Since the thirteenth century, the Houses of Parliament, or Westminster Palace, has been the meeting place of the two houses of the Parliament of the UK......the House of Lords and the House of Commons.
In 1834 a great fire destroyed most of the medieval Old Palace. Its few remains were incorporated in its much larger Gothic replacement, which contains over 1,100 rooms, 100 staircases and 3 miles of passageways, spread over four floors. Construction began in 1840 and lasted for thirty years. Major repairs took place after the Second World War following its bombing in 1941. Its Clock Tower, which has become known as 'Big Ben' after its main bell, is an iconic London and UK landmark.
Westminster Hall is the palace's oldest existing part, and was erected in 1097. and at that time it was the largest hall in Europe. It still has the largest clearspan medieval roof in England. Over the centuries Westminster Hall has housed the court for the most important state trials, monarchs' coronation banquets from the 12th to the 19th centuries, monarch's lyings-in-state, and presentations of ceremonial Addresses to the Crown on very important public occasions.
A special division of the Metropolitan Police, supported by some armed police from the Diplomatic Protection Group, are always on duty in and around the Palace.