   important of which is the State Opening of Parliament, which occurs at
   the beginning of each annual parliamentary session. The Sovereign,
   seated on the Throne, delivers the Speech from the Throne, outlining
   the Government's legislative agenda for the forthcoming parliamentary
   session. The Commons do not enter the Chamber; instead, they watch the
   proceedings from the Bar of the House, just inside the Chamber. A
   similar ceremony is held at the end of a parliamentary session; the
   Sovereign, however, does not normally attend, and is instead
   represented by a group of Lords Commissioners.

Commons Chamber

   The Chamber of the House of Commons, which was opened in 1950 after the
   Victorian chamber had been destroyed in 1941 (architect: Giles Gilbert
   Scott) is at the northern end of the Palace of Westminster. The Chamber
   measures 14 by 21 m (46 by 68 ft). It is far more austere than the
   Lords' Chamber; the benches, as well as other furnishings in the
   Commons side of the Palace, are coloured green. Members of the public
   are forbidden to sit on the green benches. Other parliaments in
   Commonwealth nations have copied the colour scheme under which the
   Lower House is associated with green, and the Upper House with red.

   At one end of the Chamber is the Speaker's Chair, a present to
   Parliament from Australia. In front of the Speaker's Chair is the Table
   of the House, at which the clerks sit, and on which is placed the
   Commons' ceremonial mace. The dispatch boxes, which front bench MPs
   often lean on or rest notes on during Questions and speeches, are a
   gift from New Zealand. There are green benches on either side of the
   house; members of the Government party occupy benches on the Speaker's
   right, whilst those of the Opposition occupy benches on the Speaker's
   left. There are no cross-benches as in the House of Lords. The Chamber
   is relatively small, and can accommodate only 427 of the 646 Members of
   Parliament. During Prime Minister's Questions and in major debates
   Members of Parliament stand at either end of the House.

   By tradition, the British Sovereign does not enter the Chamber of the
   House of Commons. The last monarch to enter the Chamber was King
   Charles I (in 1642); he sought to arrest five Members of Parliament on
   charges of high treason. When the King asked the Speaker, William
   Lenthall, if he had any knowledge of the whereabouts of these
   individuals, Lenthall famously replied: "May it please your Majesty, I
   have neither eyes to see nor tongue to speak in this place but as the
   House is pleased to direct me, whose servant I am here."

   The two red lines on the floor of the House of Commons are, by
   (probably apocryphal) tradition, two sword lengths and one foot (0.3 m)
   apart. Protocol dictates that MPs may not cross these lines when
   speaking. Historically, this was to prevent disputes in the house from
   devolving into duels.

Westminster Hall

   Westminster Hall in the early 19th century.
   Enlarge
   Westminster Hall in the early 19th century.

   Westminster Hall, the oldest existing part of the Palace of
   Westminster, was erected in 1097. The roof was originally supported by
   pillars but, during the reign of King Richard II, it was replaced by a
   hammerbeam roof designed by Henry Yevele and Hugh Herland. Westminster
   Hall is one of the largest halls in Europe with an unsupported roof; it
   measures 21 by 73 m (68 by 240 ft). An Essex legend has it that the oak
   timber came from woods in Thundersley, Essex.

   Westminster Hall has served numerous functions. It was primarily used
   for judicial purposes, housing three of the most important courts in
   the land: the Court of King's Bench, the Court of Common Pleas, and the
   Court of Chancery. In 1873, these courts were amalgamated into the High
   Court of Justice, which continued to meet in Westminster Hall until it
   moved to the Royal Courts of Justice in 1882. In addition to regular
   courts, Westminster Hall also housed important state trials, including
   impeachment trials and the trial of King Charles I at the end of the
   English Civil War.

   Westminster Hall has also served ceremonial functions. From the twelfth
   century to the nineteenth, coronation banquets honouring new monarchs
   were held here. The last coronation banquet was that of King George IV
   (1821); his successor, William IV, abandoned the idea because he deemed
   it too expensive. Westminster Hall has also been used for
   lyings-in-state during state funerals and ceremonial funerals. Such an
   honour is usually reserved for the Sovereign and for their consorts;
   the only non-royals to receive it in the twentieth century were
   Frederick Sleigh Roberts, 1st Earl Roberts (1914) and Sir Winston
   Churchill (1965). The most recent lying-in-state was that of Queen
   Elizabeth The Queen Mother in 2002.
   George IV's coronation banquet was held in Westminster Hall in 1821. It
   was the last such banquet held.
   Enlarge
   George IV's coronation banquet was held in Westminster Hall in 1821. It
   was the last such banquet held.

