46 Houses Of Parliament Facts For The Budding Politicians
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A parliament is a central form of democracy.
In the United Kingdom, the houses of parliament are located in the Palace of Westminister. The Palace of Westminster was built in 1016.
The UK parliament consists of two Houses of Parliament that work on behalf of UK citizens. The Houses of Parliament are bicameral and consist of the House of Lords and the House of Commons.
The Parliament also includes a Monarch that oversees the various bills and laws passed. The meeting place for each house is in separate chambers, located in the Palace of Westminster. The Palace of Westminster resides in central London, in the city of Westminister.
History Of Houses Of Parliament
The Houses of Parliament are located in the Westminster Palace.
The Westminister Palace was originally built in 1016 by William II.
It was considered one of the largest halls that resided in England during that time period.
The original palace was used as a royal residence for the Kings of England.
The House of Parliament was originally a royal palace.
From 1016 to 1512, there were numerous remodels that took place.
The residencies ended in 1512 when a fire damaged the royal apartments.
Due to the fire in 1512, St Stephen's Chapel was used to hold meetings for the House of Commons.
King Charles I was crowned in Westminister Abbey and bought to trial in Westminster Hall.
The trial of Charles I is considered to be one of the most portentous events to have taken place in Westminster Hall. He was condemned and then executed, after which his head was stuck on a pole in that same hall.
It is also used by the two houses of Parliament and the royal law courts.
The original palace is also referred to as the old Palace of Westminster, as a fire destroyed the palace in 1834.
After the fire of 1834, the only medieval structures that remained are the Jewel Tower, Westminster Hall, The Cloisters of St Stephen's Chapel, and the Chapel of St Mary Undercroft.
Sir Charles Barry was the architect that was set with the task of rebuilding Westminister Palace.
The palace was largely built, focusing on Gothic architecture and Christian themes.
The construction of the new palace started in 1840 and lasted for 30 years.
The death of Sir Charles Barry and his assistant Augustus Austin led to a large delay in the rebuilding of the Palace of Westminster.
During World War Two, the House of Commons was blown out in a strike that targeted London.
Today, the palace that stands is referred to as the New Palace of Westminster.
The House of Parliament is known as the 'Mother of Parliaments'.
The history of the Houses of Parliament spans from the Anglo-Saxon period.
The Palace of Westminster was hit 14 times during World War Two.
Uses Of Houses Of Parliament
The Houses of Parliament consists of the Monarch, the House of Lords, and the House of Commons.
The Monarch plays a vital role in passing bills and opening and proroguing Parliament.
The Monarch also appoints the Prime Minister.
The government that is formed is made out of members from the Houses of Parliament.
One of the most important roles played by the Parliament is to challenge the government by overlooking and scrutinizing the work done by the ministers.
Debates are held where members discuss various different important topics relevant to them.
Handling finances and budgets is an important task that is handled by the House of Commons.
The House of Commons is the chamber of Parliament that is elected by the people to hold the government accountable. There are a total of 650 members.
Out of the 650 members in the House of Commons, 502 are men and 148 are women.
The House of Commons is referred to as the lower house of the UK Parliament.
The House of Commons oversees and generates bills of importance, such as money bills, supply bills.
The House of Lords is the second chamber of the Houses of Parliament.
Just like the House of Commons, the House of Lords also has the ability to pass and reject bills. However, the House of Lords is unable to reject bills passed by the House of Commons.
Within the House of Lords, there are 26 bishops of the Church of England known as the 'Lords Spiritual'.
The involvement of the House of Lords with the government is fairly limited.
In the UK, supreme legal authority is given to the Parliament.
The main elements of the Houses of Parliament are to scrutinize and challenge the government, debate current affairs, handling the budget, taxes, and overall legislation.
The annual state opening of Parliament has taken place in the House of Commons ever since 1852.
Facts About Houses Of Parliament
The Palace of Westminster and Westminster Abbey are both inscribed as UNESCO world heritage sites.
Although Westminster Palace is used by the Houses of Parliament, it is owned by England's monarchs.
The largest room in the Houses of Parliament is known as the Royal Gallery and is used for various events.
The Westminster Palace consists of various famous towers, such as the Victoria Tower and the Elizabeth Tower, more commonly known as Big Ben.
The House of Parliament consists of more than 100 stairs.
One of London's most iconic sights, Big Ben is a part of the Houses of Parliament.
Due to the purpose of the building, there is a strict no animal policy enforced in the Houses of Parliament.
The Gunpowder Plot, which was a bloody part of British history, took place in the Houses of Parliament. The Gunpowder plot was a failed assassination attempt on King James I.
The Houses of Parliament cover a large area and have a total of 1,100 rooms.
Although the House of Parliament is an official government institute, it also consists of various leisure services like a hair salon, and gym.
The foremost Gothic revivalist of the Victorian period, Giles Gilbert Scott, was buried in Westminister Abbey.
Unique Features About The Houses Of Parliament
The House of Commons and the House of Lords can be differentiated by the color of the seats. The House of Commons consists of green seats, while the House of Lords consists of red seats.
The House of Parliament used to be considered to be a royal palace before the fire in 1512.
The oak roof in the great hall is considered to be one of the most notable medieval constructions in wood.
The only prime minister to be assassinated in British history was assassinated in the Houses of Parliament.
Various places in the Houses of Parliament, like the prince's chamber, are adorned with historical paintings.
The Monarch is only allowed to visit the Parliament once a year.
The official name for the iconic 'Big Ben' located in London is actually the Elizabeth Tower.
Although there are 650 MP's, the House of Commons consists of only 427 seats.
In the 1800s the Houses of Parliament was almost abandoned due to the foul smell that was emitted by the River Thames.
Although animals are banned, it is infested with a large number of mice and moths.
In the coat rooms, along with a hangar, there are purple ribbons that were used by MP's to hang up their swords.
A 400-year-old tradition of starting each session with a prayer still occurs in the House of Commons.
The House of Commons is 70 ft (21 m), while the House of Lords is 97 ft (29.56 m) in length. The Elizabeth Tower is about 316 ft (96 m) in length.
The largest medieval roof in England is located in Westminister Hall.
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Sources
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Houses-of-Parliament-buildings-London-United-Kingdom
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parliament_of_the_United_Kingdom
https://www.britannica.com/topic/House-of-Commons-British-government
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palace_of_Westminster
https://www.parliament.uk/
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Bachelor of Science specializing in Computer Science
Christian MbaBachelor of Science specializing in Computer Science
Christian Mba is an experienced blogger and content writer with over a decade of experience. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from Nigeria and has a keen interest in Python programming. Along with his writing and blogging expertise, he is also an SEO specialist with more than six years of experience. Chris, as he is commonly known, has a passion for music and enjoys playing the piano.
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