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What is the history of the palace of Westminster?
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The history of the Palace of Westminster began in the Middle Ages – in the early eighth century – when there was an Anglo-Saxon church dedicated to St. Peter the Apostle which became known as the West Minster (St. Paul's being the East Minster).
The Palace of Westminster has been a Grade I listed building since 1970 and part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987. The building was originally constructed in the eleventh century as a royal palace, and was the primary residence of the kings of England until 1512, when a fire destroyed the royal apartments.
- 112,476 m² (1,210,680 sq ft) (internal)
- 1987 (11th session)
- 1016 and later
The history of the Houses of Parliament spans over 900 years from the Anglo-Saxons to the present. Read about the current Palace of Westminster as designed by architect Sir Charles Barry. The early history of the Palace of Westminster from the 11th century to the fire of 1834.
The Palace of Westminster, Westminster Abbey and St Margaret’s Church lie next to the River Thames in the heart of London. With their intricate silhouettes, they have symbolised monarchy, religion and power since Edward the Confessor built his palace and church on Thorney Island in the 11th century AD.
In 1534 Henry VIII acquired York Place from Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, a powerful minister who had lost the King's favour. Renaming it the Palace of Whitehall, Henry used it as his principal residence. Although Westminster officially remained a royal palace, it was used by the two Houses of Parliament and by the various royal law courts.
The Palace of Westminster. Westminster Hall is the oldest building on the Parliamentary estate. What makes it such an astonishing building is not simply its great size and the magnificence of its roof, but its central role in British history.
The history of the present-day Palace of Westminster is a journey which begins with its reconstruction by the architect Charles Barry after the Great Fire of 1834, through various ravages of the 20th century such as the Second World War, to the magnificent building as we know it today.