   In 1999 and 2003, the staff of the Palace were given special permission
   to return the Hall to its original purpose, by the holding of two Grand
   Parties there.

   The two Houses have presented ceremonial Addresses to the Crown in
   Westminster Hall on important public occasions. For example, Addresses
   have been presented at Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee (1977) and Golden
   Jubilee (2002), the 300th anniversary of the Glorious Revolution
   (1988), and the fiftieth anniversary of the end of the Second World War
   (1995).

   Under reforms made in 1999, the House of Commons uses a specially
   converted room next to Westminster Hall (not the main hall) as an
   additional debating chamber. (Usually, however, the room is spoken of
   as a part of Westminster Hall.) The room is shaped like an elongated
   horseshoe; it stands in contrast with the main Chamber, in which the
   benches are placed opposite each other. This pattern is meant to
   reflect the non-partisan nature of the debates held in Westminster
   Hall. Westminster Hall sittings occur thrice each week; important or
   controversial matters are not usually discussed.

Other rooms

   There are several other important rooms that lie on the first floor of
   the Palace. At the extreme southern end of the Palace is the Robing
   Room, the room in which the Sovereign prepares for the State Opening of
   Parliament by donning official robes and wearing the Imperial State
   Crown. Paintings by William Dyce in the Robing Room depict scenes from
   the legend of King Arthur. Immediately next to the Robing Room is the
   Royal Gallery, which is sometimes used by foreign dignitaries who wish
   to address both Houses. The walls are decorated by two enormous
   paintings by Daniel Maclise: "The Death of Nelson" (depicting Lord
   Nelson's demise at the Battle of Trafalgar) and "The Meeting of
   Wellington and Blücher" (showing the Duke of Wellington meeting Gebhard
   Leberecht von Blücher at the Battle of Waterloo).

   To the immediate south of the Lords Chamber is the Prince's Chamber, a
   small ante-room used by Members of the Lords. The Prince's Chamber is
   decorated with paintings of members of the Tudor dynasty. To the
   immediate north of the Lord's Chamber is the Peers' Lobby, where Lords
   informally discuss or negotiate matters during sittings of the House.

   The centrepiece of the Palace of Westminster is the octagonal Central
   Lobby, which lies immediately beyond the Peers' Lobby. The lobby, which
   lies immediately below the Central Tower, is adorned with statues of
   statesmen and with mosaics representing the United Kingdom's
   constituent nations' patron saints: St George for England, St Andrew
   for Scotland, St David for Wales, and St Patrick for Ireland (these
   predate the secession of the Republic). Constituents may meet their
   Members of Parliament in the Central Lobby. Beyond the Central Lobby,
   next to the Commons Chamber, lies the Members' Lobby, in which Members
   of Parliament hold discussions or negotiations. The Members' Lobby
   contains statues of several former Prime Ministers, including David
   Lloyd George, Sir Winston Churchill, and Clement Attlee.

   There are two suites of libraries on the Principal Floor, overlooking
   the river, for the House of Lords and House of Commons Library.

   The Palace of Westminster also includes state apartments for the
   presiding officers of the two Houses. The official residence of the
   Speaker stands at the northern end of the Palace, whilst the Lord
   Chancellor's apartments are at the southern end. Each day, the Speaker
   and Lord Chancellor take part in formal processions from their
   apartments to their respective Chambers.

Security

   The Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod oversees security for the House of
   Lords, and the Serjeant at Arms does the same for the House of Commons.
   These officers, however, have primarily ceremonial roles outside the
   actual chambers of their respective Houses. Security is the
   responsibility of the Palace of Westminster Division of the
   Metropolitan Police, the police force for the Greater London area.
   Tradition still dictates that only the Serjeant at Arms may enter the
   Commons chamber armed.
   The assassination of Prime minister Spencer Perceval in 1812 in the
   lobby of the House of Commons.
   Enlarge
   The assassination of Prime minister Spencer Perceval in 1812 in the
   lobby of the House of Commons.

   Probably the most famous attempt to breach the security of the Palace
   of Westminster was the Gunpowder Plot of 1605. The plot was a
   successful conspiracy aiming to trick Roman Catholic insurgents into
   planning and preparing apparatus for an explosion in the Palace of
   Westminster during the State Opening of Parliament. If executed the
   explosion would have destroyed the palace, killing the Protestant King
   James I, his family, and most of the aristocracy. The plot was however
   always a trap, and through sabotage was discovered when a Roman
   Catholic nobleman, William Parker, 4th Baron Monteagle, received an
   anonymous letter warning him not to attend the State Opening. The
   authorities conducted a search of the Palace, discovered the gunpowder,
   as well as one of the conspirators, Guy Fawkes. The conspirators were
   later tried for high treason in Westminster Hall, and were hanged,
   drawn and quartered. Since 1605, the Yeomen of the Guard have conducted
   a ceremonial search of the Palace's cellars prior to each State Opening
   of Parliament.

   The previous Palace of Westminster was also the site of a prime
   ministerial assassination in 1812. While in the lobby of the House of
   Commons, on his way to a parliamentary inquiry, Spencer Perceval was
   shot and killed by John Bellingham. Perceval remains the only British
   Prime Minister to have been assassinated.

   On 17 June 1974 a 20 pound (9 kg) bomb planted by the Provisional IRA
   exploded in Westminster Hall. In 1979 Airey Neave, a prominent
   Conservative politician, was killed by a car bomb as he drove out of
   the Palace's new car park. Both the Irish National Liberation Army and
   the Provisional IRA claimed responsibility for the murder; security
   forces believe the former were responsible. With rising concern about
   the possibility of a truck full of explosives being driven into the
   building (despite the effective cessation by that time of Northern
   Irish terrorism), a series of concrete blocks was placed in the roadway
   in 2003.

   The Palace has also been the site of a number of acts of politically
   motivated " direct action". In 1970 a canister of tear gas was thrown
   into the Chamber of the House of Commons to protest against conditions
   in Northern Ireland. In 1978 manure was thrown. Concern about such
   attacks and a possible chemical or biological attack led to the
   construction of a glass screen across the Strangers' Gallery in early
   2004.

   The new barrier did not cover the front three rows, which are termed
   the "Distinguished Strangers' Gallery" and in May of that year
   protesters from Fathers 4 Justice attacked Prime Minister Tony Blair
   with flour bombs from this part. In September, five protesters opposed
   to the proposed ban on fox hunting disrupted the proceedings of the
   House of Commons by running into the Chamber.

   Despite the recent security breaches, members of the public continue to
   have access to the Gallery. Visitors have to pass through metal
   detectors and their possessions are scanned. Large numbers of heavily
   armed police guard the building.

Culture and tourism

   The exterior of the Palace of Westminster — especially the Clock Tower
   — is one of the most visited tourist attractions in London. The United
   Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
   classifies the Palace of Westminster along with neighbouring
   Westminster Abbey and St. Margaret's as a World Heritage Site. It is
   also a Grade I listed building. There is no casual access to the
   interior, but it may be seen in a number of ways:
     * Viewing debates from the public galleries of the House of Commons
       or the House of Lords: UK residents may obtain tickets in advance
       from their MP. It is also possible for both UK residents and
       overseas visitors to queue for admission on the day, but capacity
       is limited and there is no guarantee of admission. Only a very
       small part of the Palace's interior may be seen. Either House may
       exclude "strangers" if it desires to sit in private.
     * Tours during Parliamentary sessions: UK residents may apply to
       their MP or a peer for a place on a guided tour of Parliament while
       it is in session. British educational institutions may also arrange
       a tour through their MP. The system for issuing overseas visitors
       with permits to tour the Palace while Parliament is in session has
       been suspended temporarily.
     * Summer opening: tours are available during a two-month period
       during the summer when Parliament is not sitting. These tours are
       open to both UK residents and overseas visitors. Advance bookings
       are recommended.
     * Television Viewing: live broadcasts of Parliamentary sessions can
       be viewed on BBC Parliament; recorded footage is shown when
       Parliament is not in session.

   Since 1 August 2005, under a provision of the Serious Organised Crime
   and Police Act 2005 it has been illegal to hold a protest, without the
   prior permission of the Metropolitan Police, within a designated area
   extending half a mile around the Palace.

   In the 2006 movie V for Vendetta, a main character ( Evey Hammond) uses
   a train and the Underground (prepared by protaganist V) to destroy the
   whole building on November 5th, as a modern-day Guy Fawkes.

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